Jan 18, 2018
Chapter 1 An Inclusive Approach to Early Education
2015 Cengage Learning. All Rights Reserved. Inclusion Defined
Inclusion means that children with special needs attend school with
typically developing peers. Inclusion is belonging, being valued,
and having choices. Inclusion is accepting children and families
and supporting their participation. 2015 Cengage Learning. All
Rights Reserved. What is it? Inclusionis any opportunityfor
children with disabilities to play & interact with, grow &
learn alongside children who are developing in atypical way.
Attitudes Toward Disabilities: Historical Perspectives 1500s
Only 50% of children reached adulthood Infanticide,
abandonment,exploitation common Public sentiment: Children were
full of evil 1.2 1700s Children maimed to be better beggars Strict
discipline enforced
Public sentiment: Children seen, not heard Children = workers
Little thought given to persons with disabilities 1.3 1800s First
kindergartens 80% of persons in poor housinghad some disability
First disability services School for the Deaf (1817) School for the
Blind (1832) National Education Association subdivisionconcerning
disabilities (1897) Public sentiment: Protect the handicapped 1.4
early 1900s Institutions isolated, overcrowded, understaffed
Residents institutionalizedfor life, provided minimal care
Community developedapathy, fear, distrust Public sentiment
Personswith disabilities = menace 1.5 early 1900s New science of
genetics producedfaulty studies resulting inmisconceptions Mental
retardation was mostly hereditary Mental retardation caused social
evils New laws removed rights ofpersons with disabilities Study of
children as a scienceemerged 1.6 mid to late 1900s World wars ended
& disabled soldiers returned home
New compassion for persons with disabilities Civil rights movement
unfolded Federal legislation supports rights of persons with
disabilities Public sentiment: People with disabilities are people
first 1.7 Historical Perspective of Inclusion
Forget and hidechildren with disabilities were placed in
institutions, and families were told to forget about them. Screen
and segregatepeople with disabilities now had civil rights. 2015
Cengage Learning. All Rights Reserved. Historical Perspective
(continued)
Identify and helpchildren were now identified earlier, so treatment
could begin earlier. Include and supportAmericans with Disabilities
Act is passed and inclusion begins. 2015 Cengage Learning. All
Rights Reserved. Rationale for Inclusive Early Education
Ethical issuesegregated classes for children with disabilities
often do not have the materials, funding, and support of regular
classrooms, making their education inadequate. 2015 Cengage
Learning. All Rights Reserved. Rationale for Inclusive Early
Education (continued)
Socialization issuethrough inclusion equal social status is
implied: Children of varying abilities grow up together, and
acceptance is mainstream. Re-entry into the social norms is not
necessary because they are already a part of the norm. 2015 Cengage
Learning. All Rights Reserved. Rationale for Inclusive Early
Education (continued)
Developmental issues Children with and without disabilities are
provided lessons that enhance their level of development. Children
learn from each other. Children model appropriate interactions with
others. 2015 Cengage Learning. All Rights Reserved. Rationale for
Inclusive Early Education (continued)
Cost issuecost is actually reduced, because existing program
structures are already in place. Segregating typical and atypical
children would be a setback. Not enough quality programs to serve
all children in segregation. 2015 Cengage Learning. All Rights
Reserved. Supporting Inclusion: Implications for Teachers
Structuring child-child interactions The teacher needs to structure
his/her activities on encouraging play between children with and
without disabilities. After a period of imitating each others
behaviors, children will begin to play together on their own. 2015
Cengage Learning. All Rights Reserved. Supporting Inclusion:
Implications for Teachers (continued)
Planning activities Activity-based approach has the teacher develop
lessons based on typical preschool activities and incorporate IFSP
and IEP goals at the same time. 2015 Cengage Learning. All Rights
Reserved. Supporting Inclusion: Implications for Teachers
(continued)
Professional collaboration Interdisciplinary teams are developed
and must work together to meet the needs of the individual child.
Interdisciplinary teams partner with families. Professionals share
their strengths to improve the childs educational outcomes. 2015
Cengage Learning. All Rights Reserved. Benefits of Inclusion
Benefits for children with disabilities
Gains are made in social competence social play developmental
domains higher levels of play higher academic achievement 2015
Cengage Learning. All Rights Reserved. Benefits of Inclusion
(continued)
Benefits for typically developing children Developmental progress
not adversely affected. improved quality in teaching has positive
impacts. 2015 Cengage Learning. All Rights Reserved. Benefits of
Inclusion (continued)
Peer tutoring Both children receive significant benefits. Provides
social interactions. Promotes acceptable play behaviors. Promotes
appropriate and enhanced use of materials. 2015 Cengage Learning.
All Rights Reserved. Benefits of Inclusion (continued)
Developing sensitivity Understanding differences Becoming aware of
own strengths and weaknesses 2015 Cengage Learning. All Rights
Reserved. Benefits of Inclusion (continued)
Benefits for families Parents attitudes become more positive over
time as they see their children become more accepting of
differences their children become more comfortable around all
people 2015 Cengage Learning. All Rights Reserved. Benefits of
Inclusion (continued)
Benefits for society As the children grow into adults, they are
more accepting of individual differences more mature in their
responses around others able to respect others for what they can do
2015 Cengage Learning. All Rights Reserved. Practices That
Interfere withPositive Attitudes towardPersons with
Disabilities
Isolating people who have disabilities Treating people with
disabilities asincapable & dependent Seeing only the
disability, not the person Using language such as cripple,
idiot,retarded, deaf & dumb 1.8 Challenges to Implementing
Inclusion
Negative attitudes of parents, teachers, &community Lack of
trained staff Continued physical inaccessibility of somebuildings
Lack of funding for additional staff, smallerclass sizes,
specialized materials & equipment 1.10 Concerns and Challenges
of Inclusion
Will special needs be served? Parents and professionals often feel
that they cannot meet the needs of the child. Are specialized
services going to be available? How well are the teachers prepared?
If so much time is spent on children with disabilities, will the
typical children feel shortchanged? 2015 Cengage Learning. All
Rights Reserved. Concerns and Challenges of Inclusion
(continued)
Concerns about inappropriate behaviors Typically developing
children will begin to imitate inappropriate behaviors of children
with disabilities. This is unfounded and false. Children will not
imitate unusual or stereotypical behaviors. 2015 Cengage Learning.
All Rights Reserved. Concerns and Challenges of Inclusion
(continued)
Will children with special needsbe teased? Not if given good role
models who answer questions honestly and support friendships 2015
Cengage Learning. All Rights Reserved. Final Thoughts Inclusion is
the law.
There are more benefits than downfalls. Society will be more
accepting of all individuals. Cost should not be a deterring
factor. Try it; you might like it. 2015 Cengage Learning. All
Rights Reserved.