Promoting and Sustaining Inclusive Practices in Colorado Early Childhood Settings: Tools for Supporting the Model with the SpecialQuest Approach and Materials

June 2009Lenita HartmanLaura MerrillRosie MorenoHolly Wilcher

Webinar Presenters

Lenita Hartman

Laura Merrill

Rosie Moreno

Holly Wilcher

WEBINAR GOAL AND LEARNING OBJECTIVES

• GOAL: To gain understanding of ways to promote early childhood inclusive practices using the SpecialQuest approach and materials.

LEARNING OBJECTIVES

Discuss a national definition of inclusion. Share perceptions of inclusive practices. Discuss challenges to early childhood inclusion. Explore SpecialQuest Birth-Five and materials. Describe ways you might use the SpecialQuest

Approach and materials back “home".

What does inclusion mean to you?

Inclusion Perceptions

“My son will be living and working with a diverse population of people. I want him to be accepted both out of school and in school. For me, that’s why inclusion is a key.”

“To me, there is no such thing as “inclusion”. There is simply “real life”.”Parents of children with disabilities.

 “Inclusion involves all kinds of practices that are ultimately practices of good teaching. What good teachers do is to think thoughtfully about children and develop ways to reach all children.”

Teacher of 2nd Grade in an Inclusive School Setting

“Inclusion is based on the belief that all people work and live in inclusive communities, with people of different races, religions, aspirations and abilities, and children should learn and grow in similar environments.”

Professor of Special Education

 

From the field....

“The idea of belonging and membership, being part of a community, is a basic human need. It’s one of the

principles of our democratic society. We all have the same needs, we want to be loved, we want to have friends, we

want to feel that we are making a contribution in our families, in our communities….We learn about

understanding what someone’s interests and point of view are by interacting with them. To include everyone is to

open up those possibilities for learning and appreciating our humanity.”

Dr. Joseph Putner, Educator

WHAT IS EARLY CHILDHOOD INCLUSION?

The definition of early childhood inclusion from DEC and NAEYC joint position statement on inclusion is as follows:

Early childhood inclusion embodies the values, policies, and practices that support the right of every infant and young child and his or her family, regardless of ability, to participate in a broad range of activities and contexts as full members of families, communities, and society. The desired results of inclusive experiences for children with and without disabilities and their families include a sense of belonging and membership, positive social relationships and friendships, and development and learning to reach their full potential. The defining features of inclusion that can be used to identify high quality early childhood programs and services are access, participation, and supports.

Defining Features of Quality Early Childhood Inclusion

Access – means providing a wide range of activities and environments for every child by removing physical barriers and offering multiple ways to promote learning and development.

Participation – means using a range of instructional approaches to promote engagement in play and learning activities, and a sense of belonging for every child.

Supports – refer to broader aspects of the system such as professional development, incentives for inclusion, and opportunities for communication and collaboration among families and professionals to assure high quality

inclusion.

National Professional Development Centeron Inclusion (NPDCI) Recommendations

1. Create high expectations for every child to reach his or her full potential.

2. Develop a program philosophy on inclusion.

3. Revise program and professional standards.

4. Establish a system of service and supports.

5. Achieve an integrated professional development system (which is what SQ is striving for in CO).

6. Revise federal and state accountability systems.

Inclusion- Challenges

• What challenges have you experienced with implementing inclusive practices in early childhood

settings?  

WHAT IS THESPECIALQUEST BIRTH-FIVE

APPROACH?

SpecialQuest Birth-Five VisionStates and local communities collaborate to provide

quality inclusive services for young children with disabilities and their families. This work is supported by embedding the SpecialQuest approach, materials, and resources into professional development and service

systems.

HISTORY OF SPECIALQUEST

• Ten years of work by the Hilton/Early Head Start Training Program (1997–2007).

• Over 500 Early Head Start/Migrant and Seasonal Head Start programs and community partners.

• SpecialQuest teams participated in engaging learning with parallel processes and continuous improvement and on-site follow-up support provided by Learning Coaches.

• Continuous improvement processes guided program development and provided evaluation information.

 

APPROACH

• Designed to touch the “head, heart and hands” of families and professionals.

• Relationship- & team-based approach  sustains inclusive services, family leadership skills, and collaborative service delivery.

• Teams participate in engaging learning with parallel process and continuous improvement strategies.

• Teams are supported with coaching, facilitation, and follow-up to implement quality inclusive services.

ONE GRADUATE TEAM’S EXPERIENCE

• Team of community partners• Specific goals for the community

– Enhancing staff knowledge, skills and comfort– Inclusive child care in private centers

• Plan of sustainability

HOW CAN I USE THE SPECIALQUEST APPROACH AND MATERIALS?

COLORADO SPECIALQUEST BIRTH-FIVE STATE LEADERSHIP TEAM VISION

We have adopted the vision collaboratively developed by DEC and NAEYC….

Early childhood inclusion in Colorado will embody the values, policies, and practices that support the right of every infant and

young child and his or her family, regardless of ability, to participate in a broad range of activities and contexts as full

members of families, communities, and society. The desired results of inclusive experiences for children with and without disabilities and their families include a sense of belonging and membership,

positive social relationships and friendships, and development and learning to reach their full potential. The defining features of

inclusion that can be used to identify high quality early childhood programs and services are access, participation, and supports.

FROM THE FIELD…

“SpecialQuest has given my program a blueprint for implementing responsive services for children and families. We have expanded from looking at training direct staff to looking at the program itself…This new approach is really making an impact in [our state].”

Data and EvaluationEnrolling Children with Disabilities

Data and EvaluationImplementation of Inclusive Practices

Data and EvaluationIncrease in Skills

Data and EvaluationIncrease in Comfort Level

Data and EvaluationIncrease Integrated Service Delivery

What does the SpecialQuest Birth-Five Approach to Inclusion Entail?

The volumes are organized by themes: • Including Young Children with Disabilities• Building Relationships with Families • Collaboration and Teaming

Including Young Children with Disabilities

Rooted in the key concept of "belonging," these sessions examine the beliefs and attitudes that influence and affect adults and children in inclusive settings and provide numerous practical strategies and tools to help families and providers implement high-quality inclusive services.

Building Relationships with Families

Families are the enduring presence in the lives of young children with disabilities. This volume contains activities to support early care and education staff and families in developing positive relationships that support collaboration and family leadership.

Collaboration and Teaming

Inclusion depends on a team of family members and service providers who assume collective responsibility for coordinating services to young children with disabilities and their families. This makes teaming a vital part of the process. The sessions in this volume provide a comprehensive set of strategies and activities that support high-quality collaboration and teaming.

 How can the SpecialQuest

Approach and Materials help your Early Childhood

Inclusion Efforts?

Let’s take a

SPECIALQUEST MULTIMEDIA TRAINING LIBRARY

1. Go to www.specialquest.org2. Click on “Enter Site” 3. Click on the Multimedia Training

Library icon4. Search for video by:

o titleo sessiono keyword o content by volume o supplements

5. Preview and download resources6. Learn more about the

SpecialQuest approach and materials

 

HOW CAN THE COLORADO SPECIALQUEST BIRTH-FIVE STATE LEADERSHIP TEAM

SUPPORT YOU?

Early Childhood Inclusion Resources

CONTINUOUS IMPROVEMENT

What insights have you gained today?What worked?Suggestions?

CONTACT INFORMATION