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| Including Children with Disabilities in Child Care |
Children with physical, developmental, mental, emotional, behavioral, or medical disabilities may require a different level of care than most children their age. Including children with disabilities in an inclusive child care environment provides them with important personal and social experiences. It also allows their peers to benefit through increased social skills and understanding of others. In addition, Federal legislation such as the American with Disabilities Act and the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act requires that children and parents with disabilities must have an equal opportunity to participate in the child care programs and services in the least restrictive environment. The following is a sample of Federal agencies, national organizations, and publications that provide information about strategies for including children with disabilities in child care settings.
The Access Board is an independent Federal agency devoted to ensuring accessibility for people with disabilities. Key responsibilities include developing and maintaining accessibility requirements for the built environment, transit vehicles, telecommunications equipment, and for electronic and information technology; providing technical assistance and training on these guidelines and standards; and enforcing accessibility standards for federally funded facilities.
ADD ensures that individuals with developmental disabilities and their families participate in the design of and have access to culturally competent services, supports, and other assistance and opportunities that promote independence, productivity, and integration and inclusion into the community.
The ADA Home Page contains information about how to comply with ADA. ADA specialists are available to answer questions through a toll-free hotline; Services are also available in Spanish. This Web site contains information about ADA requirements; enforcement procedures and how to file complaints; available technical assistance; settlement information; the ADA Mediation Program; new or proposed regulations; and technical assistance materials.
CELL is a research-to-practice technical assistance project funded by the Office of Special Education Programs (OSEP), U.S. Department of Education. The main goal of CELL is to promote the adoption and sustained use of evidence-based early literacy learning practices. CELL targets its services to early childhood intervention practitioners, parents, and other caregivers of young children, birth to5 years of age, who have identified disabilities, developmental delays, and/or are at-risk for poor outcomes.
The Center for Evidence-Based Practice: Young Children with Challenging Behavior raises the awareness and implementation of positive, evidence-based practices, and to build an enhanced database to support those practices. The Center identifies evidence-based practices, develops partnerships with national early childhood organizations, develops materials and implementation strategies for personnel preparation, and implements a national research program to address critical issues for young children and their families affected by challenging behaviors. The Center for Evidence-Based Practice: Young Children with Challenging Behavior is funded by OSEP, U.S. Department of Education.
CSEFEL is a national center that develops and disseminates evidence-based, user-friendly information to help early childhood educators meet the needs of the growing number of children with challenging behaviors and mental health needs in child care and Head Start programs. It also focuses on promoting the social and emotional development of children as a means of preventing challenging behaviors; collaborates with training/technical assistance (T/TA) providers in the implementation and sustainability of practices at the local level; and engages in a comprehensive, culturally sensitive approach that is inclusive of and responsive to the needs of programs, families, other professionals, and communities. It also provides ongoing identification of training needs and preferred delivery formats of local programs and T/TA providers, and disseminates evidence-based practices. CSEFEL is funded by the Office of Head Start and the Child Care Bureau in the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.
CADRE provides technical assistance to State departments of education about the implementation of the mediation requirements under the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA). CADRE also helps parents, educators, and administrators benefit from the full continuum of dispute resolution options. CADRE is funded by OSEP, U.S. Department of Education.
The Consortium, a national rehabilitation research and training center, works to improve rehabilitation outcomes for children and youth with disabilities and special health care needs by increasing the effectiveness of service systems. It is a partnership among Georgetown University’s Center for Child and Human Development, The Heller School at Brandeis University, the Institute for Child Health Policy at the University of Florida, and Family Voices. The Consortium is funded by the National Institute on Disability and Rehabilitation Research, U.S. Department of Education.
The ECO Center promotes the development and implementation of child and family outcome measures for infants, toddlers, and preschoolers with disabilities. These measures can be used in local, State, and national accountability systems. The ECO Center is funded by OSEP, U.S. Department of Education.
This Web site presents the most recent state-reported data collected by OSEP, U.S. Department of Education, as required under Section 619 of IDEA.
Learn the Signs. Act Early has information about childhood milestones, and developmental screening and disabilities, including autism. An interactive tool allows parents to view how a developmental milestone category (social and emotional, cognitive, or language) changes as a child grows.
NPDCI is working with States to create a system of high-quality, cross-agency, accessible professional development for early childhood personnel. While NPDCI will serve as a resource to all States, the center will select 8 states for more intense collaboration. NPDCI is funded by the Office of Special Education and Rehabilitative Services, U.S. Department of Education.
The RRFC Network is made up of the six Regional Resource Centers for Special Education (RRC) and the Federal Resource Center (FRC). The six RRCs and the FRC assist State education agencies in the systemic improvement of education programs, practices, and policies that affect children and youth with disabilities. These centers offer consultation, information services, technical assistance, training, and product development. The six RRCs and the FRC are funded by OSEP, U.S. Department of Education.
RTC implements a coordinated and advanced program of applied research about knowledge and practice that improves interventions associated with the healthy mental, behavioral, communication, preliteracy, social-emotional, and interpersonal development of infants, toddlers, and preschoolers with or at risk for developmental disabilities. The RTC is an initiative of the Center for Evidence-Based Practices at the Orelena Hawks Puckett Institute. It is funded by the Research-to-Practice Division, OSEP, U.S. Department of Education.
CCLC is a national nonprofit legal services organization. Its primary objective is to use legal tools to foster the development of high-quality, affordable child care. One of the key issues CCLC addresses is children with disabilities. Additional information is available on the Web at www.childcarelaw.org/pubs-issue.shtml#disabilities.
Child Care Plus+ offers support and resources for inclusion of young children with disabilities in early childhood programs. The organization also offers products, technical assistance and outreach, and in-service training about inclusion for early childhood providers in their local areas. Tip sheets about topics related to inclusion are available on the Web at www.ccplus.org/TipSheet.html.
The Circle of Inclusion offers information about the effective practices of inclusive educational programs for children from birth through age 8. Information about models of successful inclusive programs is available on the Web at http://circleofinclusion.org/english/models/index.html.
CEC is a membership organization dedicated to improving educational outcomes for exceptional individuals. The Division for Early Childhood (DEC) of CEC is a nonprofit organization advocating for individuals who work with or on behalf of children with special needs, birth through age 8, and their families. Children with special needs include those who have disabilities, developmental delays, are gifted/talented, and/or are at risk for future developmental problems. The DEC homepage includes an index for The Journal of Early Intervention and Young Exceptional Children. It also includes information ABOUT publications, position statements, and conferences. For additional information, call DEC at 406-543-0872 or visit the Web at www.dec-sped.org/.
NECTAC is a national technical assistance effort that supports programs for young children with special needs and their families under IDEA. NECTAC also provides services to selected model early childhood projects sponsored by OSEP, U.S. Department of Education. It also provides services to state-level technical assistance agencies and others working to improve services for young children with special needs and their families.
The Keys to Natural Environments and Inclusion Web site, sponsored by NECTAC, is designed for the administrators of State agencies responsible for services to young children and their families, including child care, Head Start, education, and early intervention services. This Web site is available at www.nectac.org/topics/inclusion/default.asp.
NECTC’s mission is to examine factors that promote successful transitions between infant/toddler programs, preschool programs, and public school programs for young children with disabilities and their families. Its primary objective is to investigate and validate practices and strategies that enhance the early childhood transition process and support positive school outcomes for children with disabilities. Information is available in English and Spanish. Information about issues related to IDEA and early childhood transition is available on the Web at www.ihdi.uky.edu/nectc/idea04.aspx.
The Recognition & Response site offers information and resources to help early educators and parents recognize and respond as early as possible to the needs of young children (3 to 5 years old) who show signs that they may not be learning in an expected manner and may be at risk for learning disabilities.
The Arc has materials about mental retardation and other disabilities, information about where to find help, and other support that may be of interest to parents. The Arc’s Web site includes documents about working with children who have special needs.
Easter Seals assists more than one million children and adults with disabilities and their families annually through a nationwide network of more than 450 service sites. Primary Easter Seals services include medical rehabilitation (e.g., early intervention, physical therapy, occupational therapy, and speech and hearing therapy), job training and employment, child care, adult day services, and camping and recreation. Information about Easter Seals child care services is available on the Web at www.easterseals.com/site/PageServer?pagename=ntl_inclusive_child_care&s_esLocation=serv_icc_. Information for parents is available on the Web at www.easterseals.com/site/PageServer?pagename=ntl_early_intervention.
FAPE aims to inform and educate families and advocates about IDEA and promising practices. The Web site contains a weekly newsline and IDEA regulations in English and Spanish.
The Family Village integrates information, resources, and communication opportunities on the Internet for people with cognitive and other disabilities, their families, and those who provide services and support. It provides informational resources about specific diagnoses, communication connections, adaptive products and technology, adaptive recreational activities, education, health issues, and disability-related media and literature.
NCLD provides leadership in support of children and adults with learning disabilities by offering information, resources, and referral services; developing and supporting innovative educational programs; promoting public awareness; and advocating for more effective policies and legislation to help individuals with learning disabilities.
The National Dissemination Center provides information and referral services for children and youth with special needs. Services are provided to families, caregivers, professionals, and others for the purpose of improving the educational outcomes of all children and youth. The organization has links to resources in each State as well as a national information line and an Internet site for information exchange.
NNCC is supported by the Cooperative State Research, Education and Extension Service, U.S. Department of Agriculture, and the Cooperative Extension System’s Children, Youth, and Family Network. Articles, research summaries, and related links on children with special needs are available on the Web at http://cyfernet.ces.ncsu.edu/cyfdb/browse_2pageAnncc.php?subcat=Children+With+Special+Needs&search=NNCC&search_type=browse.
Schwab Learning is dedicated to helping kids with learning differences be successful in learning and life. It provides support, resources, publications, and information free of charge to children and to parents of children with learning differences.
SpeciaLink is a clearinghouse and virtual resource and research center that provides researchers, policy-makers, parents, early childhood educators, and directors with promising t inclusive practices in Canadian child care. It provides personalized responses to specific questions, referrals and links to other organizations, and technical assistance about curriculum development and program evaluation.
Updated July 2007
| The document is for informational purposes only. No official endorsement of any practice, publication, program, or individual by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, the Administration for Children and Families, the Child Care Bureau, or the National Child Care Information Center is intended or is to be inferred. For additional information on this or related topics, please contact the National Child Care Information Center at (800) 616-2242 or info@nccic.org. |
