Effective Practices for Preparing Young Children with Disabilities for School (continued)

4. Inclusion of Both Empirically and Value-Driven Practices

Empirical research has shown that practices should include such features as adult:children ratios that maximize safety, health, and promotion of identified goals; barrier-free environments; and environments that promote high levels of engagement. Practices guided by values include having someone available to speak the family's preferred language; basing communication with family members upon principles of mutual respect, caring, and sensitivity; making environments safe and clean; employing clinic-based services only when they are identified as the least restrictive option; and giving opportunities for the family to have access to medical decision-makers.

5. Inclusion of Both Developmentally and Individually Appropriate Practice

"Developmentally appropriate practice" (DAP) refers to educational methods that promote children's self-initiated learning (Bredekamp, 1987) with emphasis on individualization of services in response to children's characteristics, preferences, interests, abilities, and health status and curricula that are unbiased and nondiscriminatory around issues of disability, sex, race, religion, and ethnic/cultural origin.

The reality of today's society is that any child, on a given day, may be a child with special needs. Recognizing this fact, it is important that local preschool and early education programs tailor curriculum and instructional practices to fit the diversity represented in their classrooms. Adapting the "standard" to fit those who may not fall within expected margins is a strategy necessary for effective teaching and learning and one that enhances the likelihood that children will feel and be successful.

References

Bailey, D. B., McWilliam, P. J., & Winton, P. J. (1992). "Building family-centered practices in early intervention: A team-based model for change." Infants and Young Children, 5(1), 73-82.

Bredekamp, S. (Ed.)(1987). "Developmentally appropriate." Washington, DC: National Association for the Education of Young Children. ED283587.

Brinker, R. P. (1985). "Interactions between severely mentally retarded students and other students in integrated and segregated public school settings." American Journal of Mental Deficiency, 89, 587-594.

Carta, J. C., Schwartz, I. S., Atwater, J. B., McConnell, S. R. (1991). "Developmentally appropriate practice: Appraising its usefulness for young children with disabilities." Topics in Early Childhood Education, 11 (1) 1-20.

DeStefano, D. M., Howe, A. G., Horn, E. H., & Smith, B. (1991). "Best practice in early childhood special education." Tucson, AZ: Communication Skill Builders, Inc.

Guralnick, M. J. (1989). "Recent developments in early intervention efficacy research: Implications for family involvement in P.L. 99-457." Topics in Early Childhood Special Education, 9(3), 1-17.

Guralnick, M. J. (1990). "Social competence and early intervention." Journal of Early Intervention, 14(1), 3-14.

Hanson, M. J. & Hanline, M. F. (1989). "Integration options for the very young child." In R. Gaylord-Ross (Ed.), "Integration strategies for students with handicaps," (pp. 177-194). Baltimore: Paul H. Brookes.