The Exceptional Child: Inclusion in Early Childhood Education

by K. Eileen Allen, Glynnis Edwards Cowdery

The Exceptional Child, Inclusion in Early Child Education is an authoritative text written by master teachers who back up their writing with years of research in the field of child development, developmental disabilities, and early childhood education. This text will enable teachers, parents, and all related early childhood personnel to design and implement quality programs that meet the needs of all children. This includes those who are developing typically, as well as those with developmental disabilities and challenging behaviors. The authors emphasize offering each child individualized learning opportunities that are developmentally appropriate and feasible within the context of a classroom that accommodates both normally developing and exceptional children. This jargon-free text gives students the essential information they need to feel confident about their contributions to the health and learning of all children in their charge.

Genres: School, Education, Nonfiction

466 pages, Paperback

Published July 7, 2004

Reviews

[Cindy Raymond · Rating 4 out of 5]

Just read the 9th edition of this text for an upcoming college course I am teaching this semester on inclusion in ECE classrooms.

The text does a great job at presenting inclusion and federal regulations surrounding children with special needs.

The appendix provides sample IEP and IFSP forms and several points of discussion and activities related to the chapter reading.

The text is easy to read and provides key terms before each chapter.

I do wish the text provided more examples of modifications and accommodations general ed teachers use in inclusive settings.

I also wished the text provided a sample, completed IEP.

Overall, the text provides great info in an easy-to-read manner with application questions related to the chapters. I plan to use the text and supplement with additional readings.

[arjuna · Rating 4 out of 5]

Good plain-English guide to the principles of inclusive practice; like most US-centric EC texts it tends to assume the reader is ignorant of the rationale for some fairly basic aspects of care (standards and practices that centres in other countries may take pretty much for granted), but on the whole a useful introductory text - sometimes that spelling-out works in students' favour. It's always interesting to see how the rather peculiar legislative and statutory environment over there affects the way things are done (e.g. situations where funding/support etc is contingent upon child age rather than developmentally appropriate educational placement, or a specific diagnosis rather than the simple case of need, etc). Very different mindset, but as I say, useful to know about esp. because it highlights the reasons for doing things differently. A good solid grounding in the basic issues and practices of inclusion.

[Jay Gabler · Rating 3 out of 5]

Text for a class I'm teaching at Rasmussen.

[Naomi · Rating 4 out of 5]

One of the best books I've had to read for school yet. I'm keeping this one on my shelf for ideas and future reference.

[Judy Rohlfing]

Using this as a text in my Ivy Tech class this semester.