Children and disability in early childhood education: "special" or inclusive education?

Abstract

In this article I look at how education thought and practice can act as a barrier inclusion in early childhood education for children with disabilities and their families. I suggest that changes in thought and practice are necessary if early childhood education is progress inclusion for all children and families. Inclusion in education is about identifying and removing barriers that get in way of a child's full acceptance, participation, and learning, so that all children receive high-quality, inclusive early educational experiences (Ballard, 1999a; Booth & Ainscow, 2002). In this article I examine issue of how early childhood education includes or excludes disabled children. I suggest that one of most significant barriers that disabled children and their families face in accessing early childhood education involves belief system of education. In relatively recent times early childhood education in Aotearoa New Zealand has determined that it has a commitment all children. This is evident in Te Whariki, which promotes inclusiveness and aspirations for all children to grow up as competent and confident learners and communicators, healthy in mind, body, and spirit, secure in their sense of belonging and in knowledge that they make a valued contribution society (Ministry of Education, 1996b, p. 9), and in government policy, which supports all children's and their families' rights an early childhood education that is non-discriminatory and inclusive (Minister for Disability Issues, 2001; Ministry of Education, 1996a, 1998; New Zealand Government, 1993, 1998). The belief system of education, however, reinforces idea that disabled children are special; they are different, and therefore require different treatment. Special education has been part of education in New Zealand and elsewhere for a considerable period of time and has been provided either as separate treatment within mainstream education or in segregated centres and schools. It is typically accepted as a normal and appropriate approach issues of disability. I suggest belief system and language of education are barriers disabled children's inclusion in early childhood education. Constructing children as In many settings children with disabilities are typically constructed as children, having special educational and therefore in need of a education. However, literature and research on inclusive education and disability highlights that language of needs may act as a powerful barrier development of inclusion in education (Barton, 1997; Booth & Ainscow, 2002; Corbett, 1996). This is because labelling children as having needs communicates and reinforces particular beliefs about nature of disability as a function of individual impairment. What is evident is that this language maintains idea that there are kinds of student and two kinds of education, one and other typical, ordinary, not 'special' (Ballard, 1999a, p. 167). Special is a term that constructs disabled child as different, as the other, as having significantly different curriculum and teaching needs, and as belonging elsewhere (MacArthur, Dight, & Purdue, 2000; MacArthur, Purdue, & Ballard, 2003). Removing language of needs from centres is not an easy task because this vocabulary is firmly embedded in legislative and policy framework of mainstream early childhood education (Ministry of Education, 1996a, b, c, 1998, 2005; New Zealand Government, 1993, 1998). The language of needs is part of daily discourse in many early childhood settings and influences a variety of practices. Oliver (1988) states that: ... definition of educational need which still dominates today is one that sees it as an individual problem. …