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"A comprehensive and user-friendly ‘field manual’ for anyone initiating or sustaining high-quality inclusive early education."
—Eva Horn, Ph.D., University of Kansas
"Just what school districts need to provide their early childhood staff members with both the research that supports inclusion and specific ways to plan for and implement inclusive practices."
—Joan Lieber, Ph.D., University of Maryland
"All the essential components teams need to conduct comprehensive training."

Laying the Groundwork for Preschool Inclusion

Excerpted from The Preschool Inclusion Toolbox by Erin E. Barton, Ph.D., BCBA-D, & Barbara J. Smith, Ph.D. Brookes Publishing © 2015 | All rights reserved

What Is Quality Inclusion?

E rin E. B arton and Jaclyn Joseph
Tools from t he Toolbox:

• Figure 1.1 National Data on the Slow Progress of Preschool Inclusion
• Figure 1.2 Preschool Inclusion Framework
• Figure 1.3 Inclusion For Preschool Children With Disabilities: What We Know And What We Should Be Doing
• **Form 1.1 Preschool Inclusion Self-**Checklist
  The purpose of this chapter is to provide several important introductory tools for your preschool inclusion toolbox. First, we briefly discuss the state of inclusion in the United States. Then, we discuss our preschool inclusion framework. Finally, as part of our inclusion framework, the empirically supported, effective components of inclusion are presented.

State of Preschool Inclusion in the United States

As shown in Figure 1.1, a comparison of the 2012 IDEA data indicates that the practice of providing special education and related services to children ages 3–5 years old in regular EC settings increased by only 5.7% in 27 years. The limited improvement from 1985 to 2012 suggests administrators might need support for designing services, implementing systems, and crafting policies that support the inclusion of young children with disabilities in high-quality EC settings.

Empirical and Legal Support for Preschool Inclusion

Research consistently demonstrates that high-quality and responsive environments are associated with positive outcomes for young children, including for children with disabilities. High-quality inclusive classrooms with adequate ratios of more competent peers, in particular, are related to positive outcomes for children with disabilities. The fact sheet on research support and the fact sheet on IDEA provisions describe the academic and legal foundations for preschool inclusion.

Effective Components of Inclusion

Several effective components of preschool inclusion have emerged

1. Intentional, sufficient, and supported interactions between peers with and without disabilities;
2. Specialized, individualized supports;
3. Family involvement;
4. Inclusive, interdisciplinary services and collaborative teaming;
5. A focus on critical sociological outcomes;
6. Effective, ongoing professional development (PD); and
7. Ongoing program evaluation.

Inclusion for Preschool Children with Disabilities: What We Know and What We Should Be Doing

• The developmental importance of inclusive services for young children with disabilities is clear.
• Programs that are characterized by inclusive service delivery tend to be state-of-the-art on various dimensions, including extensive parental involvement.

Application Questions

1. What is the current percentage of children receiving their special education and related services in regular EC programs?
2. What empirical research exists to support preschool inclusion?

Reflection Questions

• What actions do you need to take after considering the effective components of high-quality preschool inclusion?
• How will you share information regarding high-quality preschool inclusion with others?

Preschool Inclusion Self-Checklist

In addition to the three defining features of inclusion (access, participation, and supports) outlined in the Division for Early Childhood/National Association for the Education of Young Children joint position statement on inclusion...

Conclusion

After examining the research on inclusion and the IDEA provisions, your views about preschool inclusion might have changed. Data establishes not much has changed regarding the numbers of preschool children included with their peers, despite the plethora of academic, legal, and professional support for inclusion.