Date of Award
2003
Document Type
Practicum
Degree Name
Doctor of Education
Department
Program in Child and Youth Studies
Advisor
Roberta Silfen
Committee Member
Barbara Packer
Keywords
accreditation, activities, awareness, child care, child care centers, daycare directors, daycare owners, disabilities, disability identification, early childhood education, early childhood special education, educators, Federal regulations, inclusion, inservice training, knowledge acquisition, laws, licensure, mainstreaming, parent education, parents, pre-school, pre-school age children, pre-school teacher assistants, preschool teachers, professional development, regulations, special needs, teacher education, training modules, workshops
Abstract
This practicum was designed to provide daycare owners and directors with the required training in the area of Special Needs in order to maintain their accreditation and licensure. The module that was being used by the state for child care instruction on special needs was not current with Federal rules and regulation. A manual, materials, and activities were developed and implemented to increase the knowledge and understanding of the area of mainstreaming children with disabilities into the daycare setting. Information regarding the current rules and regulations that impact the child care center when working with special needs children was researched and included into the manual. The classes were conducted with day care owners, day care directors, early childhood teachers, preschool teacher assistants, parents, and educators, in work related settings for pre-school age children.
Analysis of the data revealed that the participants attained an increased awareness and understanding regarding the changes in the laws pertaining to mainstreaming the pre-school age child. The responses of the attendees indicated that the workshops promoted a clearer understanding of a child with disabilities, a willingness to teach all children, and knowledge of the procedures necessary for early identification of a child with a suspected disability.