The Social Development of Children with Mild Developmental Disabilities in Inclusive Preschools
Doane, Michelle
:
2012-03
Abstract
This paper examines the social development of children with mild developmental disabilities in
inclusive preschools. Since the enactment of PL 94-142, also known as the Individuals with
Disabilities Education Act (IDEA), the interest in inclusive preschools has increased, and they
have become more prevalent in the United States. One of the main tenets of IDEA is that all children with disabilities are entitled to a free and appropriate public education (FAPE) in the
least restrictive environment (LRE). Therefore, children with disabilities must be included in
classrooms with typically developing children as much as possible. After reviewing the
literature, I propose that there are two major factors that might explain why the social
development of children with mild developmental disabilities is promoted in inclusive
preschools: (a) program quality; and (b) the role of the teacher. Additionally, the literature on
inclusive preschools consistently states that in order to generate the best outcomes, inclusive
preschools must have high quality programs and high quality teachers. Thus, the effects of
inclusive preschools are dependent on the quality of their programs and teachers. As a result, it
will also be necessary to determine what characteristics constitute high quality programs and high quality teachers.
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