Strategies for Inclusion

Little more is needed to offer inclusive child care beyond the creativity and passion quality child care providers already possess. Child care providers who are passionate about welcoming all children of diversity and ability will be successful at creating a place where all children belong.

Some strategies often used to successfully meet the needs of children with different needs are listed below. Using all strategies for every child is not necessary and will most likely not be needed. Additionally, you will find many of the strategies you use and develop will also buoy the children in your care who are typically developing. Inclusive environments are rich, high quality environments in which all children thrive.

When working with a family of a child with special needs, begin by asking, "How does (name of the disability) effect (child's name)' development?" You can begin thinking about needed strategies using the information the child's parents provide.

Environmental supports

Environmental changes can be related to lighting, noise levels, visual and auditory input, physical arrangement of the room and accessibility of materials. Some examples might be arranging the furniture to accommodate a wheelchair, defining play areas with taped lines, using picture schedules, and offering both visual and auditory cues for transitions. Be sure to familiarize yourself with any special equipment the child uses to ensure the child's ability to use the equipment fully and properly within the child care setting.

Materials adaption

Adapting materials on-hand can be easy and low-cost. Examples are adding large knobs to puzzles, tracing the board in a 12 piece puzzle to provide a visual template and adding scents to play dough, or taping the paper down while a child draws. There are endless ideas on how to adapt the materials you already have to increase success for students with different needs. Knowing how the child's disability effects their development will help you envision material adaptions you can make to increase their engagement in learning opportunities. Visit Child Care Exchange for a matrix of examples.

Child preferences

Using developmentally appropriate practices we focus on offering learning experiences which are meaningful to the child. It is much easier to gain child involvement when the activity is meaningful to the child. This is a particularly powerful strategy for increasing engagement. For example, cutting for some children may not be a preferred activity. However, creating a truck with a few snips using simple shapes will increase involvement. Ask the child's family what their interests are so you can create plenty of preferred activities to engage their child.

Activity simplification

Most of the time activities involve a number of different elements that build skill upon skill.  You may need to focus on one or a few of the skills at a time. If cutting in a continuous motion is difficult for the child an adult may begin cutting and have the child snip the last portion. This allows the child to practice cutting with scissors and allows them to experience the end result (the papers seperating). This simplification allows participation, practice and success for the child.

Personal support
Adult support is needed for all children. Many children with disabilities will need a higher level of adult support which can vary throughout the day. Providing one person who consistently interacts with the child can improve communication and increase opportunities for learning. It is also important to mention there is a fine balance for using adult support. Allow the child the opportunity to do what they are capable of, being observant about when to step in with help and guidance.
Peer support is a great strategy for inclusion. Peers can provide strong motivation and intrinsically provide age-appropriate social opportunities. However, be sure to reverse the roles allowing the child with the disability opportunities to help their peers in other areas in which they have strength. 

There you have it. A heart of gold, a creative mind and strategies make inclusion work!