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Early childhood programs serve increasing numbers of children with autism spectrum disorders (ASD) and their families. While many programs have made significant progress in providing educational services responsive to the needs of children with ASD, concerns persist about whether early education programs can meet the educational needs of such children and collaborate effectively with their families. The authors explored self reported experiences and concerns of families who have children diagnosed with ASD and their experiences with preschool educational services in a northern county of a southeastern state. In focus groups, participants discussed program/family relationships, their priorities for their children, and how these needs and priorities were addressed, or not addressed, in the programs serving their children. Findings indicate that families were concerned with their children's access to the educational environment, the availability of emotional and social development support for children with ASD, and the overall reflection of inclusion as a program philosophy in the program settings.

This descriptive qualitative report is taken from a larger U.S. study on the influences of teacher practices on the early development of emotion regulation in toddlers. This report focuses on the classroom practices of two teachers in separate toddler classrooms. During a week of observations in each setting, the authors collected data on how the teachers spoke to the children, how they positioned themselves physically in relation to the children, and how they acted when children showed distress or challenging behaviors. Children's behaviors were also observed in relation to the teachers' practices. The authors provide a brief comparative discussion of observations made in the two classrooms. They recommend additional research to address how teachers' daily practices create the classroom social-emotional environment and how those practices may influence child outcomes, especially the early development of emotion regulation.

Universities and colleges across the United States have been increasingly intentional in their effort to become educational institutions with a culture reflective of all their students, faculty and staff. However, achieving a proportionate representation of faculty for the community of students they serve seems to be a goal yet to be achieved by the higher education institutions. Closing this gap of representation of faculty and students is critical for allowing students from culturally and linguistically diverse backgrounds to access support and mentorship from faculty with whom they can identify. This paper describes the approach employed by an Early Childhood program of a southern university with faculty from culturally diverse backgrounds significantly underrepresented. Diverse students within the institution are unable to connect with a faculty member with whom they can identify. The faculty in this program took the initiative to discuss how the learning environment offered to pre-service teachers truly recognizes and creates learning opportunities inclusive of all cultural identities. The faculty and students participated in the Undoing Racism training program and further extended the conversations to address the needs of the program. Using the theoretical framework of the critical race theory, this paper describes how employing the Undoing Racism program to increase awareness and access to all students led to structural changes.

Preparing students in the early childhood field to work with children both with and without disabilities and to collaborate with different professionals is an important endeavor for colleges and universities. The purpose of this paper is to articulate a unique model of program collaboration between early childhood special education and early childhood regular education that demonstrates a cohesive preservice teacher education program across two departments within one university. This unique 10-year history of interdisciplinary collaboration and team teaching provides insights into many of the benefits and challenges of this type of program. This paper presents an historical overview of the development of this collaborative program and describes the logistics of operating an interdisciplinary program at the administrative level. Information collected from faculty and students illustrates the benefits and challenges of team teaching. Finally, strategies for developing a successful program are discussed. (Contains 1 table.)

Early childhood teachers may express positive views about inclusive practices but are the practices implemented in their classrooms? This study examined preservice and inservice teachers' attitudes toward inclusive practices as reflected in the teachers' behaviors. This qualitative study utilized open-ended initial interviews, observations with follow-up interviews, and observer field notes that were analyzed using content analysis with emergent themes from the different data sources. The results suggest that teachers' attitudes toward inclusion appear to be influenced by their previous experiences in inclusive classrooms, and that the teachers implemented inclusive practices by involving all children in classroom activities, including those with disabilities. While the teachers did implement inclusive practices, they indicated that appropriate preservice training, support from administrators, and support from resource personnel are important to provide a successful inclusive environment. Implications are discussed for teacher education programs in training preservice professionals to work with children with disabilities and providing appropriate practica experiences in inclusive environments. (Contains 2 tables and 1 figure.)

With the advent of newborn hearing screenings, infants with hearing loss are identified earlier than ever before. Each state is responsible for providing trained personnel and delivery of early intervention services to families with newly identified infants and toddlers who are deaf or hard of hearing. Consequently, the role of each state's Part C system is critical in attaining positive outcomes for children and families. States' Part C questionnaire responses (n=36) were examined in this study to identify the training needs of professionals serving families who have newly identified infants with hearing loss. Questionnaire findings identified global areas of training needs across disciplines involved in early intervention service delivery. Pre-service training programs are challenged to address the identified training needs.

The University of North Carolina at Greensboro (UNCG) has developed a new interdisciplinary teacher preparation concentration to address the need for early intervention and early childhood personnel to work with young children who are deaf or hard of hearing and their families. This concentration focuses on a spoken language approach and incorporates family-focused intervention, technology, and theoretical and applied knowledge. Students are involved in a variety of field experiences throughout their coursework, which culminates with a semester long student teaching practicum. Upon graduation, students are prepared for North Carolina teacher licensure in both Hearing Impaired K-12 and Birth-Kindergarten.

The present study examined the verbalizations of 16 teachers from inclusive preschool classrooms. Two hours of audiotaped verbalizations for each teacher were analyzed for one-on-one interactions between teachers and children and also for interactions between teachers and small groups of children. Results showed that teachers did not modify their question-asking behavior depending on the ability level of the children or the composition of small groups of children. Teachers asked primarily low-level questions to all children. In their statements, teachers used more logical directives and directives, and fewer supportive responses to children with disabilities than they did to typically developing children. The focus of teachers' verbalizations differed depending on whether children had disabilities or were typically developing. These results suggest that teachers need to be provided with information that will help them challenge children by varying the demand level of questions and matching their verbalizations to the child's ability level. Future research should address the bi-directionality of interactions and the implications for teacher preparation programs.

A study involving 6 undergraduates enrolled in a birth through kindergarten licensure program, examined the development of preservice teacher beliefs about inclusion. Students held positive beliefs about inclusion, although they had reservations whether meeting the needs of each child could always take place in inclusive settings. (Contains references.) (Author/CR)

Notes that inclusive care benefits both typically and atypically developing school-age children. Describes caregivers' challenges as lack of training, resources, and identification of successful inclusive program components. Identifies as variables for successful programs: teacher-child ratios, level of provider training and experience, typically to atypically developing children ratios, and type and severity of disabilities. (DLH)

Participation of 18 parents of young children with disabilities in field-site experiences for graduate school interns was examined. Parents indicated support for their involvement in such training programs. Implications for using families in personnel training in early intervention are addressed. (Author/SW)

This review examines research done on affection behaviors of children with visual and hearing impairments. A social interaction perspective is utilized, and areas for further empirical investigation are identified. (DB)

Early childhood programs serve increasing numbers of children with autism spectrum disorders (ASD) and their families. While many programs have made significant progress in providing educational services responsive to the needs of children with ASD, concerns persist about whether early education programs can meet the educational needs of such children and collaborate effectively with their families. The authors explored self-reported experiences and concerns of families who have children diagnosed with ASD and their experiences with preschool educational services in a northern county of a southeastern state. In focus groups, participants discussed program/family relationships, their priorities for their children, and how these needs and priorities were addressed, or not addressed, in the programs serving their children. Findings indicate that families were concerned with their children's access to the educational environment, the availability of emotional and social development support for children with ASD, and the overall reflection of inclusion as a program philosophy in the program settings. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]