An Administrator's Guide to Preschool Inclusion
[, 3.3MB]

This guide is for administrators who are responsible for setting up, monitoring, supporting, and maintaining inclusive programs for preschool children. Topics include: quality, collaboration, staff development, costs and financing, family-centered inclusion, and systems change.

Wolery, R.A., & Odom, S.L. Chapel Hill, NC: University of North Carolina, FPG Child Development Institute. (2000)

Blended Practices for Teaching Young Children in Inclusive Settings

Bridging the gap between special and general education, Blended Practices for Teaching Young Children in Inclusive Settings integrates knowledge about effective practices for teaching young children with and without disabilities into one comprehensive approach, giving teachers the explicit guidance. Early childhood teachers will use this as a reference for years to come as they blend best practices from special and general education, develop effective curricula for inclusive classrooms, and improve outcomes for all children.

Grisham-Brown, J., Hemmeter, M.L., & Pretti-Frontczak, K. Baltimore, MD: Paul H. Brookes Publishing Co. (2005)

Bridges Newsletter

Each newsletter release offers the reader articles on a variety of topics of interest to teachers and administrators of early care and education programs.

Published by the California Department of Education.

Click here for the Summer 2005 [, 1MB] issue for information and contacts for the Early Intervention and Early Childhood Education System in California.

Building Blocks for Teaching Preschoolers with Special Needs

This easy-to-use guidebook offers strategies for teaching children with special needs in an inclusive classroom, tailoring activities to individual needs, and working on a child’s IEP goals. At the heart of the book is the authors’ Building Blocks model, three practical methods teachers can use to include young children with disabilities in the classroom: curriculum modifications that allow all children to participate, embedded learning opportunities that are used within typical classroom activities, and child-focused instructional strategies that help children achieve individual learning objectives.

Sandall, S.R., & Schwartz, I.S. Baltimore, MD: Paul Brookes. (2002)

Building an Inclusive “Preschool for All” Program
[, 156KB]

Child Care Law Center. San Francisco, CA: (2004)

DEC Recommended Practices: A comprehensive Guide for Practical Application in Early Intervention/Early Childhood Special Education

Sandall, Hemmeter, Smith and McLean

Including All Children

National Association for the Education of Young Children (NAEYC).

Including Children with Special Needs In Early Childhood Programs

This book recognizes the strong push and legislative mandate for the inclusion of children with special needs in classrooms with their non-disabled peers. Nine chapters, written by an array of child development specialists, emphasize important issues related to inclusion. Some of these issues are: family-centered services, collaboration among different disciplines, program design and implementation, and intervention practices. This book provides a sound introduction to the philosophy and practicality of inclusion and is well-suited for preservice students in the fields of early childhood education and early childhood special education.

Wolery, M., & Wilbers, J.S. (Eds). Washington, DC: NAEYC. (1994)

The Inclusive Early Childhood Classroom: Easy Ways to Adapt Learning Centers for All Children

Each chapter of this book describes practical ways to adjust centers and routines for children with special needs. The suggestions will enable diverse learners to stay involved in developmentally appropriate routines and center-based activities. Examples could also be used instructionally to provide students with opportunities to practice adapting environments. Categories of disabilities that are targeted by the suggestions include developmental delays, orthopedic impairments, pervasive developmental disorder (PDD) and autism, attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) and behavioral issues, motor planning problems and visual impairments.

Gould, P., & Sullivan, J. Beltsville, MD: Gryphon House. (1999)

Opening Doors: An Introduction to Inclusive Early Childhood

With illustrations and anecdotes that are appropriate for teachers and learners in both "regular" disciplines (e.g., child development, early childhood education) and "special disciplines" (e.g., early childhood special education, allied health), this text explores the essential elements of inclusive, responsive early childhood programs. Designed to promote interaction, reflection and action, Opening Doors offers an extensive field-experience component to help encourage a deeper understanding of bridging the gap between theory and practice.

Hull, K., Goldhaber, J., & Capone, A. Boston, MA: Houghton Mifflin. (2002)

Position Statement on Inclusion

This document captures both the rationale for and the benefits of inclusion. This position statement was endorsed by the National Association for the Education of Young Children (NAEYC).

Division for Early Childhood (DEC).

Project EXCEPTIONAL (Exceptional Children: Education in Preschool Techniques for Inclusion, Opportunity-building, Nurturing and Learning)

Offering several innovative approaches to training early childhood educators to serve young children with disabilities, this guide: emphasizes interdisciplinary teaming and the training of community providers; highlights the importance of developing successful partnerships with families; incorporates information about the needs of young children with disabilities and their families into quality early childhood practices; highlights the unique geographic, linguistic and culturally diverse needs of children, families, providers, and communities; and provides a value based training model which emphasizes community capacity building, the interactive learning process and hands on training experiences.

Kuschner, A., Cranor, L., & Brekken, L. (Eds). Sacramento, CA: CA Dept of Education. (1996)

Quick Notes: Inclusion Resources for Early Childhood Professionals

QuickNotes is a resource notebook of information sheets covering a broad range of topics related to high quality care of young children in a variety of settings including public and private child care centers and homes, preschool programs, and developmental day programs. The content is organized in 10 modules and applies to a wide audience of early care and education teachers, teaching assistants, administrators, specialists such as therapists and early interventionists, and families. The modules present current information and strategies based on the best available research and professional wisdom from the early childhood field.

QuickNotes was developed in response to two general needs expressed by early childhood technical assistance providers: (1) to be able to answer early care and education professionals' simple questions about inclusion and (2) to provide quick, written resources on a variety of topics related to quality care.

Download a Sample Module []

Westley, Patricia W., Dennis, Brenda C., Tyndall and Sabrina T. Chapel Hill, NC: University of North Carolina, FPG Child Development Institute. (2007)

Selected Resources on Financing Early Childhood Systems to Support Inclusive Options for Young Children with Disabilities
[, 176KB]

Whaley, Goode and deFosset

Setting the Pace: Model Inclusive Child Care Centers Serving Families of Children with Emotional or Behavioral Challenges

This report by a research team at Portland State University (Research and Training Center on Family Support and Children's Mental Health) is the results of a national study of nine child care centers, selected for their success in serving families of children with emotional or behavioral challenges. The study is based on more than 90 interviews with parents, directors and staff. Parents of children, with and without challenges, talk about their experiences of inclusive childcare. Directors and staff share the successful practices they have developed, their challenges, and the lessons they have learned about how to provide childcare for this group of families. In the final section of the report, the research team discusses ways to promote inclusion, and provide information on additional resources. An executive summary, individual chapters and resource lists may also be downloaded at this site.

Brennan, E., Bradley, J., Ama, S., and Cawood, N. Portland, OR: Portland State University, Research and Training Center on Family Support and Children's Mental Health. (2003).

What's Best for Infants and Young Children?

Brault and Chasen