Inclusion and Preschoolers Who Are Typically Developing: The Lived Experience

In this qualitative study, we examined the lived experiences of three typically developing children participating in inclusive preschool programs for children with special needs. Inclusion has been considered a best practice in early childhood programs for many years; however, some may still argue that the benefits for children with disabilities are greater than for those without. Prior research has explored the benefits of inclusion for young children with special needs but has not focused as intentionally on the benefits for young children with typical abilities. In this study, we followed three preschool children with typical development for one school year. Employing an hermeneutical framework, we used observations, interviews with teachers and parents, and artifact reviews to examine how these three children made meaning of their experiences. Findings indicated that all three children made social gains and demonstrated improved perceptions of peer with disabilities after participating in their respective programs. The results suggest that inclusive preschool programs may be viewed as beneficial for all children.     

Influential Factors in Inclusive Versus Non-Inclusive Placements for Preschool Children with Disabilities

The major purpose of this study was to examine the extent to which preschool inclusion practices were evident in diverse communities, and to identify those child, maternal, and service provider characteristics that significantly related to such practices. Of the 114 children studied, 50 received the majority (> 90%) of their services in public school based classrooms for children with disabilities, and were classified as non-inclusion. Sixty-four children received the majority of their services in community based settings (primarily Head Start) and were classified as inclusion. Major findings included: (a) the likelihood of inclusive placement differed significantly by study community, however, the mere availability and presence of community based inclusive settings did not guarantee their use; (b) no significant associations were evident between child, maternal, and service provider characteristics and type of program placement when the influence of community was controlled for; and (c) children in non-inclusion settings received significantly more hours of service per week than inclusion children (18 versus 11 hours). Data in this study suggest that the paradigm shift away from intensive, segregated educational programs toward fully inclusive, community based programs for preschool children has gained considerable momentum in select communities nationally.     

Current state of inclusion of children with special needs in child care programmes in one Canadian province

We suggest that most inquiry in special education is misconceived. We examine the consequences of an allegiance to the erstwhile knowledge of special education in professional assumptions about learning difficulty and the research and practice of special education. We assert that obeisance to that knowledge has proven unfruitful for the children and young people it is intended to serve. Suggesting that the preferred inquiry methods of special education have led only into culs-de-sac, we argue that inclusive education should reinstate the importance of teachers' own experience, insights, and values—restore the significance of reflective practice. It is these that should provide the lead for new developments in inclusion. We suggest that arguments for inclusion have to emerge less out of the kind of supposed knowledge so respected by 20th-century educators—less out of notions of success and failure (of children or of schools)—and more out of ideas about social justice and human rights.     

Disabilities and inclusive practices within Toronto preschools

A current objective in Canada is a provision of childcare services for all children. This objective has not been achieved as many children, especially those with disabilities, are often denied services from publicly funded daycare centres. The authors argue that policy discussions framed from an inclusive perspective provide a better understanding of how the Ontario child care system should function to ensure daycare services for children of disabilities. They interviewed the directors of 354 licensed preschools in Toronto about the inclusion of children with disabilities into their centres. Analysis revealed that only 2.4% of the students in these centres were identified as having a disability; the two most frequently identified disabilities were Autism Spectrum Disorders and speech and language disorders. The majority of directors stated that they would turn away a child because of a disability. The centres that were most inclusive had service providers come into the centre, but very few (17%) of these centres had resource teachers as support. The analysis further indicates a large number of centres that currently are not identified as capable of providing special need services and are not directly operated by the Ministry of Education. With staff development and funding, these centres have the potential to provide services to children of disabilities.     

Questioning Secondary Inclusive Education: Are Inclusive Classrooms Always Best for Students?

Educating students with special needs in inclusive settings has become a priority for westernized governments as they strive to create more inclusive societies. While recognizing the societal benefits of inclusion, teachers and parents question whether or not implementation of full inclusion will come at the expense of learners’ individual needs. This is particularly true for students with cognitive disabilities moving into the content-rich, peer-dominated environment of secondary school. It will be maintained within this article that there remains a need for segregated classrooms where students with mild cognitive disabilities can receive the specialized programming and supports that they require in a low-stress environment. Furthermore, educators should continue to prioritize the learning needs of all students with disabilities when contemplating full inclusion. Modeling an inclusive society should not mean inclusion at all costs, but considering what’s best for each student and recognizing that one size does not fit all.     

The masculine face of science

This paper considers the contemporary debate about inclusion and inclusive education as this affects children with special educational needs/disabilities. It addresses the continuing question of the relative contributions of value and evidence based considerations in making policies and developing practices. The main point of the paper is to argue that we cannot avoid dealing with these questions and that there is a need for a constructive synthesis of value, conceptual and empirical matters to resolving questions about inclusion. Though this may seem uncontroversial, it is argued that there are hard decisions to be made, or dilemmas surrounding how we address differences which arise from potentially conflicting values — the values of inclusion and individuality. The paper also discusses the contribution of empirical research evidence in the context of these dilemmas. The paper concludes with a rejection of the values/rights versus ‘what works’ positions and opts for the challenge of recognising different values, how they can conflict and how this tension needs to be resolved and the role of evidence in finding a resolution.     

Preschool inclusion in the United States: a review of research from an ecological systems perspective

Using an ecological systems conceptual framework proposed by Bronfenbrenner, research on the inclusion of preschool children with disabilities in programs with typically developing children was reviewed. Drawing mainly from studies conducted in the United States, research on child characteristics (biosystem), classroom practices (microsystem), family perspectives (mesosystem), social policy (exosystem), culture (macrosystem), and changes in variables across time (chronosystem) is described. Positive developmental and behavioral outcomes occur for children with and without disabilities in inclusive settings, although as a group, children with disabilities are not as socially integrated as their typically developing peers. Parent attitudes are generally positive although they voice some concerns about inclusion. Several social policy issues within the U.S. system (e.g., enforcement of standards, fiscal issues) serve as barriers to and facilitators of implementation of preschool inclusion, and cultural variables shape the nature of inclusive classrooms as well as family access to inclusive settings.     

Same As It Ever Was: The Nexus of Race,Ability, and Place in One Urban School District

Lack of access to general education for students with disabilities, particularly students with extensive support needs, students of color, and students from low-income households, reflects continued educational inequities for multiply marginalized students. Here, we present findings of a geospatial analysis of the intersections of race, socioeconomic status, disability labels, and levels of inclusion for students with disabilities in an urban school district, serving primarily students of color. Findings show trends in segregated placements mirroring historical redlining practices, suggesting the persistence of racial segregation that is enacted systematically and systemically via special education placements, disability categories, and geography. Results suggest the need to examine student-level placement data in the context of race, class, disability label, and space to identify and address inequities in access to inclusive schooling.     

The Impact of Changing Roles on Relationships between Professionals in Inclusive Programs for Young Children

As inclusion of young children with disabilities into preschool programs has become more prevalent, there have been concomitant changes in the roles assumed by the professionals and paraprofessionals in these programs. In this paper we examine the ways in which inclusive models influence the roles assumed by the program staff and the factors that affect the ability of staff members to assume these roles. Data, which included interviews, participant observation and document analysis, were collected as part of a multi-site national study of inclusive education programs and practices. From these data, themes emerged regarding the changing roles and relationships of staff members in inclusive early childhood programs. These themes are discussed as both facilitators of and barriers to successful inclusive programs.     

Investigation and comparison of Turkish and American preschool teacher candidates’ attitudes towards inclusion of young children with disabilities

Inclusion of young children with disabilities into general education classrooms is a common practice that has been implemented for many years in developed countries around the world and many developing countries have been creating and implementing laws and regulations to support inclusive education in early years. Although extant literature includes a commonly agreed definition for inclusion, the implementation of inclusive practices varies across countries. A critical factor for successful implementation of inclusive practices is teachers’ attitudes towards inclusion of children with disabilities. The purpose of this study was to compare Turkish and American pre-service preschool teachers’ attitudes towards inclusion of young children with disabilities and their willingness to work with children with severe behavioural, physical, and cognitive disabilities. A total of 123 pre-service teachers participated in the study. The results showed that pre-service teachers across two countries had similar attitudes towards inclusion and their attitudes were positive. Additionally, both groups of pre-service teachers reported more favourable attitudes towards working with children with severe physical disabilities than those who have severe cognitive and behavioural disabilities. Implications for future research and practices are discussed.     

Inclusion Illusion: Questioning the Inclusiveness of Integrated Physical Education

ABSTRACT

Globally, integrated school placements as well as inclusion as an education philosophy have emerged as influential trends in education over the past 30 years. Although used interchangeably at times, inclusion and integration are distinct. Confusion about inclusion and integration can lead to mixed messages, which oftentimes affect the education of students with disabilities in school-based physical education. The purposes of this article are twofold. First, the author will provide a brief narrative to clarify the distinction between inclusion as a philosophy and integration as a placement. Second, the author will examine whether empirical data support integrated physical education placements as being inclusive. Existing literature examining the embodied perspectives of students with disabilities, as well as previously unpublished non-fiction reflections from one man with a visual impairment, are utilized to guide the conversation about whether integrated physical education settings are providing inclusive experiences.     

Inclusion of young children with special needs in early childhood education: The research base

Increasingly, early childhood programs include children with disabilities and typically developing children. The purpose of this paper is to review the recent empirical literature that underlies the practice of inclusion at the early childhood level in order to provide a context for the research articles appearing in this issue of ECRQ. We first describe the definitions of inclusion, rationales for inclusive classes, and demographics of inclusive programs and staff. Using Bronfenbrenner's ecological systems theory as a conceptual framework, we review research related to variables proximal to the program (i.e., microsystem and mesosystem levels) such as classroom practices, children's social interactions, teacher beliefs, and professional collaboration. Next, we examine research associated with variables occurring more distally from the classroom program (i.e., exosystem and macrosystem levels): families' perspectives, social policy, community and culture. We conclude this review with an examination of research that illustrates the influence of variables a one level of the ecological system on those occurring at a different levels and recommend directions for future research.     

Measuring quality in inclusive preschool classrooms: Development and validation of the Inclusive Classroom Profile (ICP)

The purpose of this study was to develop and validate an observation measure designed to assess classroom quality in inclusive preschool programs, the Inclusive Classroom Profile (ICP). Developing the rating scale entailed systematic fieldwork in inclusive settings and review of the literature on preschool inclusion. Results from the validation study showed that the measure has good inter-rater agreement, is internally consistent, and shows a good factor structure. Correlations with other measures of classroom quality provided initial evidence for construct validity. This paper argues that traditional measures used to assess quality in early childhood classrooms are useful but may not be sufficient in capturing dimensions of quality that pertain particularly to the support for children with disabilities included in preschool programs.     

Working towards inclusion: Reflections from the classroom

This article explores developments towards inclusive education being undertaken in some schools in India. Drawing on data collected through interviews with key professionals working in schools and classroom observations, the study focused on the practices and experiences of professionals involved in these efforts. Findings suggest that these schools had provided access to children who would otherwise have been denied admission to the mainstream due to their disabilities. However, these children remained the ‘included’ children and did not necessarily become a part of the classroom. Thus, evident in these schools were a range of exclusionary practices that continued to exist alongside efforts towards inclusion. I therefore argue that there is not only a need to provide stakeholders with the knowledge and skills for developing inclusive teaching practices, but also a need to challenge existing values, beliefs and attitudes to ensure the full participation of all children in the curriculum and culture of their school setting.     

Preservice teachers' attitudes toward inclusion: Early childhood education and elementary education programs

Abstract

Teachers’ attitudes toward inclusion of children with disabilities play a central role in the successful inclusion of these children into general education classrooms. This study examined possible predictors of preservice teachers’ attitudes toward (1) persons with disabilities, and (2) inclusion of children with disabilities into general education classrooms. Participants were students majoring in early childhood education and elementary education. Preservice teachers’ attitudes toward persons with disabilities and inclusion were explained significantly by their personal relationships with persons who have disabilities and the number of courses related to special education/teaching strategies taken. However, preservice teachers’ experiences working with persons who have disabilities was not a significant predictor. Further, the relations between preservice teachers’ attitudes toward inclusion and personal experience variables were mediated by their attitudes toward persons with disabilities. This study provides evidence that more effective, practical experiences and course content related to children with disabilities, inclusion, and teaching strategies need to be provided in teacher education programs to support successful efforts with inclusion. This study also suggests that teacher education programs should strive to improve students’ attitudes toward inclusion, as well as toward persons with disabilities.     

Assessing Thai early childhood teachers' knowledge of inclusive education

An ever-increasing number of children with and without disabilities are attending early childhood programmes and learning together. Early childhood inclusion considers all children with and without disabilities, and their families as full members of the early childhood community. Although many early childhood teachers accept the educational rights of children with disabilities and the core principle of inclusion – that early childhood learning programmes should provide for the needs of all the children in their centres, regardless of ability and disability, there remain significant barriers in terms of teacher professional knowledge in achieving these goals. In this article, we report a study on Thai preschool teachers' knowledge of inclusive early childhood education. Quantitative data obtained through a questionnaire were supplemented by teacher interviews. Both the quantitative and qualitative data focused on the teachers' assessment of their professional knowledge. Findings from this study can inform effective professional development programmes in preparing early childhood teachers for successful inclusive practices.     

Dilemmas of difference,inclusion and disability: international perspectives on placement

This paper reports findings about placement questions relevant to disability in education. It is part of a larger international study of the perspectives of 132 education practitioners and administrators in England, the USA and The Netherlands to several dilemmas of difference. Participants were interviewed about their perspectives to a presented placement dilemma about the consequences of having inclusive/separate placements for children with more severe disabilities/special educational needs. The data are presented in quantitative terms (degrees of recognition and resolution of dilemma) and qualitative terms (reasons, justifications and suggested resolutions). The findings show the continued recognition of this dilemma and commonalities in the resolution of the dilemma across the countries. Variations in responses to the dilemmas that relate to national differences are also discussed.