phb-gupta-all.indd

First Steps to Preschool Inclusion

How to Jumpstart Your Programwide Plan

by Sarika S. Gupta, Ph.D. Johns Hopkins University Baltimore, Maryland with William R. Henninger, IV, Ph.D. University of Northern Iowa Cedar Falls and Megan E. Vinh, Ph.D. University of Oregon Portland

I Inclusion, Policy, and Research

  1. What Is Inclusion? ... 3
    Sarika S. Gupta
  2. What Federal Laws and Policies Govern Inclusion? ... 15
    Megan E. Vinh and William R. Henninger, IV
  3. How Do Children Benefit from Inclusion? ... 33
    William R. Henninger, IV, and Sarika S. Gupta

II Critical Considerations for Inclusion

  1. Is My Program Ready for Inclusion? Assessing the Climate ... 61
    Sarika S. Gupta
  2. What Are My Program’s Inclusion Requirements and Resources to Help Me Understand Them? ... 103
    Sarika S. Gupta and Megan E. Vinh
  3. How Will I Support Key Program Changes? Tools for Collaboration ... 127
    Megan E. Vinh, Sarika S. Gupta, and Laura DiNardo
  4. What Are the Barriers and How Can I Address Them? ... 165
    Sarika S. Gupta and Megan E. Vinh

Appendix: Frequently Asked Questions ... 181

Index ... 191

About the Authors

Sarika “Sari” S. Gupta, Ph.D.

is Assistant Professor with the Center for Technology in Education with the Johns Hopkins University’s School of Education. She holds a doctoral degree in special education from the University of Maryland, and she completed a postdoctoral fellowship in early childhood special education leadership and policy at the University of Colorado. Over the past 15 years, she has blended teaching, research, and policy experiences to support preschool inclusion.

William “Bill” Henninger, IV, Ph.D.

is Assistant Professor of Family Studies at the University of Northern Iowa in the College of Social and Behavioral Sciences. He obtained his Ph.D. from Iowa State University in human development and family studies with a specialization in early childhood special education.

Megan E. Vinh, Ph.D.

is an educational consultant with Technical Assistance and Consulting Services, a research and outreach unit at the University of Oregon. She provides technical assistance and consultation to states’ agencies of special education.

Assessing Physical Characteristics and Inclusion Readiness

Certain features of early childhood classrooms have been shown to support children’s social and emotional development (Diamond, Hong, & Baroody, 2007).

Step 1
Classroom space 1. Classroom is one level (i.e., no steps or gradation in flooring or surface).
2. Shelves and tables are used to partition the classroom into centers and areas.
Furniture(e.g., size, arrangement, comfort) 1. Chairs in the classroom are the same child-size, plastic, and with a solid back.
2. Materials are available for children and within reach if they are sitting on standing.
Schedule and routine 1.A written schedule is posted on the back of the classroom door.
2.The teacher taps a musical wand to alert children to cleanup time and a transition to the next routine.

Assessing Social Characteristics and Inclusion Readiness

Yes Somewhat No
Teachers greet children as they arrive.
The classroom follows a schedule or routine.
Teachers are observing children as they work and play.
Activities and areas support cognitive development.
Teachers seem aware of children's needs and abilities.

Potential implications for a young child with a disability

  1. Positive—Teachers greet each child verbally at their eye level at morning arrival and wait for a verbal response.
  2. Negative—Consider the child with language delay. Although present with peers, is he communicating actively and engaged with peers as they greet each other? Maybe provide a series of visuals with emotions so that he can identify and share how he is feeling that day.