What is an inclusion program?
Inclusion is about belonging and participating in a diverse society. An inclusive early childhood education program is one that provides quality care and education to ALL children. All children should feel valued and welcomed. This term then communicates a commitment to provide each child the right to be educated, to the maximum extent appropriate, in the school and classroom s/he would otherwise attend. It means bringing the support services to the child (rather than moving the child to the services) and requires only that the child will benefit from being in the class (rather than having to keep up with the other students).

Why is an inclusion program important?
Every child deserves the opportunity to interact with other people regardless of his/her ability. Children learn many of their skills (social to physical and cognitive abilities) from other children. Through Inclusion, active engagement between students is encouraged, allowing optimal opportunities for children to form their own relationships and accept one another's differences at an early age.

With inclusion, children discover that individuals with and without disabilities are more alike than different. When differences arise, children are provided with opportunities to develop positive attitudes toward others who are different from themselves and to learn to value each others' unique attributes.

What is an IEP?
An Individualized Education Program, or IEP, is a written plan of educational goals and objectives. All Children with Special Needs is provided with an IEP. This plan is reviewed at least once annually with input from the student's teachers, aides, and family.

Who is the child with special needs?
We know all children have needs, and they are all special. Children with Special Needs are those whose developmental deviates from those of the typical child. The special needs might be in the area of cognitive, social, emotional, or physical development.

What are the benefits of an inclusion program?
For the Children with Special Needs: increased frequency of social interaction, the opportunity to learn from their peers, access to programs that involve "typical peers," more focus on the child rather than the disability, they are perceived as being less different if they are part of the same environment as other children.

For typically developing children: exposure to children of all abilities, appreciation for diversity and acceptance of difference, the opportunity to learn from peers that may have different abilities, pro-social skills are enhanced.

For families of Children with Special Needs: acceptance of difference and appreciation of diversity, enriched programming for their own children, a deeper understanding of the differing needs of all children.