Inclusion in Early Childhood Programs

Inclusion in Early Childhood Programs: Children with Exceptionalities, Sixth Canadian Edition, investigates the education and care of children with special needs from birth through school age in the setting of their neighbourhood early childhood program or school. Inclusion in Early Childhood Programs promotes an inclusive approach to working with children who have exceptionalities, providing valuable information which will enable teachers to feel comfortable teaching children with special needs and to successfully include them into their early childhood programs.

K. Eileen Allen, professor emerita, was a member of the Early Childhood faculty at the University of Washington in Seattle and at the University of Kansas in Lawrence. For thirty-one years she taught graduate and undergraduate courses in child development, developmental disabilities in young children, parenting, early education, and an interdisciplinary approach to early intervention and inclusion. She also trained teachers and supervised research-focused classrooms at both schools and has published seven college textbooks as well as numerous research articles and position papers in major professional journals. During her retirement, she continues to write and advocate on behalf of children and families. Her most recent book is entitled, I LIKE BEING OLD: A GUIDE TO MAKING THE MOST OF AGING.

Glynnis Edwards Cowdery has more than 25 years of experience in the early childhood education field as a teacher, program director, and inclusion facilitator.

Carol L. Paasche was a Professor and Coordinator of Early Childhood Education at Seneca College, Toronto, ON, Canada for 30 years. Since taking early retirement, she has established a counseling and consultations practice, primarily focused on working with parents and children. She also consults with early childhood centres. Carol Paasche has been an executive on the board of a nonprofit community-based, parent-participating, inclusive child care centre; and is the author of the book “Children with Special Needs in Early Childhood Settings” (New York: Delmar, 2004), a resource book for teachers of young children with special needs. Before teaching adults, Carol Paasche taught in an integrated cooperative nursery school, worked with children with special needs, and did counseling with elementary and junior high school children. Carol Paasche has a B.A. in Psychology and Child Development from Antioch (College) University and a M.Ed. from Harvard Graduate School of Education. She also completed a year of doctoral studies in Education Psychology at the University of Michigan.

Rachel Langford is the Director of the School of Early Childhood Education at Ryerson University. After receiving an elementary school teacher certificate and early childhood diploma, she worked for 18 years in a variety of primary and early childhood settings in British Columbia. For ten years, she taught Ontario ECE diploma students and is the recipient of George Brow College’s Crystal Apple Award for teaching excellence. She has presented many workshops on inclusive education, English as a second language programming and emergent curriculum. She edited the “Checklist for Quality Inclusive Education: A Self-Assessment Tool and Manual for Early Childhood Settings” for the Early Childhood Resource Teacher Network of Ontario. She has written extensively on the professional preparation of early childhood educators. Rachel Langford has a B.A. and an M.Ed from the University of British Columbia and a Ph.D. in sociology and Equity Studies in Education from OISE, the University of Toronto. She received the 2005 George L. Geis Award for the most outstanding Canadian doctoral dissertation in higher education.

Karen Nolan is a Professor and Coordinator of Early Childhood Education at Seneca College in Toronto. Before 1998, Karen worked in a variety of early childhood settings, supporting children with special needs and their families. She was a teacher at Bloorview McMillan Children’s Centre in two programs: Play and Learn and Play Haven. Karen was also an Early Childhood Consultant for Adventure Place, a mental health agency in Toronto. Karen Nolan has a Diploma in Early Childhood Education from Seneca College, a B.A.A. in Early Childhood education from Ryerson University, a B.Ed. from York University, and an M.Ed from Brock University.