Laws and legislation have resulted in children with special needs being placed in general physical education (GPE) classes with general physical educators. The purpose of this study was twofold; (a) to identify two practicing teachers with positive attitudes towards inclusion of students with mild to moderate disabilities and two teachers with…

The provision of choice making is frequently cited as an indicator of developmentally appropriate practice for young children with and without disabilities; however, there is little empirical evidence regarding the rate of delivery of choices within the preschool classroom. The delivery of intervention strategies by a classroom-based…

To implement culturally responsive early education that is developmentally appropriate for Latino children, it is important to look at values that permeate education in Latin America. Therefore, the author draws on ethnographic data (interviews, observations, artifacts, and field notes) from early childhood centers and schools in Mexico, Brazil…

Effectively including individuals with disabilities in a physical activity setting can often be a challenge due to constraints related to equipment, class size, curriculum, and the various ability levels of individuals with and without disabilities. However, there are ways the instructor can control the environment and tasks to meet the needs of…

Early childhood programs are becoming increasingly inclusive. What strategies can teachers use to address challenging behaviors? This article demonstrates how DAP and PBS can be blended so teachers can help children learn more positive behaviors.

This study examined the beliefs of in-service teachers working in inclusive classrooms regarding developmentally appropriate practices and how those beliefs affected their attitudes toward, knowledge of, and comfort levels regarding working with children with disabilities. A mixed-method approach was utilized and data were collected through the…

The number of children diagnosed with autism is on the rise, and teachers are seldom prepared to teach children with autism in their classes. However, it is possible to successfully include children with autism in general physical education settings by understanding inclusive physical education, individualizing instruction, targeting…

This paper presents a qualitative analysis concerning child care practices by six African American directors of subsidized child care centers located in a low-income, racial ethnic minority area of Los Angeles, California. These programs are traditionally African American programs that experienced an influx of Latino immigrant enrollment. Using…

These are typical scenarios of children with hearing loss who are being included increasingly in early childhood settings. Recent federal legislation encourages states to develop programs to screen the hearing of all infants before they leave the hospital, and currently 39 states have adopted newborn infant hearing screening mandates (ASHA 2005).…

Excerpts teacher narratives of children's music activities in inclusive early childhood environments to show how music can be used to offer varying levels of engagement ranging from listening or observing to joining in as an active participant. Summarizes the beliefs of the National Association for Music Education for guiding developmentally and…

Examines issues related to current practice in early childhood special education in light of developmentally appropriate practice (DAP). Focuses on the appropriateness of DAP principles to the education of young children with disabilities, specifically the importance placed on play in mainstream early education and whether this can be transferred…

Introduces this special theme issue discussing tensions in education stemming from public school reform. Discusses the issue's focus on (1) standardized testing; (2) developmentally appropriate practice; and (3) full inclusion. Concludes that despite seemingly irreconcilable tensions, public schools have strong public support. (KB)

Presents a developmentally appropriate framework reflecting the constructivist orientation of early childhood education to guide development of IEP goals and objectives for young children with disabilities. Discusses problems teachers encounter with IEPs, including defining skills too narrowly, not considering the time factor, and isolating the…

Describes practices and issues related to providing services for preschoolers with disabilities in inclusive early childhood classrooms. Identifies findings from research on developmentally appropriate practices. Discusses ways to integrate specialized services such as occupational therapy, physical therapy, and speech-language therapy into…

This article presents a model for describing the range of types of support and instruction necessary to make inclusion successful for young children with disabilities. The building blocks include a high quality early childhood program, modifications and adaptations, embedded learning opportunities, and explicit child-directed instruction.…