This study examined the nature of programs serving preschool handicapped children in North Dakota, with particular focus on curriculum and instruction. A survey of teachers of preschool handicapped children was completed, covering the topics of population served, teaching approaches, and curricula. Results were obtained from 82% of programs serving such children in the state. The following problems were identified: (a) insufficient services for children under the age of 4; (b) isolation of handicapped preschoolers from their nonhandicapped peers; (c) lack of appropriate assessment procedures; (d) unbalanced curricula (i.e., overemphasis on language with inadequate consideration of social and affective development); and (e) narrow teaching approaches (i.e., deficit orientations with little regard for the importance of play social interactions, or children as active learners). Underscored was the need for programs to move beyond a minimal provision of services to the adoption of refined teaching approaches.
Get full access to this article
View all access options for this article.
References
1.
Anastasiow, N.J.Early childhood education for the handicapped in the 1980's: Recommendations . Exceptional Children, 1981, 47, 276-282.
Banet, B.A.A developmental approach for children with special needs. In S. J. Meisels (Ed.), Special education and development. Baltimore: University Park Press, 1979.
4.
Bricker, D.A rationale for the integration of handicapped and nonhandicapped preschool children. In M. Guralnick (Ed.), Early intervention and the integration of handicapped and nonhandicapped children . Baltimore: University Park Press , 1978.
5.
Bricker, W.A., & Bricker, D.The infant, toddler, and preschool research and intervention project. In T. Tjossem (Ed.), Intervention strategies for high-risk infants and young children. Baltimore : University Park Press, 1976.
6.
Bricker, D., & Carlson, L.Issues in early language intervention. In R. Schiefelbusch & D. Bricker (Eds.), Early language: Acquisition and intervention. Baltimore: University Park Press, 1981.
7.
Bromwich, R.Working with parents and infants: An interactional approach. Baltimore: University Park Press, 1981.
8.
Cartwright, C.A.Effective programs for parents of young handicapped children. Topics in Early Childhood Special Education, 1981, 1(13), 1-9.
9.
Day, M.C.A comparative analysis of center-based preschool programs. In M. C. Day & R. K. Parker (Eds.), The preschool in action (2nd ed.). Boston: Allyn & Bacon, 1977.
10.
Dell, A.G.The nature of programs serving preschool handicapped children in North Dakota, Monograph #15. Grand Forks ND: Bureau of Educational Research and Services, 1981.
11.
Dunlop, K.H., Stoneman, Z., & Cantrell, M.L.Social interaction of exceptional and other children in a mainstreamed preschool classroom. Exceptional Children, 1980, 47(2), 132-141.
12.
Elder, W.B., & Swift, J.N.Education for multihandicapped infants: Assessment scale. Charlottesville: University of Virginia Medical Center , 1975.
13.
Elkind, D.The active classroom and children with special needs: Affective and social dimensions. In S. J. Meisels (Ed.), Special education and development. Baltimore: University Park Press, 1979.
14.
Farran, D.C., Haskins, R., & Gallagher, J.J.Poverty and mental retardation: A search for explanations. In J. J. Gallagher (Ed.), New directions for exceptional children: Ecology of exceptional children, no. 1. San Francisco : Jossey-Bass, 1980.
15.
Forman, G., & Kuschner, D.S.The child's construction of knowledge: Piaget for teaching children. Monterey CA: Brookes/Cole , 1977.
16.
Garwood, S.G.Piaget and play: Translating theory into practice. Topics in Early Childhood Special Education, 1982, 2(3), 1-13.
17.
Goodlad, J.I., Klein, M.F., & Novotney, J.M.Early schooling in the United States. New York: McGraw-Hill, 1973.
18.
Gunnoe, L.W.Informal assessment and individualized educational planning. In S. J. Meisels (Ed.), Special education and development. Baltimore: University Park Press, 1979.
19.
Guralnick, M.J.Integrated preschools as educational and therapeutic environments. In M. J. Guralnick (Ed.), Early intervention and the integration of handicapped and nonhandicapped children . Baltimore: University Park Press , 1978.
20.
Haeussermann, E.Developmental potential of preschool children. New York : Grune & Stratton, 1958.
21.
Hartup, W.Peer interaction and the process of socialization. In M. J. Guralnick (Ed.), Early intervention and the integration of handicapped and nonhandicapped children. Baltimore: University Park Press, 1978.
22.
Hein, G.E.Evaluation in open education: Emergence of a qualitative methodology. In S. J. Meisels (Ed.), Special education and development. Baltimore: University Park Press, 1979.
23.
Ispa, J., & Matz, R.Integrating handicapped preschool children within a cognitively-oriented program . In M. J. Guralnick (Ed.), Early intervention and the integration of handicapped and nonhandicapped children . Baltimore: University Park Press , 1978.
24.
Johnson, D.W., & Johnson, R.T.Integrating handicapped students into the mainstream. Exceptional Children, 1980, 47, 90-98.
25.
Johnson, N.M., Jens, K.G., Gallagher, R.J., & Anderson, J.D.Cognition and affect in infancy: Implications for the handicapped. In J. J. Gallagher (Ed.), New directions for exceptional children: Young exceptional children , no. 3. San Francisco: Jossey-Bass, 1980.
26.
Kaczmarek, L.A., & Dell, A.G.Designing instructional activities for young handicapped children. Journal of the Division for Early Childhood, 1981, 2, 74-83.
27.
Kennedy, P., Northcott, W., McCauley, R., & Williams, S.M.Longitudinal sociometric and cross-sectional data on mainstreaming hearing impaired children: Implications for preschool programming. Volta Review, 1976, 78, 71-82.
28.
Knoblock, P., & Barnes, E.B.An environment for everyone: Autistic and non-disabled children learn together . In S. J. Meisels (Ed.), Special education and development. Baltimore: University Park Press, 1979.
29.
Mahoney, G., & Weller, E.L.An ecological approach to language intervention. In D. Bricker (Ed.), New directions for exceptional children: Language intervention with children, no. 2. San Francisco: Jossey-Bass, 1980.
30.
Meisels, S.J.Introduction: Special education and development. In S. J. Meisels (Ed.), Special education and development. Baltimore: University Park Press, 1979.
31.
Mori, A.A., & Neisworth, J.T.Curricula in early childhood education: Some generic and special considerations. Topics in Early Childhood Special Education, 1983, 2(4), 1-8.
32.
Northcott, W.H.Integrating the preprimary hearing impaired child. In M. J. Guralnick (Ed.), Early intervention and the integration of handicapped and nonhandicapped children. Baltimore: University Park Press, 1978.
33.
Peterson, C., Peterson, J., & Scriven, G.Peer imitation by nonhandicapped and handicapped preschoolers. Exceptional Children, 1977, 43, 223-224.
34.
Peterson, N.L., & Haralick, J.G.Integration of handicapped and nonhandicapped preschoolers: An analysis of play behavior and social interaction. Education and Training of the Mentally Retarded, 1977, 12, 235-245.
35.
Ramey, C. T., & Trohanis, P. L. (Eds.). Finding and educating high-risk and handicapped infants. Baltimore: University Park Press, 1982.
36.
Schiefelbusch, R.L.Synthesis of trends in language intervention. In D. Bricker (Ed.), New directions for exceptional children: Language intervention with children, no. 2. San Francisco : Jossey-Bass, 1980.
37.
Shearer, D.E., & Shearer, M.S.The Portage Project: A model for early childhood intervention. In T. Tjossem (Ed.), Intervention strategies for high risk infants and young children. Baltimore: University Park Press, 1976.
38.
Simeonsson, R.J., Huntington, G.S., & Parse, S.A.Expanding the developmental assessment of young handicapped children. In J. J. Gallagher (Ed.), New directions for exceptional children: Young exceptional children, no. 3. San Francisco: Jossey-Bass, 1980.
39.
Tjossem, T. (Ed.). Intervention strategies for high-risk infants and young children. Baltimore: University Park Press, 1976.
40.
Uzgiris, I., & Hunt, J. McV.Assessment in infancy: The ordinal scales of psychological development. Chicago: University of Illinois Press, 1975.
41.
Vincent, L.J., & Broome, K.A public school service delivery model for handicapped children between birth and five years of age. In E. Sontag (Ed.), Educational programming for the severely and profoundly handicapped . Reston, VA: The Council for Exceptional Children, 1977.
42.
Warren, S.F., & Rogers-Warren, A.Language acquisition patterns in normal and handicapped children. Topics in Early Childhood Special Education , 1982, 2(2), 70-79.
43.
White, O., Edgar, E., & Haring, N.Uniform performance assessment system (UPAS). Seattle: University of Washington Press, 1978.
44.
Wood, M.M. (Ed.). Developmental therapy. Baltimore: University Park Press, 1975.
