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Inclusion Links: A Place to Start
There are many websites providing helpful information about including children with disabilities. The links below are great places to begin – and each will guide you to others.
For a list of additional local and state resources, please click here.
Americans with Disabilities ACT (ADA)
This site contains information about ADA requirements, and includes technical assistance materials.
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Boundless Playgrounds is the first national non-profit organization dedicated to helping communities create barrier-free playgrounds.
Camp Channel
A comprehensive search engine for Summer Camps by criteria, including a large section on disabilities.
Including All Kids
An Easter Seals Society website for planning and implementing inclusive programs. It has a program checklist and many other resources.
Including Children with Disabilities in Public Schools in New Hampshire
Longtime Concord Monitor photojournalist, Dan Habib debuts his film documentary, “Including Samuel”. It’s the story of Habib; his son Samuel, who has cerebral palsy - and his family’s struggle to give Samuel a full life through inclusion.
Inclusive Education
This website is designed for general education teachers, special education teachers, parents, and school staff to help provide some answers about how inclusive education can be accomplished. Resources for making accommodations are included, as well as links to other web sites and resource lists for learning more about inclusive education.
Institute for Community Inclusion (ICI)
ICI offers training, clinical, and employment services, conducts research, and provides assistance to organizations to promote inclusion of people with disabilities in school, work, and community activities. Look for the “One Stop Manual” - a 350 page free resource that can be downloaded by chapter.
Joseph P. Kennedy, Jr. Foundation
The mission of the Kennedy Foundation is to provide leadership in the field of intellectual disabilities and service to persons with intellectual disabilities, both those born and unborn, and their families.
Kids Included Together (KIT)
KIT’s training modules on inclusive recreation are nationally recognized best practices. CCDH staff are certified by KIT to provide these trainings.
Mentoring Disabled Students
University of Washington study on mentoring students with disabilities.
Mobility International USA (MIUSA)
MIUSA focuses on international exchange and the development of international disability programs. Among its resources is a planning guide for developing inclusive programs.
National Center on Accessibility
The National Center on Accessibility promotes access and inclusion for people with disabilities in parks, recreation and tourism. The site provides many resources for designing accessible sites and programs.
National Council for Support of Disability Issues
You're trying to work. You might have just finished school, high school or college, or you might have been finished for a long while. You don't want your disability holding you back from a productive and successful career. This site will help steer you in the right direction.
National Institute on Recreation Inclusion (NIRI)
NIRI is a project of the National Parks and Recreation Association. Their annual meeting has an excellent reputation. They also offer, for a small fee, an online course for planning and implementing inclusive recreation programs.
Physical Activity Mentor Program for Kids with Disabilities
University of Wisconsin-La Crosse study on physical activity mentoring programs.
School-Based Medicaid for Children with Disabilities
Link to PDF (9/06) from Project Forum, National Association of State Directors of Special Education (NASDSE); Title: "School-Based Medicaid for Children With Disabilities."
Spinal Cord Injury Peer Mentor Group
Link to YouTube video
Teaching Expertise | Inclusion of disabled children in primary school playgrounds
The research study summarized in this article sought to develop an understanding of the issues that affect the inclusion of disabled children in play in the playgrounds of six primary schools in Yorkshire.
What Are Special Needs?
Link to about.com website on "Parenting Special Needs" that provides general information important to families who have children with disabilities.
DEC/NAEYC 2009 Position Statement
• Division of Early Childhood (DEC) & National Association for the Education of Young Children (NAEYC) Joint Position Statement on Early Childhood Inclusion
Disability Laws
• Childcare and the ADA (English) (pdf)
• Childcare and the ADA (Spanish) (pdf)
• IDEA 2004 Overview
Adaptations and Accomodations
The video workshops below demonstrate how to adapt materials and routines for children in your program:
• Adapting Play Materials Workshop
• Adapting Classroom Toys Workshop
• Adapting Music Circle Workshop
Some children may benefit from an individual schedule to ease the transition from one activity to another:
• Creating an Individualized Schedule (pdf)
• Individualized Schedule Icons (pdf)
The purpose of a choice board is to provide the child with a visual representation of an object/ activity to increase comprehension and communication skills. It is very useful for children who have limited vocabulary. Choice boards can be created using actual objects or pictures. When teaching a child to use the choice board, you should begin with only two choices at time, preferably with the most preferred object/activity and one that is least preferred. This will allow the child to make the cause/effect connection: "I point to ____, I get ____."
• Creating Choice Boards (pdf)
• Teaching A Child to Make a Choice (pdf)
• Choice Board Icons (pdf)
• Song Board Adaptation (pdf)
• Song Board Icons (pdf)
The general layout and feel of your classroom is one of the first things you should focus on when thinking about including all children.
• Classroom Layout Tips (pdf)
• Creating a Positive Environment (pdf)
• Circle Time Adaptations Tip Sheet (pdf)
Ideas to adapt other daily tasks:
• Getting Dressed Tip Sheet (pdf)
• Getting Dressed Story (pdf)
• Mealtime Accomodations (pdf)
• Putting on a Jacket Tip Sheet (pdf)
• Special Diets Tip Sheet (pdf)
• Specialized Equipment Tip Sheet (pdf)
• Toileting Independence Tip Sheet (pdf)
• Additional Adaptation Resources (pdf)
Social-Emotional Development / Challenging Behavior
The video workshops below will provide a basic understanding of why children may exhibit a certain behavior and how we can help them change the negative behavior into a positive behavior!
• Understanding Behavior Workshop - Part I
• Understanding Behavior Workshop - Part II
Below is a story about a child who has a hard time leaving the playground. It illustrates useful strategies to change undesired behavioral responses.
• Sample Story (pdf)
• General Behavior Strategies Tip Sheet (pdf)
• Encouraging Positive Behaviors Tip Sheet (pdf)
The video workshops below provide additional strategies and insight to help children in their social/emotional development.
• Reinforcement Workshop
• Giving Instructions Workshop
• Sharing and Turn Taking Workshop
• Playing to Learn Workshop
• Sensory Stimulation Activities Workshop
It is important for children to recognize their feelings and learn better ways to respond to their emotions.
• Teaching Your Child to Identify & Express Emotions (pdf)
• Teaching Your Child to Cooperate with Requests (pdf)
• Sample Story (pdf)
• Identifying Skills to Teach (pdf)
• List of Children’s Books to Support Social Emotional Development (pdf)
Social stories are an excellent way to help a child learn new social skills (for example, the appropriate way to ask for a toy) and/or to prepare for an important transition (i.e., changing schools). Social stories can be individualized or created for an entire group of children.
• Creating Social Stories (pdf)
• Sample Social Story: I Can be a Super Friend (ppt)
Communication & Language Development
The video workshops below will teach you how to use visuals to increase communication and language!
• Visual Communication Workshop
• Giving Directions Workshop