PROGRAM QUALITY CHARACTERISTICS IN SEGREGATED AND INCLUSIVE EARLY-CHILDHOOD SETTINGS

Program quality characteristics in 58 community-based early childhood settings which were currently serving at least one child with disabili ties were examined. Observations of the environment and classrooms pra ctices were conducted in the classrooms and teachers completed questio nnaires related to beliefs in and implementation of Developmentally Ap propriate Practices (DAP). Results indicated that segregated and inclu sive settings were generally similar across measures of program qualit y and levels of quality were moderately good in both types of settings . Teacher demographic variables were not related to the selected progr am quality indicators. The similarity in selected quality characterist ics may reflect ongoing convergence in practice and quality in early c hildhood and early childhood special education settings.