Search

The purpose of this study was to understand the status and influential factors of preschool teachers' attitudes towards inclusive education, given the evidence that attitudes predict successful inclusion for young children with or at risk for developmental delays or disabilities. We translated the "Multidimensional Attitudes Toward Inclusive Education Scale" (MATIES, Mahat, 2008) to Simplified Chinese (MATIES-C). We then administered the MATIE-C to a representative sample of in-service preschool teachers (N = 481) in Beijing, China. The confirmative factor analysis and reliability tests suggested an acceptable construct validity and internal reliability of the MATIES-C. We also found preschool teachers in Beijing held positive attitudes towards inclusion across cognitive, affective, and behavioral dimensions of attitudes. The ANOVA results indicate teachers' experience and knowledge about children with disabilities had statistically positive associations with favorable attitudes. Preschool area, teacher age, and educational background were also found to have a statistically significant impact on teacher attitudes.

Inclusion is central to work in early intervention and early childhood special education (EI/ECSE) and reflected in the core beliefs and recommended practices of the field (Division for Early Childhood [DEC], 2014). Inclusion, according to the joint statement of the DEC and the National Association for the Education of Young Children (2009), means that each and every child, regardless of their abilities or disabilities, as well as their family have the right to be accepted and respected as valued full members of their communities and participate in a broad range of activities, including educational and recreational settings. The expected outcomes of ensuring equitable access to this broad range of activities and settings for children and their families are a sense of belonging and membership, positive social relationships, and development and learning to reach their full potential. To achieve the outcome of equitable access and active participation, engagement, learning, and development, a variety of intentional supports need to be considered that are designed around the individual needs and priorities of the child and their family. The purpose of this article is to describe a process grounded in a family-centered, strength-based, capacity-building approach to guide professionals in partnering with families for successful community inclusion. To implement the process, the first task is to develop a shared understanding of the family's concerns, resources, and priorities. The second task then for the professional and family is to jointly identify outcomes and develop a plan for achieving the outcomes. The authors propose the use of two tools (i.e., Ecomaps and Routines-based Interview [RBI]) and describe how they may be used together to implement the process. They begin by briefly describing each tool and how they work together. This is followed by a detailed description to guide implementation of the process through three phases--developing an Ecomap, conducting an RBI, and identifying outcomes and potential solutions.

This article proposes a reconceptualization of the relationship between two early childhood professional standards, the "Professional Standards and Competencies for Early Childhood Educators" (NAEYC, 2019) and the "Practice-Based Professional Preparation Standards for Early Interventionists/Early Childhood Special Educators" (CEC & DEC, 2020), from an aligned or a parallel approach to an integration approach that advances the shared equity agenda in early childhood education. In the integrative approach, the ECE Standards are viewed as the foundation for educating all children with diverse social identities (i.e., ability, race, language, socioeconomic) and the EI/ECSE Standards as the expansion on the foundation specifically for children with differing abilities. A rationale is provided for integrating the standards and the process of integration is exemplified around three broad themes central to both sets of standards: inclusion and diversity, responsive and relevant practices, and building partnerships. Integrating the two professional standards will guide educator preparation programs for inclusion, provide clarity and unity around the knowledge and competencies of early childhood professionals across settings, and unify the workforce in ECE and EI/ECSE for the shared goal of promoting inclusion and equity. Our aim is for the audience to consider the integrative approach as a conceptual framework for building shared values, visions, and knowledge in ECE and EI/ECSE to promote inclusive, equitable early childhood learning opportunities and to unify educators around the shared equity agenda.

The most recent efforts to promote inclusive education have acknowledged the various contexts in which it takes place, moving away from a placement-focused conceptualization of inclusion. Acknowledging that inclusive education may take place within multiple types of early childhood education programs necessitates the consideration of context as a potential factor influencing its high-quality implementation. Moreover, assessing and supporting quality within inclusive classrooms requires a consideration of both global quality and inclusion quality; yet, these two facets of inclusive education quality have rarely been considered together. In accordance with recent advancements in the conceptualization and promotion of inclusive education, we discuss three ongoing challenges in inclusive education research: operationalizing inclusive education independent of physical placement, ensuring the adequate consideration of context, and appropriately measuring quality. We also provide recommendations for future research aiming to continue advancing the field's knowledge of high-quality inclusive education.

The purpose of this article is to describe an approach that early educators can use to develop meaningful partnerships with families. Specifically, the authors describe their efforts to support teachers in developing home-school connections through a series of Family Projects that strengthened family-child relationships and created opportunities for families to gain knowledge to support their children's learning. They detail the context of the Family Projects, including the larger project in which this work was situated and the theoretical perspective that guided it. Furthermore, they describe the design and implementation of the Family Projects approach, including the process through which they gathered feedback from families to revise activities.

The purpose of this study was to examine the efficacy of the Children's School Success (CSS) curriculum for 4-year-old children enrolled in preschool programs designed to prepare them for success in their early public school grades. The study took place in preschool classes located in five regionally distributed states, all of which were inclusive of children with disabilities as well as other learning needs. Participants were 1,117 children from three subgroups (i.e., children living in poverty, children who were English Learners, and children with identified disabilities). Effects were also examined for children from these groups who had challenging behavior. Positive effects on different measures of vocabulary, letter knowledge, math, and social problem solving were found for children who were at risk due to poverty only and children who were English Learners. There was a consistent finding of "non-effects" for the children with disabilities.

Since the Declaration of Salamanca in 1994, many countries, including China, have been moving toward a more inclusive approach to schooling. This column discusses the history, status quo, and future directions of Chinese inclusive education. It also examines facilitators, barriers, and challenges in the development and implementation of Chinese inclusive education and provides corresponding recommendations.

The purpose of this study was to provide information about what characteristics from the variety of inclusive early childhood programs are most valued and least valued by families and professionals. Participants were 10 family members of young children with disabilities being served in inclusive programs and 10 early childhood professionals working in inclusive programs. A combination of Q-sort and qualitative research techniques were used. Participants generated one general factor viewpoint concerning what characteristics of inclusive early childhood programs are the most and least valuable. Interviews provided qualitative clarification concerning why participants did or did not value certain program characteristics and information about participants' beliefs concerning inclusive early childhood programs. (Contains 2 tables.)