Inclusive Early Childhood Education for Children With and Without Autism: Progress, Barriers, and Future Directions.

Michael Siller,Quentin Wedderburn,Lindee Morgan,Asha Rudrabhatla,Sally Fuhrmeister

doi:10.3389/fpsyt.2021.754648

Abstract

University-affiliated lab and model schools play an important role in creating educational innovations in inclusive early childhood education (ECE) for young children with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD). In the United States, access to inclusive high-quality ECE programs for young children with disabilities has been required by law for over 40 years, has been recommended by leading professional organizations, and has been emphasized in federal public policy initiatives. Yet, improvement in the rates of young children with disabilities experiencing inclusion has been limited. This review article consists of three parts. First, we identify and describe four barriers to wide-scale implementation of inclusive ECE programs for children with ASD in the US. These barriers include (1) the fragmented nature of the ECE system in the United States, (2) the age at which ASD is typically first diagnosed in the community, (3) the diverse presentation/support needs of children with ASD, and (4) the thoughts and feelings of parents of children without disability about inclusion. Second, we used a snowball sampling approach to identify nine leading university-affiliated, inclusive lab and model schools for young children with ASD. By describing these programs, we highlight similarities and differences between programs, and capture the unique ways in which these programs adapt to local conditions, resources, and barriers (e.g., federal and state regulations, funding sources, community resources, institutional structures and priorities, professional orientation and training, access to families and staff). Finally, we propose a roadmap for researchers focused on the development, evaluation, and implementation of community-viable inclusive ECE programs in ASD. This roadmap leverages synergies between inclusive university-affiliated lab and model preschools in ASD, and proposes the formation of a research network that creates an infrastructure for cross-program collaboration.

Highlights

Because the current manuscript aims to develop a roadmap for researchers focused on the development, evaluation, and implementation of community-viable inclusive Early Childhood Education (ECE) options for children with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD), our review explores the conditions of ECE inclusion in the US with a focus on this population of children
Creating and sustaining inclusive ECE options for young children with ASD in US community settings is challenged by multiple factors, including [1] the fragmented nature of the broader ECE system in the United States, [2] the age at which ASD is typically first diagnosed in the community, [3] the diverse presentation/support needs of children with ASD, and [4] the thoughts and feelings of parents of children without disability about inclusion
Most programs are designed to maximize flexibility in accessing resources and supports. This includes [1] hybrid programs that integrate clinical/behavioral intervention services and inclusive ECE programming, [2] ECE programs that are operated by local school systems and are able to access system-wide supports for children with disabilities (i.e., Individualized Education Programs), or [3] programs that are affiliated with academic training programs for teachers and related professionals, providing flexibility in classroom staffing due to the availability of student interns

Summary

INTRODUCTION

Successful inclusion of children with ASD requires that educators provide adequate individualized interventions (by embedding instruction within/across routines, activities, environments) and classroom adaptations (by embedding organizational, communication, sensory, or behavioral supports to make content accessible) to ensure that children are actively engaged in learning throughout the preschool day [29]. Most programs are designed to maximize flexibility in accessing resources and supports This includes [1] hybrid programs that integrate clinical/behavioral intervention services (e.g., funded through health insurance providers) and inclusive ECE programming, [2] ECE programs that are operated by local school systems and are able to access system-wide supports for children with disabilities (i.e., Individualized Education Programs), or [3] programs that are affiliated with academic training programs for teachers and related professionals, providing flexibility in classroom staffing due to the availability of student interns. Parental attitudes about inclusion have been linked to the amount and quality of the parents’ prior experiences with individuals with disabilities and/or inclusive education [37, 39]

INCLUSIVE LABORATORY AND MODEL PRESCHOOLS IN ASD

Findings

Learning Experiences and Alternative Program for Preschoolers and Their Parents