Early Childhood Development and Children with Disabilities
Elena Malaguti
Universal access to inclusive programmes for all children with disabilities from birth to the age of 5 is not yet a reality. Inclusive Early Childhood Education involves the assumption of a wide, ecosystemic perspective that weaves interactional dynamics between children and the contexts of belonging and provides a framework to examine how culture, policy and infrastructure influence early childhood services. Inclusive education is a major challenge facing early educational systems around the world. The meaning of contemporary Inclusive Education allows us to redefine the role and the organisation of pre-services in order to improve learning also for children with disabilities during their interaction with others in everyday life. Another fundamental element emerging from evidence-based research is about the use of social inclusion models based on ecological assumptions, and the use of differentiated methodologies, strategies and specific training for teachers and educators.
Keywords
Inclusive Early Childhood Education, contexts, disabilities, ecological model, training in education
