Examines issues related to current practice in early childhood special education in light of developmentally appropriate practice (DAP). Focuses on the appropriateness of DAP principles to the education of young children with disabilities, specifically the importance placed on play in mainstream early education and whether this can be transferred…

Notes progress in mainstreaming special needs children in Australian schools. Describes how the Australian National Curriculum Profiles provide achievable learning outcomes that can serve as a guide for specialized and inclusive provision for special needs children. Notes strengths and weaknesses in the profiles, which cover English, math,…

This paper identifies issues confronting early childhood educators who want to integrate young children with special needs with other children, and the implications of such integration for the design of outdoor play settings. The main thesis of the paper focuses on the ambiguity involved when developmentally appropriate practice in early childhood…

Describes historical attitudes about the education of children with developmental delays by classifying the trends into four time periods: (1) forget and hide; (2) screen and segregate; (3) identify and help; and (4) include and support. Provides contemporary information about early childhood inclusion in the least restrictive environment…

Changes in our world have made it more difficult for children to find protected, exciting places to play and interesting, satisfactory things to play with. This edited volume, resulting from the collaboration of Bank Street College (New York, New York), Erikson Institute (Chicago, Illinois), Pacific Oaks College (Pasadena, California), and…