This study compares perspectives about benefits and risks of inclusion of 237 parents of children with and without disabilities and 118 providers in the same community-based reverse inclusion preschool program, using the same measures. Confirmatory factor analyses revealed a two-factor structure, risks and benefits, based on scale scores from the study samples. Providers and parents strongly agreed that inclusion was beneficial for both preschoolers with and without disabilities. Parents' perspectives about potential risks for both groups of children were greater than providers' perspectives. Providers and parents reported greater support for including children with mild and moderate disabilities than children with severe disabilities. Attitudes toward inclusion among providers were not associated with years of experience. Implications for practice and research are discussed.
Get full access to this article
View all access options for this article.
References
1.
Avramidis, E., Bayliss, P., & Burden, R. (2000). Student teachers' attitudes toward the inclusion of children with special educational needs in the ordinary school. Teacher and Teacher Education, 16, 277-293.
2.
Avramidis, E., & Norwich, B. (2002). Teachers' attitudes towards integration/inclusion: A review of the literature. European Journal of Special Needs Education, 17(2), 129-147.
3.
Bailey, D.B., & Winton, P.J. (1987). Stability and change in parents' expectations about mainstreaming. Topics in Early Childhood Special Education , 7, 73-88.
4.
Barnett, W.S., & Frede, E.C. (1993). Early childhood programs in the public schools: Insights from a state survey. Journal of Early Intervention , 17, 396-413.
5.
Bennett, T., Deluca, D., & Bruns, D. (1997). Putting inclusion into practice: Perspectives of teachers and parents. Exceptional Children, 64, 115-131.
Blacher, J., & Turnbull, A.P. (1982). Teacher and parent perspectives on selected social aspects of preschool mainstreaming. The Exceptional Child, 29, 191-199.
8.
Buysse, V., Wesley, P.W., & Keyes, L. (1998). Implementing early childhood inclusion: Barrier and support factors. Early Childhood Research Quarterly, 13, 169-184.
9.
Buysse, V., Wesley, P.W., Keyes, L., & Bailey, D.B. (1996). Assessing the comfort zone of child-care teachers in serving young children with disabilities. Journal of Early Intervention, 20, 189-203.
10.
Cansler, D.P., & Winton, P. (1983). Parents and preschool mainstreaming. In J. Anderson & T. Black (Eds.), Mainstreaming in early education (pp. 65-83). Chapel Hill, NC: Technical Assistance Development System.
11.
Diamond, K., & Hestenes, L. (1996). Preschool children's conceptions of disabilities: The salience of disability in children's ideas about others. Topics in Early Childhood Special Education, 16, 458-475.
12.
Diamond, K., & LeFurgy, W.G. (1994). Attitudes of parents of preschool children toward integration. Early Education and Development, 5, 59-77.
13.
Eiserman, W.D., Shisler, L., & Healey, S. (1995). A community assessment of preschool providers' attitudes toward inclusion. Journal of Early Intervention , 19, 149-167.
14.
Favazza, P.C., & Odom, S.L. (1996). Use of the Acceptance Scale to measure attitudes of kindergarten-age children. Journal of Early Intervention , 20, 232-248.
15.
Frea, W., Craig-Unkefer, L., Odom, S.L., & Johnson, D. (1999). Differential effects of structured social interaction and group friendship activities for promoting social interaction with peers . Journal of Early Intervention, 22, 230-242.
16.
Gemmell-Crosby, S., & Hanzlik, J.R. (1994). Preschool teachers' perceptions of including children with disabilities. Education and Training in Mental Retardation and Developmental Disabilities, 19, 279-290.
17.
Green, A.L., & Stoneman, Z. ( 1989). Attitudes of mothers and fathers of nonhandicapped children toward preschool mainstreaming. Journal of Early Intervention, 13, 292-304.
18.
Guralnick, M.J. (1994). Mothers' perceptions of the benefits and drawbacks of early childhood mainstreaming. Journal of Early Intervention , 18, 168-183.
19.
Guralnick, M.J. (2001). A framework for change in early childhood inclusion . In M. J. Guralnick (Ed.), Early childhood inclusion: Focus on change, (pp. 3-35). Baltimore : Paul H. Brookes.
20.
Hanline, M.F., & Halvorsen, A. (1989). Parent perceptions of the integration transition process: Overcoming artificial barriers. Exceptional Children , 55, 487-492.
21.
Hanson, M.J., Horn, E., Sandall, S., Beckman, P., Morgan, M., Marquart, J., Barnwell, D., & Chou, H.Y. (2001). After preschool inclusion: Children's educational pathways over the early school years. Exceptional Children , 68, 65-83.
22.
Janney, R.F., Snell, M.E., Beers, M.K., & Raynes, M. (1995). Integrating children with moderate and severe disabilities into general education classes. Exceptional Children , 61, 425-439.
23.
Larrivee, B., & Cook, L. (1979). Mainstreaming: A study of the variables affecting teacher attitude. Journal of Special Education, 13, 315-324.
24.
Lieber, J., Capell, K., Sandall, S.R., Wolfberg, P., Horn, E., & Beckman, P. (1998). Inclusive preschool programs: Teachers' beliefs and practices. Early Childhood Research Quarterly, 13, 87-105.
25.
Marchant, C., (1995). Teachers' views of integrated preschools. Journal of Early Intervention, 19, 61-73.
26.
McCartney, K., & Rosenthal, E. (2000). Effect size, practical importance and social policy for children. Child Development, 71, 173-180.
27.
McDonnell, J. (1987). The integration of students with severe handicaps into regular public schools: An analysis of parents' perceptions of potential outcomes. Education and Training in Mental Retardation, 22, 98-111.
28.
McGunn, C., & Hannah, M.E. ( 1996). Attitudes of school psychologists and school social workers toward the inclusion of severely handicapped students. Paper presented at the 104th Annual Convention of the American Psychological Association, Toronto.
29.
Miller, L.J., Strain, P.S., Boyd, K., Hunsicker, S., McKinley, J., & Wu, A. (1992). Parental attitudes toward integration. Topics in Early Childhood Special Education, 12, 230-246.
30.
Minke, K., Bear, G., Deemer, S., & Griffin, S. (1996). Teacher's experience with inclusive classrooms: Implications for special education reform. The Journal of Special Education, 30, 1152-1186.
31.
Odom, S.L. (2000). Preschool inclusion. What we know and where we go from here. Topics in Early Childhood Special Education , 20, 20-27.
32.
Odom, S.L., & Diamond, K.A. (1998). Inclusion of young children with special needs in early childhood education: The research base. Early Childhood Research Quarterly, 13, 3-25.
33.
Odom, S.L., & McEvoy, M.A. (1990). Mainstreaming at the preschool level: Potential barriers and tasks for the field. Topics of Early Childhood Special Education, 10, 48-61.
34.
Okagaki, L., Diamond, K.E., Kontos, S.J., & Hestenes, L.L. (1998). Correlates of young children's interactions with classmates with disabilities. Early Childhood Research Quarterly, 13, 67-86.
35.
Pankake, A.M., & Palmer, B. ( 1996). Making the connections: Linking staff development interventions to implementation of full inclusion. Journal of Staff Development, 17, 26-30.
36.
Peck, C.A., Carlson, P., & Helmstetter, E. (1992). Parent and teacher perceptions of outcomes for typically developing children enrolled in integrated early childhood programs: A statewide survey. Journal of Early Intervention , 16, 53-63.
37.
Peck, C.A., Hayden, L., Wandschneider, M., Peterson, K., & Richarz, S.A. (1989). Development of integrated preschools: A qualitative inquiry into sources of concern by parents, teachers, and administrators. Journal of Early Intervention, 13, 353-364.
38.
Rafferty, Y. (2002). Creating high quality inclusion programs for preschoolers with disabilities in New York City: A guide for preschool providers. Pace University, NY: The Children's Institute .
39.
Rafferty, Y., Boettcher, C., & Griffin, K. (2001). Benefits and risks of reverse inclusion for preschoolers with and without disabilities: Parents' perspectives. Journal of Early Intervention, 24, 266-286.
40.
Rafferty, Y., Piscitelli, V., & Boettcher, C. (2003). The impact of inclusion on language development and social competence among preschoolers with disabilities. Exceptional Children, 69, 467-479.
41.
Reichart, D.C., Lynch, E.C., Anderson, B.C., Svebodny, L.A., DiCola, J.M., & Mercury, M.G. (1989). Parental perspectives on integrated preschool opportunities for children with handicaps and children without handicaps. Journal of Early Intervention, 13, 6-13.
42.
Schepis, M.M., Reid, D.H., Ownbey, J., & Clary, J. (2003). Training preschool staff to promote cooperative participation among young children with severe disabilities and their classmates . Research & Practice for Persons with Severe Disabilities , 28, 37-42.
43.
Scruggs, T., & Mastropieri, M. (1998). Teacher perceptions of mainstreaming/inclusion, 1985-1995: A research synthesis. Exceptional Children, 63, 59-74.
44.
Seery, M.E., Davis, P.M., & Johnson, L.J. (2000). Seeing eye-to-eye: Are parents and professionals in agreement about the benefits of preschool inclusion? Remedial and Special Education, 21, 268-278.
45.
Stainback, W., & Stainback, S. (1983). A severely handicapped integration checklist. Teaching Exceptional Children, 15, 168-171.
46.
Stoiber, K.C., Gettinger, M., & Goetz, D. (1998). Exploring factors influencing parents' and early childhood practitioners' beliefs about inclusion. Early Childhood Research Quarterly, 13, 107-124.
47.
Stoneman, Z. (2001). Attitudes and beliefs of parents of typically developing children: Effects on early childhood inclusion. In M.J. Guralnick (Ed.), Early childhood inclusion: Focus on change (pp. 101-126). Baltimore, MD: Paul H. Brookes.
48.
Turnbull, A.P., & Winton, P. ( 1983). A comparison of specialized and mainstreamed preschools from perspectives of parents of handicapped children. Journal of Pediatric Psychology, 8, 57-71.
49.
Turnbull, A.P., Winton, P., Blacher, J., & Salkind, N. (1983). Mainstreaming in the kindergarten classroom: Perspectives of parents of handicapped and nonhandicapped children. Journal of the Division for Early Childhood, 6, 14-20.
50.
Wesley, P.W., Buysse, V., & Keyes, L. (2000). Comfort zone revisited: Child characteristics and professional comfort with consultation. Journal of Early Intervention, 23, 106-115.
51.
Wesley, P.W., Buysse, V., & Tyndall, S. (1997). Family and professional perspectives on early intervention: An exploration using focus groups. Topics in Early Childhood Special Education, 17, 435-456.
