# Inclusion Barriers

### (& Tips on Solving Them!)

## Barrier #1

Connect parents and staff with inclusion-related workshops, support groups, and reliable information on sites like The Arc and NICHCY.

Use your newsletter to highlight inclusion benefits and facts.

Post reader-friendly research summaries on your program’s website.

Develop a Q&A handout for parents & staff.

## Barrier #3

Develop inclusion resource library with books, videos, etc.

#### Organize parent information nights

Consider an “inclusion observation series” that lets parents watch inclusion in practice.

Invite a panel of families to speak about inclusion and answer questions.

Have staff share inclusion success stories with parents.

Show staff how to use a resource like Building Blocks for Teaching Preschoolers with Special Needs to collect information about a child, embed interventions into classroom activities, and monitor progress. They’ll be able to see just how much kids with disabilities learn and grow over the course of the year.

## Barrier #5

Begin planning for inclusion well in advance of the school year, so teachers feel ready on Day 1.

Pair novice teachers with experienced ones so they can solve problems as a team.

Build in weekly planning times for teaching teams during the school year.

#### Hold monthly brainstorming lunches

Hire an inclusion coach to discover support needs and provide mentoring and professional development.

Reach out to a program already implementing inclusion under the guidance of a licensed early childhood special educator. Ask if the educator could provide supervision at your site.

If distance and funding are issues, consider video coaching strategies and online training modules.

**Adapted from First Steps to Preschool Inclusion by Sarika Gupta, Ph.D., with William Henninger, Ph.D., and Megan Vinh, Ph.D.**