ERIC Number: EJ1365394
Record Type: Journal
Publication Date: 2023-Mar
Pages: 13
Abstractor: ERIC
ISBN: N/A
ISSN: ISSN-1096-2506
EISSN: EISSN-2154-400X
Strategies to Support Community Inclusion of Young Children with Disabilities
Park, Kyunghwa Kay; Horn, Eva Marie; Kurth, Jennifer A.
Young Exceptional Children, v26 n1 p16-28 Mar 2023
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.
Descriptors: Inclusion, Young Children, Disabilities, Family Involvement, Early Intervention, Early Childhood Education, Community Resources, Barriers, Family Needs
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Publication Type: Journal Articles; Reports - Descriptive
Education Level: Early Childhood Education
Audience: N/A
Language: English
Sponsor: N/A
Authoring Institution: N/A
Grant or Contract Numbers: N/A