Early Childhood Programs for Children with Disabilities

Children with disabilities who are between the ages of three through five years are provided with early childhood special education services. These children require accommodation corresponding to their individual needs. These services are continual process and are determined by a collaborative team. Each school district is responsible for providing continuous Special Education and Related Services to Children with Disabilities.

In the determination process, the goal of the child’s collaborative team is to develop adaptations and accommodations. To accomplish this, there are several steps to be followed. First, the child’s abilities and environment need to be assessed. Second, from these assessment, the goals and objectives are identified. Third, the expectations for participation from the child are established. Fourth, adaptations and accommodations to address the child’s needs are established. Fifth, the said adaptations and accommodations are implemented. Lastly, the effectiveness of these adaptations and accommodations are evaluated or assessed, and revised if needed.

There are a number of early childhood programs in Texas that are developed to address specific needs of different students who have disabilities. One program that addresses early childhood is Early Childhood Inclusion (ECI). Early Childhood Inclusion program is a statewide program for children from birth to three, who has disabilities and developmental delay. This program is funded through the Individual with Disabilities Act (IDEA). The ECI provides for evaluations and assessments of the child to determine eligibility without cost to families. The ECI work with the child and family in their natural environment, or where the child lives or usually plays. Early intervention addresses the critical needs of the child and his or her family including: (1) promoting development and learning, (2) providing support to the family, (3) coordinating services, and (4) decreasing the need for costly special program. Inclusion features access, participation, and supports. For access, students are provided a wide range of learning opportunities, setting, environment, and activities. For participation, students are provided individualized accommodations and supports to participate fully in engaging activities and scaffolding where teachers provide more explicit interventions. For supports, there must be an infrastructure of systems-level support such as ongoing professional development and support to family members, administrators, and specialists. It is believed that this inclusion program is design to accomplish different goals: (1) create high expectations for every child to reach his or her full potential; (2) develop a program philosophy of inclusion, and (3) establish a system of services and support.

The other program in Texas is the Preschool Programs for Children with Disabilities (PPCD), which addresses the needs of children from age three to five (Texas Project First). Under PPCD, special services are provided to children identified to have delays in one or more of the five developmental areas, including: 1) motor, 2) Social/emotional, 3) self-help, 4) communication, and 5) pre-academic. If the child is an ECI program, the service provider will make referral to the district that the child is eligible for the PPCD, which referral must be done within 90 days prior to the child’s third birthday. However, if the child is not in ECI program, any person in the care of the child including parents may make the referral. Once referral is received, the Admission, Review and Referral (ARD) committee will meet to determine eligibility of the child. They will consider the following: 1) aptitude and achievement tests, 2) parent input, 3) teacher recommendations, 4) health conditions (including visions and hearing), 5) social and cultural background, and 6) adaptive behavior. The child will receive services based on the child’s unique needs.     

Another program for children with disabilities in early childhood is Integrated Early Childhood Speech and Language Services. Speech and language services in early childhood intervention is mandated by the federal and state laws. The child undergo evaluation of the following areas: articulation, auditory comprehension, expressive communication, fluency, heal the developmental history, oral mechanism, and voice. Once the child is qualified, the speech and language therapists provide services on all aspects that affect the child’s ability to participate and interact with other students. The extent of services provided depends on the needs of the child as determined such as consultation to parents, teachers, caregivers, and classroom collaborative teams. Also, the therapist conducting the evaluation or assessment of the child may make recommendations after considering the severity of the problems, the extent of delay, and the impact of the disability to the child’s ability to participate in class activities.

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References

Early Childhood Inclusion (April, 2009). DEC/ NAEYC. Retrieved on November 1, 2014 at http://www.naeyc.org/files/naeyc/file/positions/DEC_NAEYC_EC_updatedKS.pdf

Early Childhood Intervention Services. Texas Department of Assistive and Rehabilitative Services. Retrieved on November 2, 2014 at http://www.dars.state.tx.us/ecis/

Speech and Language Services. BCIU, n.d. Retrieved on November 1, 2014 at http://www.berksiu.org/programs-services/early-childhood-student-services-programs/special-education-2/early-intervention/speech-language-services/

Transportation to Early Childhood Family Education and School Readiness Programs. Minnesota Department of Education. Retrieved from http://education.state.mn.us/MDE/StuSuc/EarlyLearn/ECFE/048458