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Pathways to Inclusion Checklist
 

Below is a checklist of activities to improve program capacity to successfully include children with disabilities.

 

Recommended Step 0

 • Determine feasibility of including children with disabilities

 • Assess program’s quality

 • Identify key stakeholders within the organization

 • Determine leadership commitment

 • Evaluate existing resources

Each agency developing an Individual Program Inclusion Plan (IPIP) selects from among the areas below to begin its Pathway to Inclusion:

 
A. Review / Change Policies and Procedures

 • Identify inclusion goals for the program

 • Review for barriers to inclusion, agency eligibility policies and practices
   (admission, prerequisite skills, behavior, dismissal, medical and staff ratios)

 • Revise policies and practices to reduce barriers and achieve inclusion goals

 • Add training on inclusion to agency core training requirements

 • Implement and monitor new policies and practices

 

B. Secure Funding
 • Identify funding needs associated with including children with disabilities

 • Identify possible reallocations in current budget to meet needs

 • Seek additional resources from in-kind, public or private grants, donations and program
   fees

 • Support legislative advocacy efforts 

 

C. Provide Physical Accessibility to Site 

 • Perform site accessibility evaluation (paths of travel, hardware, restrooms, furniture,
   signage, playgrounds)

 • Review field trip plans for accessibility issues

 • Identify accessible transportation possibilities

 

D. Ensure Safety
 • Identify any additional safety issues involved in including children with disabilities

 • Assess and adjust current emergency plan and procedures to apply to all children

 • Establish guidelines and training to prevent and address behavioral crises

 • Assess and adjust first aid and CPR/AED plan for all participants

 
E. Orient / Train Staff

 • Have an inclusion component to all staff training

 • Identify and meet staff training needs related to children with disabilities or a specific
   child

 • Include training on social/emotional growth and behavior management strategies in
   training plan

 • Identify and support an “on site” staff person to be the “go-to” for inclusion questions and
   concerns

  

F. Create Inclusion Plan(s) for Children 

 • Gather information from participant’s family and other providers on goals and needs

 • Determine support needed for participant to access learning, recreation and arts
   programs

 • Determine supports needed for behavior management and social growth

 • Create and implement plan for how support needs will be met

  
G. Provide Materials, Equipment and Supplies 

 • Find ideas and sources for materials, equipment and supplies to assist with

   accommodations in specific programs or for specific children

 • Prioritize and identify funding for most useful items

 • Assure materials are used through monitoring

 • Assure equipment materials are maintained and replaced as needed

 
H. Market Inclusion 

 • Record and share success stories about inclusion and its benefits

 • Include all children in mission and program descriptions and in PR and funding
   applications

 • Make program materials available in accessible formats

 • Display commitment to inclusion on site

 • Make families of children with disabilities a target audience for recruitment efforts

 • Build support for inclusion among families of children without disabilities

  

I. Build Alliances and Partnerships 

 • Designate a staff person to learn about and link with agencies that provide supports to
   children with disabilities

 • Maintain current information on other inclusive resources

 • Establish formal and informal collaborative agreements

 • Identify and implement opportunities to network and collaborate with others serving children
   with disabilities

   
J. Provide Family Support 

 • Provide program orientation to parents and introduce program staff

 • Provide opportunities for staff and parents to exchange information on goals for the child
   and how to reinforce them in the program and at home

 • Refer families to other inclusion resources and resources for other needs

 • Provide convenient opportunities for parents to meet and support each other
 • Provide invitations to events and other communications in accessible formats

 
K. Evaluate Inclusion Outcomes 

 • Identify and measure criteria for success on inclusion plan

 • Solicit staff, parent and participant feedback

 • Make adjustments to inclusion plan based on feedback and other measures

 • Acknowledge success