Including Children with Special Needs in Regular Early Childhood Settings

Abstract

Children with special needs are attending early childhood programs more and more frequently as the philosophy of inclusion influences the development of services. Many professionals working with children feel nervous when asked to include a child with special needs, however, the skills necessary to work effectively with children with special needs are the same as those used everyday working with all children. This article discusses an activity-based approach to working with children and shows how planning for children with special needs fits easily within this approach.