What Makes Inclusion Work?

If your district or school does not have these practices in place, then Early CHOICES can be a resource to support your team.

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We have created a Livebinder to support each aspect of What Makes Inclusion Work in Early Childhood. This is packed with resources and tools, be sure to check it out!

New video resource on the benefits of inclusive education in preschool from STAR NET in collaboration with Early CHOICES and the great teams in Urbana SD #116 & St. Charles SD 303.

Early CHOICES youtube page features interviews with teachers and administrators regarding topics related to inclusion and the Inclusive Classroom Profile.

The program has a written vision statement supporting inclusion of children with disabilities, which is shared with families and the community.

  • Staff and families along with the community have input regarding the vision statement.
  • It supports the belief that all children can and will learn.
  • All children and families are full members of the community.
  • Program has a culture of inclusion upheld by all staff.

Teams meet regularly. Teams use an agenda, a strategy to document meetings and decisions, and keep within an allotted time frame.

  • Administration honors time by providing support to meet as a team.
  • Schedules accommodate common planning time.
  • Program promotes efficient and coordinated service delivery for children and families by creating the conditions for practitioners from multiple disciplines and the family to work together as a team.
  • Team members honor the time frame determined.
  • Team members use culturally and linguistically responsive practices.
  • Team examines practices to be aware of implicit biases.

Practitioners use strategies to enhance team functioning and interpersonal relationships with and among team members.

  • Teams use data based decision-making.
  • Teams share and collaborate on lessons plans, goals, and individualized interventions.
  • Items from previous meetings are reviewed to ensure follow-up.
  • Teams have access to assessments, interventions and progress reports from all team members to support planning.

Program, family and community providers collaborate to provide high quality inclusion.

  • Families are invited to and are supported to participate in meetings.
  • Families have multiple opportunities and means for communicating with team supporting their children.
  • Families receive frequent updates on progress and challenges.
  • Families are given an opportunity to provide feedback on the program.
  • Families are linked with community programs/services that support young children and their families.
  • Services are provided within the program the child attends.

The system is committed to learning through a variety of venues. Team has a variety of opportunities for learning based on individual needs and continuous improvement plan.

  • Team is supported to implement new strategies learned.
  • Team adjusts teaching strategies based on new information from professional learning opportunities.
  • All members of the team have time for reflecting and problem solving with others to implement new strategies.

Program-wide, teams use developmentally appropriate, evidence-based practices.

  • Team uses diverse instructional practices.
  • Groups are flexible and based on the needs of individual children.
  • Special education supports and related services are embedded into the classroom, including specialized instruction as needed.
  • Related services are provided within the routine of the general education classroom.
  • Children’s progress is continually monitored through authentic assessment.

Teams utilize a consistent process for determining appropriate individualized accommodations and modifications based on assessment data.

  • Adaptations are determined through the IEP process, used consistently with children and documented for future reference.
  • Intervention plans are individualized and shared with all team members.
  • Natural supports are provided for each child.
  • Teams provide adaptation and accommodations to promote engagement in activities and peer interactions.

Administration provides leadership to support high quality inclusion.

  • Administrators are supportive of inclusion in concrete and identifiable ways.
  • Administration values open communication regarding supports and services for children and there is a clear line of communication for problem solving.
  • Administration implements policy and procedures that support continuous quality improvement specifically related to inclusion.
  • Program combines resources to provide a unified system.

For more on Recommended Practices and Evidence Based Practices visit: http://www.dec-sped.org/ and https://www.naeyc.org/.  “Team” is defined as all of the adults who work together to support a child, including families.