Environment is an essential area of attention for practitioners who support young children with disabilities and their families. Decisions about the environment impact the quality of care and education for young children with disabilities showing measurable influence on expected outcomes. Environment impacts true access, quality participation, and…

As the focus on bullying has grown, attention to incidents of and concern about sexual harassment has diminished. It is easy to understand that sexual harassment can be a form of bullying, especially when it is used to intimidate, but it is also a form of discrimination prohibited by federal and state laws. Effective implementation and enforcement…

Having a disability can be one of the most marginalizing factors in a child's life. In education, finding ways to meet the learning needs of children with disabilities can be challenging, especially in schools, districts, regions, and countries with severely limited resources. Inclusive education--which fully engages all children in quality…

Learning disabilities are among the most common disabilities experienced in childhood and adulthood. Although identifying learning disabilities in a school setting is a complex process, it is particularly challenging in low- and middle-income countries that lack the appropriate resources, tools, and supports. This guide provides an introduction to…

This paper explores a conceptualization of how factors impact activities of daily living (ADL) and participation from the perspective of persons with disability. This study identified what, and how, factors perceived by participants affect their daily activities, to better inform reporting of scores obtained on measures of ADLs and participation…

Bullying is one type of violence that threatens a youth's well-being in schools and neighborhoods. The impacts of bullying are felt by individuals, families, schools, and society and may result in youths feeling powerless, intimidated, and humiliated by the aggressive acts of other youth(s). This document is designed as a tool to help…

Practitioners and parents are seeking ways to help children who are not able to integrate sensory information; this has generated recent media attention. A child's inability to integrate sensory information can have implications for the whole family and their everyday routines. Research conducted by occupational therapists has provided a rich…

This article provides early childhood practitioners a way to develop a common understanding of the importance of play in the early learning experience of young children. Meaningful discussion among teachers, parents, administrators, and teacher candidates regarding play in early childhood education programs is critical to ensure the growth and…

Available resources and indicators of high quality inclusive practices are presented in this compilation. Assembling many different resources in one place allows for easy comparison of potential indicators of quality. Excerpts and adaptations of the resources are intended to provide some familiarity with the content of each resource and encourage…

The article describes five dimensions of handicapped children's behavior likely to be affected by environments: engagement, independence, aggression, social interaction, and happiness. Research and theory documenting the relationship between environments and behavior are reviewed and guidelines for matching changes in preschool environments to…

The case study of an integrated preschool classroom with six disabled children and six nondisabled peers found that structural changes in the environment of the classroom were essential for the development of positive social interactions among the children. (Author/JDD)

The paper examines the application of ecobehavioral analysis to the study of transitions between special preschool and regular kindergarten settings. Two measures for evaluating ecobehavioral interactions are described: Ecobehavioral System for the Complex Assessment of Preschool Environments (ESCAPE) and Assessment Code/Checklist for Evaluating…

One of the desired outcomes of transition planning for students with disabilities is to enable the students to lead a quality adult life. This report contains a literature review which outlines recent approaches to addressing quality of life issues, including conceptualizations, methodologies, and ethical concerns. A field inquiry report…

British educational policy on inservice training has established as a priority the training of classroom teachers to meet special educational needs of their students, using a curriculum-focused, whole-school approach. Three issues require consideration in the policy's implementation: academic organization, social climate of the school, and…

A technique called the Instructional Environment System-II is presented as a framework for assessing the performance and learning outcomes of students with disabilities in the context of classroom and home environments and developing an effective instructional program. A case description of a third-grade boy with difficulty in reading and…