Successful Preschool Inclusion quiz

A. The beginning. Placement is only the first step. As is often noted, inclusive education is not just about place.

Simply placing a child in a setting with typical, same-age peers, without support and collaboration of key players, not only fails to meet the mandates for and expectations of a least restrictive environment but also can be very stressful for the child, family, and staff.

Early childhood staff may feel overwhelmed and unsupported. Typical peers may feel threatened or confused by certain behaviors or characteristics of the child. Families may feel their child is being rejected or not making strides toward his or her potential.

B. No. IDEA does not guarantee inclusive placement for every child.

An inclusive classroom is not the ideal placement for every child with special needs at every moment of his or her educational life.

IDEA does, however, require good faith consideration of how to create a meaningful, effective plan designed specifically for that child. Planning for instruction must consider what supports and services the child needs and how these supports and services can be accommodated in the general education classroom. The child's instruction must be delivered in a place and manner that is as similar as possible to the classroom and instructional practices experienced by students without disabilities, that is, the least restrictive environment (LRE).

In some cases a child's educational needs cannot be reasonably accommodated in a typical setting (e.g., because of significant health or behavioral needs). Placement in the general education classroom may not be feasible, and therefore it is not the least restrictive environment at that time. For most preschool children with disabilities, however, placement and learning in a general early childhood education (ECE) classroom can be both reasonable and feasible.

B. 42% For all special education preschoolers eligible for Part B services (745,954 children as of 2011, according to a U.S. Department of Education report), approximately 62% spend some time in a regular education setting, but only 42% receive special education services in those settings.

Closer examination of the data reveals greater variations across states. The percentage of preschoolers with special needs in each state who receive services in an inclusive setting ranges from as low as 9% to as high as nearly 90%.

Reasons were not given for the variability in whether preschoolers with special needs receive special education services in those settings or receive them elsewhere (clinics, home, segregated special education classroom). However, it may be due to the unique challenges in creating preschool inclusion programs. It is also likely related to the choices of decision makers to not only make placement options available but also to provide appropriate services and supports in those environments.

D. All of the above.

Lack of access to general education early childhood settings. State and local education agencies do not typically offer preschool services for 3- and 4-year-olds who do not have disabilities. As a result, ensuring a least restrictive environment (LRE) presents the unique challenge of finding an appropriate preschool general education setting.

Lack of parity between ECE and ECSE teachers. While ECSE teachers must be trained and certified, in the United States, ECE teachers may have less training and no certification.

Differences in core knowledge and philosophy between ECE and ECSE. While individuals trained in special education have substantial knowledge of disabilities, they may be less experienced with general ECE curricula. Conversely, early childhood educators may have little knowledge and experience with children with disabilities and may be unaccustomed to the intense focus on the needs of individual children.

C. Therapists' use of a pull-out model was not found to be a key factor.

In in-depth interviews with teachers, parents, ECSE personnel, and therapists as part of a qualitative study, it was Therapists' willingness and ability to provide services within daily routines rather than using a pull-out model that was key to successful inclusion of young children with severe disabilities.

F. All of the above.

It is clear that administrators play a critical role in determining the success or failure of inclusive programs. The most commonly litigated area of education is related to violation of FAPE (free and appropriate education) and LRE mandates within special education.

It is important to note that many of the factors critical to the success of inclusive education are also critical to success for all children and are not uniquely important for students with disabilities.

A. Giving teachers and staff the freedom to work things out on their own.

One of the most important areas of need for professional development is collaborative teaming and problem solving. Team members themselves often fail to appreciate their importance until a major conflict arises. There is often a general belief that if one has good intentions and really wants what is best for the children, collaboration will not be difficult.

Providing training opportunities to teach the basics of active-listening, perspective-taking, and problem strategies can provide valuable tools as the program begins.

C. Lectures and handouts. The most common features of in-service training (e.g., lectures and handouts) are reported to be the least effective. Most recent studies support that, for adult learners, passive listening to in-service presentations are minimally effective.

Rather, the other options listed above are more likely to result in a change of practices.

D. Disinterest in the child's progress.

Even staff who resist change may be well-intentioned. Most often, conflict results from poor communication and misunderstandings or from genuine emotions and personal challenges associated with working as a member of a team.

For example, organizational or policy changes might cause one to fear losing status or even fear losing one's job. An expectation that each team member must share and discuss justification for his or her recommendations may lead to embarrassment or loss of self-esteem.

These common realities of group process and decision making can lead to resistance to change. Being able to understand others' perspectives and the reasons for team member resistance is critical to avoiding conflict.

E. All of the above.

Peer interactions in the inclusive preschool classroom can range from being "best buddies" to adopting caregiver-type roles, or from having occasional misunderstandings due to communication difficulties to outright hostility. Many of the interactions are based on adult modeling and guidance, while others seem to stem from the distinctive make-up of individual personalities.

Providing positive experiences for classmates of students with disabilities during the preschool years can help children form positive attitudes toward those with special needs. Adults need to actively engage children in positive interactions with their classmates, as shifts in attitude do not happen simply with proximity.

Adults need to model appropriate responses to a child with disability. For instance, they need to help children practice waiting for a child to respond to them, as response times in a child with special needs may be slow.