Combining General and Special Early Childhood Education Standards in Personnel Preparation Programs

Abstract

The rapid increase in state efforts to provide services for children from birth through 5 years of age has the potential to foster growth in programs that serve children who have diverse needs and abilities. Early childhood professionals are beginning to recognize, however, that full inclusion of infants, toddlers, and preschoolers with disabilities in a range of early childhood service settings is more likely to occur if personnel preparation programs are also integrated. This article describes the development and implementation of two interdisciplinary preservice programs that have combined standards from early childhood and early childhood special education to prepare personnel for integrated settings. Implications of professional unification in higher education are discussed.Early childhood professionals are beginning to recognize that full inclusion of infants, toddlers, and preschoolers with disabilities in a range of early childhood service settings will be more likely to happen if personnel preparation programs are also integrated (Bredekamp, 1992;Burton, Hains, Hanline, McLean, & McCormick, 1992;Miller, 1992). Genuine professional unification can produce the attitudes and the knowledge/skills base required for delivery of services representing the desired expectation for integration and inclusion of professionals, children, and families. Integrating early childhood and early childhood special education personnel preparation programs can be

Characteristics of Unified and Separate Early Childhood Education and Early Childhood Special Education Programs: A National Study

“…While recent research has examined the benefits and challenges of unified teacher preparation programs (Blanton, Griffin, Winn, & Pugach, 1997;Miller & Stayton, 1998;Stayton & Miller, 1993), there is still a general lack of information regarding early childhood teacher preparation (Bredekamp, 1996;Raschke, Maude, Brotherson, & Milburn, 2001). Therefore, concerns about the effectiveness of collaboration between, and unification of, ECE and ECSE approaches to preparing skilled practitioners still remain.…”

Transforming Teacher Preparation in Early Childhood Education: Moving to Inclusion

“…It is essential that teacher preparation personnel be as certain of the value of inclusion as they wish their students to be (Kemple et al, 1994). Stayton and Miller (1993) identified five areas in which integrating general and special education programs benefit higher education : administrative, curricular, facultyrelated, student-related, and social. Unifying programs maximize the use of resources across departments by decreasing duplication of services and courses.…”

Developmentally Appropriate Practice: A Critical Analysis as Applied to Young Children with Disabilities

“…The multiple needs of many families will require that all early childhood professionals augment their competence in working with representatives of other disciplines. In addition, the educa-7 tion of young children with special need in inclu ive settings will require that ECE professionals like their ECSE counterparts collaborate and communicate aero many diciplines (Odom & McEvoy, 1990;Stayton & Miller, 1993).…”