Early childhood inclusion in a public Montessori school: access, participation, and supports

High-quality early childhood inclusion consists of providing access, participation, and supports to young children with disabilities (DEC/NAEYC, 2009). This case study examines how a public Montessori school provides early childhood inclusion to three, four, and five year olds with disabilities. Through interviews with Montessori teachers and administrators, classroom observations, and the administration of the Inclusive Classroom Profile (Soukakou, 2010), a number of supports and barriers to inclusion were identified. Supports included Montessori-unique practices, such as peer supports and multi-age classrooms which supported inclusion, and recommended practices in early childhood special education, such as teaming among professionals and offering accommodations and modifications. Barriers included restrictive systems-level special education policies.

Name thesis:degree_name

Ph.D.

Level thesis:degree_level

Dissertation

Discipline thesis:degree_discipline

Special Education

Grantor

University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign

Year dc:date

2015

Author dc:creator

• Danner, Natalie

Contributors dc:contributor

• Fowler, Susan A.
• Ostrosky, Michaelene M.
• Epstein, Ann
• McCollum, Jeanette

• Montessori
• inclusion
• preschool
• early childhood
• program quality

Statement dc:rights

• Copyright 2015 Natalie Danner

Language dc:language

en

Handle dc:identifier

http://hdl.handle.net/2142/78319

OAI identifier oai:identifier

oai:www.ideals.illinois.edu:2142/78319