A Critical-Ecological Investigation of Inclusion Quality

• In Event: Equity at the Center: The Imperative to Reconceptualize Early Care and Education "Quality"

Abstract

This paper will report emerging findings from an in-process convergent, mixed-methods study of inclusion ideologies and practices in New York City early care and education settings. In particular it examines the intersections of race, class, language, and gender on interpretations and experiences of inclusion, from identification to placement. Its place in this working group discussion is to raise questions about inclusion’s relative absence in prevailing conceptualizations of quality in early childhood, which also tend to focus exclusively on general classroom practices, while ignoring programmatic contexts, parent-professional interactions, and the broader policy environment for disabled children and their families (Barton & Smith, 2015).

This study addresses these gaps through interviews with program administrators and teachers that aim to understand procedures and supports for inclusion, and the role of one’s positionality on inclusive practice (life mapping). These will be augmented by reviewing documents related to referral, eligibility determination, and placement, as well as classroom observations using the Inclusive Classroom Profile (Soukakou, 2012). These data will be compared to family experiences with referrals, evaluations and inclusion (via focus groups), and presented as case studies in a final convening to early childhood stakeholders. These ecologically-framed data will be used to generate recommendations to improve inclusion policy and practice across early childhood programs in New York City generate recommendations to improve

The study’s premise is that the high quality inclusion of young, diverse children in preschool programs depends on families’ universal access to and involvement in educational programs, teachers’ and collaborating early childhood professionals (e.g., paraprofessionals) high expectations for child success, and a programs’ ability and capacity to accommodate and meet the individualized needs of children with and without disabilities (Guralnick & Bruder, 2016). System-level factors, such as administrative support, clear policy and process, and infrastructure (e.g., dedicated planning time, expected collaboration) have long been known to play a key role in supporting teachers’ successful implementation of inclusion (e.g., Lieber et al., 2000; Love & Horn, 2019; Purcell et al., 2007; Salisbury & McGregor, 2002).

More recently, research on teacher positionality in these spaces, the potential influence it has on their inclusive practice, and how best to mitigate negative influences through explicit training is emerging (e.g., Banerjee & Luckner, 2014; Beneke et al., 2019; Blanchard et al., 2018). As such, the paper will explore how the preschool ecology - consisting of process, people and their positionalities, and practices - collectively influences teachers’ decisions to refer and meaningfully include diverse young children who are at risk of or have developmental delays or disabilities.

Author

• Sarika S. Gupta, Bank Street College of Education
  Presenting Author