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Early Childhood Education and Care for Children with Disabilities: Facilitating Inclusive Practice*

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In this case study, a co-operative inquiry process was used to facilitate the expansion of inclusive early childhood education and care practices in a rural community in the Midwest. A university and a community researcher first engaged in interviews and site visits, during which they learned how a three-member inclusion team of early care and education professionals initiated changes in practice from self-contained to inclusive special education and therapy. Key practices included responding to families’ priorities, changing roles, and providing integrated services and support for children’s successful transitions into Kindergarten. The second part of the research consisted of action planning during focus groups and community meetings, which resulted in social recognition from the school district, technical assistance through state improvement grant funding, and better preschool options for young children with disabilities.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Special Education, University of Wisconsin–Whitewater, 800 W. Main Street, College of Education, Whitewater, WI, 53190, USA

    Simone DeVore

  2. Department of Special Education, University of Wisconsin–Whitewater, 2146 E. Washington Ave., Madison, WI, 53704, USA

    Karen Russell

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  1. Simone DeVore
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  2. Karen Russell
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Correspondence to Simone DeVore.

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*We gratefully acknowledge partial funding of this research by the Dean's Office at the University of Wisconsin-Whitewater and State Improvement Grant funding by the Department of Public Instruction.

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DeVore, S., Russell, K. Early Childhood Education and Care for Children with Disabilities: Facilitating Inclusive Practice*. Early Childhood Educ J 35, 189–198 (2007). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10643-006-0145-4

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10643-006-0145-4

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