Inclusive Placement Opportunities
for Preschoolers:
A Systems Approach
to Inclusion
A project of the
Virginia Department of Education
and the
Training and Technical Assistance
Centers of Virginia
Outcomes
•
Factors to consider when arranging the preschool
environment
•
Understanding how environment impacts behavior
•
Resources
Why use structure?
Helps the person with autism . . .
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Understand
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Learn easier
•
Stay calm
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Achieve independence
•
Learn appropriate behaviors
Shopping
Think about a store you dislike shopping in. Why?
Think about a store you love to shop in. Why?
Physical environment
•
Assess the need for physical structure
o
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Begin with more structure and fade as appropriate
Establish clear physical and visual boundaries
o
Help the person with autism understand the function
of different environments
•
Minimize potential visual and auditory distractions
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Design specific areas
o
Design of classroom
o
Area specific
Physical structure
Clear physical and
visual boundaries
Established
teaching areas
Individual
work area
Individual
work area
•
Schedule area
Minimal visual and
auditory distractions
Large group
Teacher’s
Desk
•
1:1
Break
Area
Computer
•
Coat area
Physical structure
Find the mistakes
Independent
Work area
Circle Time
Break
area
Door
Teacher’s
desk
Computer
Independent
work area
How might you change?
•
Think about what you just learned about structuring
the environment for students with autism
•
Take graph paper out of your packet and sketch how you
could change your classroom based on what you have
just learned
Factors affecting the
classroom environment
•
Arrangement of the physical environment
•
Classroom schedule
•
Program staff
•
Children
The physical environment
Considerations
•
Natural flow of activities
•
Wheelchairs
•
Adaptive equipment
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Number and characteristics
of children
Activity areas
Considerations
•
Areas are clearly defined relative to activities
•
Wide paths exist for braces, wheelchairs, crutches,
walkers, etc.
•
Areas invite the children to explore, discover and talk
about their play
Furniture and fixtures
Considerations
•
Allows for active participation in activities with peers
•
Child-sized — there should be no dangling feet
•
Adaptations and modifications should be made to existing
furniture, such as no tech/low tech, etc.
Furniture and fixtures
Considerations
•
Commercially made furniture, such as standing tables,
special chairs, outdoor playground equipment, etc.
•
Bathroom adaptations may be needed, including
adapted seats, potty chairs and a private
diaper/catheterization changing area
Materials
Considerations – variety
• Books should vary in length, complexity and genre
• Puzzles should have different sizes and number
of pieces
• Have realistic and real play materials, such as pots,
pans, clipboards, pens, flashlights, etc.
• All materials should be developmentally, functionally
and age-appropriate
Materials
Organization and storage
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Easily accessible
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Clearly visible
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Clearly labeled
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Tactile cues
IPOP’s top 10 reasons
for classroom schedules
The daily classroom schedule
provides a tangible sequence of
activities over the course of the
program and the amount of time
spent in each activity
The daily schedule
Considerations
•
Keep waiting times to a minimum and plan for transitions
and wait times
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Provide adequate time for each activity
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A labeled visual schedule promotes literacy
and understanding of sequence
Arrival and greeting
Considerations
•
Warm, loving and enthusiastic greeting
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Peer or adult assistance to help with the transition
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Late arrivers
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Extra support for extra special kids
Circle
Considerations
• Duration
• Set the tone for the day
• Natural time to encourage
and enhance language and
social emotional skills
• Developmentally
appropriate for all children
• Availability of technology
Centers and free choice
Considerations
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Child vs. teacher directed
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Duration
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Purpose
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Accessibility
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Availability of technology
Snack and lunch time
Considerations
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Embed language and daily living skills, objectives
or benchmarks
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Promote independence
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Provide options for seating or positioning
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Adapt utensils as necessary
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Be aware of nutrition and oral
sensory motor issues
Outdoor play
Considerations:
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Gross motor development
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Back-up plan in case of inclement weather
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Accessibility and adaptation of activities
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Child-to-child interaction versus adult interaction —
level of support
Story time
Considerations
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Short attention spans
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Genre – ethnically diverse, children with disabilities
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Child involvement vs. sitting and listening
Closing
Considerations
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Method for dismissal
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Plan for the various transitions, such as individual
pick-up and different bus schedules
Summarize with an acrostic
Environment
A transition is any shift
in activity that requires students
to change ________
or ___________.
A transition is any shift in activity
that requires students
to change locations
or materials.
Project SLIDE, Juniper Gardens Children’s Project, (1998). “Effective
instructional strategies to facilitate: Teacher’s guide for Project SLIDE.”
Kansas City: The University of Kansas.
Transitions
Considerations
•
Plan for transitions!
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Should be fun and short
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Remember to plan for children
who need extra assistance
Behavior
Considerations
•
Strategies for holding attention – novelty, seating options,
high/low energy activities, etc.
•
Visuals to support children’s independence (behavior
and communication)
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Plan each transition as part of the lesson plan
The program staff
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Communication and collaboration
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Team meetings
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Staff support
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Continued professional development
The children
Considerations
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Number of children
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Characteristics of the children
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Needs of all children
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Same-aged peers
Resources
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IPOP training guides
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“Promoting the Social Emotional Competence of Young Children.”
Center on the Social Emotional Foundations for Early Learning,
University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, (2003).
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Your regional VDOE T/TAC
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Region 1 and 8: www.vcu.edu/ttac/
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Region 2 and 3: www.ttac.odu.edu/
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Region 2 and 3: www.wm.edu/ttac/
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Region 4: www.kihd.gmu.edu/ttac/
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Region 5: ttac.cisat.jmu.edu/
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Region 6 and 7: www.ttac.vt.edu/