DEVELOPMENTALLY APPROPRIATE STRATEGIES FOR PROMOTING FULL PARTICIPATION IN EARLY-CHILDHOOD SETTINGS

Integrating young children with disabilities into mainstream preschool s with nondisabled children presents numerous challenges. One major st umbling block to integration is the seeming incompatibility of traditi onal didactic early intervention techniques with the developmentally a ppropriate practices common to quality mainstream preschool settings. We present strategies for intervention that are in harmony with develo pmentally appropriate practice and incorporate special educational pri nciples that have enabled children with disabilities to participate mo re fully in integrated settings while achieving individualized goals a nd objectives. The strategies are grouped into four categories: attent ion and responsiveness to the child, environmental structuring, adult mediation, and peer mediation. The strategies are presented with examp les to illustrate their use.