Resources
Refer to the following resources to learn more about the key issues presented in this guide. This chapter is organized into three main sections: Print/Audiovisual Materials, Organizations, and Journals/Periodicals.
Print/Audiovisual Materials
General
Chandler, P. A. 1994. A place for me: Including children with special needs in early care and education settings. Washington, D.C.: National Association for the Education of Young Children (202) 232-8777 or (800)424-2460.This is a practical guide for early childhood educators about the challenges of including children with disabilities in regular early childhood settings and the thoughtful planning and follow-through that can make it work.
Goodwin, T., and G. Wurzburg, producers. 1992. Educating Peter. New York: Ambrose Video Publishing (212) 265-7272 or (212)696-4545.
Educating Peter is the Academy Award winning story of a child with Down syndrome and his classmates as they test the limits of a classroom in which all students learn together. As the camera follows Peter, the trials of coping with Peter's unpredictable behavior are evident, but so are the remarkable advances made by Peter and his classmates.
Kaiser, C. E., Ph.D. producer. 1982. Young and special: A video-based inservice for mainstreaming preschool children. Circle Pines, Minn.: American Guidance Service (800)328-2560.
This inservice training course is designed to prepare early childhood teachers and aides for including children with disabilities in preschool settings. It includes leader and student guides, and 30 modules in documentary television format featuring scenarios, children, parents, and professionals in all major categories of special needs.
McNellis, K., V. Petty, and B. Wolfe, Ph.D. 1987. Special training for special needs. Minneapolis, Minn.: Project ETC/Exceptional Training for Caregivers and the Portage Project (612) 341-1177.
This is a comprehensive competency-based training program for personnel working with young children with disabilities.
National Network of Resource Access Projects for Head Start. 1995. Child to child: Maximizing opportunities for social integration. A training program for Head Start. Washington, D.C.: U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Administration for Children, Youth and
Families (202) 205-8347.This curriculum provides teachers, administrators, and parents with practical strategies for promoting the social integration of children with disabilities in Head Start. The program was field-tested with more than 300 Head Start staff and parents in 13 states.
Office for Training and Educational Innovations. 1993. Treasures: A celebration of inclusion. Concord, N.H.: The Institute on Disability/ UAP, University of New Hampshire, The Concord Center (603) 228-2084
This book captures the heart and soul of inclusion through photographs of children with disabilities participating in schools and in their communities.
Module 1: There's Room for All of Us
Bunnett, R. 1993. Friends in the park. New York: Checkerboard Press (212) 571-6300.
This book follows a group of young children as they spend a typical day in the park. The story reinforces the concept of inclusion in a natural way and shows how children are more alike than different. Friends together: More alike than different, a series of 11" X 17" full-color photographic posters showing children with a variety of disabilities at play, is also available from Checkerboard Press.
Knob wood puzzles. Grandview, Mo.: Constructive Playthings (800) 832-0572.
This set of puzzles includes a child in wheelchair, children with arm crutches, and an adult woman in a wheelchair. Differently- challenged children, a set of figures including five children with a range of disabilities, is also available from Constructive Playthings.
Dwight, L. 1992. We can do it! New York: Checkerboard Press (212) 571-6300.
This colorful photographic picture book sensitively shows daily events in the lives of five children with disabilities.
Holcomb, N. 1987. How about a hug? Hollidaysburg, Penn.: Jason & Nordic (814) 696-2920.This is a beautiful picture book about a child with disabilities who wants a hug. Other books by this publisher are also recommended.
Multi-ethnic dolls with adaptive equipment. Carson, Calif.: Lakeshore Learning Materials (800) 421-5354.
These dolls come with wheelchair, leg braces, crutches, walker, hearing aid, glasses, and cane.
Module 2: Communication Counts
Association for the Care of Children's Health. 1986. Seasons of caring. Bethesda, Md.: Association for the Care of Children's Health (301) 654- 6549; fax (301) 986-4553.
This 40-minute video documents the lives of several families who have young children with disabilities. The importance of having skillful and knowledgeable service providers is highlighted throughout the film. The video is accompanied by a training manual.
Association for the Care of Children's Health. 1989. Special kids, special dads: Fathers of children with disabilities. Bethesda, Md.: Association for the Care of Children's Health (301) 654-6549.What challenges do fathers of children with disabilities face? This 23 - minute video provides some answers as fathers speak for themselves about their emotional needs, their concerns, and the importance of involving them in the care of their children.
Rothschild-Stolbeig, J., M. Rutman, and D. Heller. 1985. Talking: Between the lines. A workshop series on communicating with children in early childhood mainstream settings. New York: New York University Resource Access Project (212)998-5528.This series of workshops is designed to strengthen skills in communicating about disabilities with preschool-aged children.
Module 3: Making It Work!
Adaptive Environments Center, Inc. and Barrier Free Environments, Inc. 1995. The Americans with Disabilities Act checklist for readily achievable barrier removal 2.0. Boston, Mass.: Adaptive Environments Center, Inc. (617) 695-1225.
This checklist will help programs identify accessibility problems and solutions in existing facilities' to support compliance with ADA requirements.
Child Care Law Center. 1993. Caring for children with special needs:
The Americans with Disabilities Act and child care. San Francisco, Calif.: Child Care Law Center (415) 495-5498.This report explains the implications of ADA for early child-care programs.
Doggett, L., Ph.D. and J. George. 1993. All kids count: Child care and the Americans with Disabilities Act. Arlington, Tex.: Association for Retarded Citizens. Publication No. 30-17 (817)261-6003 or (817) or 277-0553 (TDD).This guide provides child-care providers with information about ADA, while emphasizing the value of including all children in regular child-care settings.
Lindeman, D. P., and T. Adams. 1995. Shining bright: Head Start inclusion. Parsons, Kans.: Kansas University Affiliated Program (316) 421-6550.This videotape illustrates the collaboration and planning needed to make inclusion work in Head Start.
National Information Center for Children and Youth with Disabilities. 1993. Questions and answers about the individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) Vol. 3, No. 3. Washington, D.C.: National Information Center for Children and Youth with Disabilities (800) 695-0285.
This free news digest answers many of the questions commonly asked by families and professionals about the mandates and requirements of IDEA, the federal law that supports special education and related services programming for children and youth with disabilities.
Organizations
The following organizations provide information, materials, training sessions, and technical assistance on a wide range of topics related to disabilities services.
AbleNet, Inc.
1081 Tenth Avenue, SW
Minneapolis, MN 55414
(800) 322-0956AbleNet designs and manufactures assistive devices for individuals with disabilities. Their quarterly publication, ALDetails, focuses on applications of automated learning devices for play/leisure, domestic, vocational, and learning environments for persons with severe disabilities. A catalog of their products, which include toys and games, is also available upon request.
Beach Center on Families and Disability
University of Kansas
3111 Haworth Hall
Lawrence, KS 66045-7516
(913) 864-7600The Beach Center is a national rehabilitation research and training center with core funding from the National Institute of Disability and Rehabilitation Research and the University of Kansas. It engages in research, training, and dissemination of information relevant to families who have members with developmental disabilities, serious emotional disorders, and technology-support needs. The Center's Families and Disability Newsletter is published three times a year. A catalog listing many of the Center's publications, a descriptive brochure, and the newsletter are free upon request.
Council for Exceptional Children (CEC)
Division of Early Childhood (DEC)
1920 Association Drive
Reston, VA 22091-1589
(703) 620-3660The Council for Exceptional Children (CEC) is the largest international professional organization committed to improving educational out-comes for individuals with disabilities. Members receive Exceptional Children, the research journal; Teaching Exceptional Children, a practical classroom-oriented magazine; and a newsletter called Exceptional Times. CEC is the home of the Educational Resources Information Center Clearinghouse on Handicapped and Gifted Children.
Disability and Businesses Technical Assistance Center(800) 949-4232 (voice/TDD)This center provides information about the ADA requirements.
Disability Rights Education and Defense Fund (DREDF)
2212 Sixth Street
Berkeley, CA 94710
(510) 644-2555 (voice) or (510) 644-2629 (TT)This national, nonprofit organization offers concise, up-to-date information on the civil rights of persons with disabilities. The Disability Rights Review, the organization's free quarterly newsletter, reports on legislative activities affecting disability rights.
National Information Center for Children and Youth with Disabilities
(NICHCY)
P.O. Box 1492
Washington; DC 20013 (202) 884-8200NICHCY is a clearinghouse Which provides information and services on disabilities and disability-related issues. NICHCY offers technical assistance to parent and professional groups, referrals to other organizations, and materials about a range of disability-related issues which are available in English and Spanish. All materials and services are provided free of charge. NICHCY's newsletter, News Digest, is published three times a year.
National Parent Network on Disabilities (NPND)
1600 Prince Street, #115
Alexandria, VA 22314
(703) 684-6763
This national network was established to provide a presence and personal voice for parents of children, youth, and adults with special needs. NPND shares information and resources in order to promote and, support the power of parents to influence and affect policy issues concerning the needs of people with disabilities and their families. The NPND includes organizations of parents of children, youth, and adults with any type of disability. The governing boards of the member organizations are composed of a majority of parents.
Resource Access Projects (RAPs)RAPs are a national technical assistance network, supporting local Head Start programs in serving children with disabilities. Contact your Administration for Children and Families Regional Office to find out the phone number for the RAP in your region.
Very Special Arts
1825 Connecticut Avenue, NW, Suite 417
Washington, DC 20009
(202) 628-0300This organization provides information about curricula and instruction in the arts for children and adults with disabilities.
Journals/Periodicals
The following journals and magazines often feature articles relevant to inclusion and disabilities services.
Child Care Information Exchange
P.O. Box 2890
Redmond, WA 98073
(800) 221-2864This bimonthly publication is geared to meeting the management needs of early, childhood programs.
Connections
Lane & Laurence, Inc.
28 Parkman Street, Suite #1
Brookline, MA 02146
(617)739-2944This newsletter, written by and for people with disabilities, provides resources and strategies for facilitating full participation for persons with disabilities.
Exceptional Parent
P.O. Box 3000
Department EP
Denville, NJ 07834
(800) 247-8080This monthly magazine, geared to parents of children with disabilities, provides information about a range of topics such as working with schools, accessing resources, and advocating for children.
Teaching Tolerance
Southern Poverty Law Center
400 Washington Avenue
Montgomery, AL 36104
(205) 264-0286This journal, published twice a year, strives to create communities in which differences are acknowledged, respected, and celebrated.