**6. Establishing collaborative and cooperative partnership**

Early childhood professionals are from diverse professional backgrounds such as general EC education, early childhood special education, occupational therapy, physical therapy, speech-language pathology, and psychology that requires them to use multidisciplinary approaches to draw on the skills and expertise of their peers to be able to provide better support to children and families. Effective collaborative and cooperative partnerships with professionals within multidisciplinary approaches emphasize the need for EC professionals from various backgrounds and collaborate to achieve the best outcomes for children and families [25]. Such approaches can only be realized where professionals communicate and plan in partnership, sharing their expertise and developing systematic and comprehensive approaches to children's learning and development. Professionals themselves also benefit from working in collaboration [26]. Collaboration provides opportunities for professional development through formal and informal learning from peers with diverse experience and expertise. EC leaders can facilitate EC professionals' collaboration opportunities by

**319**

*Quality Inclusion of Young Children with Disabilities: Taking a Stance to Support Early…*

creating communities of practice and learning communities that include a shared vision and understandings to achieve best practices. In communities of practice, EC professionals can find opportunities to build knowledge by participating in collaborative reflection about their methods and connecting with others who share a commitment to continual reflection and improvement. These opportunities arise from what EC professionals have in common with one another, a focus on the child's learning and development outcomes, and a commitment to provide quality services to children and their families. EC leaders need to make sure that as a program, they:

• Work collaboratively to share information and plan to ensure holistic

• Understand each other's practice, skills, and expertise, and share their

• Recognize the importance of transitions for children and their families within and across EC services and settings, and ensure that they understand the

• Ensure continuity for children's learning and development by building on their prior learning and experiences and share knowledge and expertise through collaborative partnerships with other practitioners, and contribute to new

• Understand the importance of communicating and planning in collaboration to respond to the needs of children with disabilities and their families and to ensure comprehensive, holistic, and continuous approaches to their education

• When sharing information, are careful to respect and preserve the privacy of

**7. Implementing evidence-based inclusive models, frameworks, and** 

are met, including the unique needs of children with disabilities.

between three to five who transition to preschool settings.

EC inclusive practices can be implemented in various settings where children with disabilities are included alongside their typically developing peers. EC Leaders need to put considerations for staffing, classroom configurations, and service delivery that have guidelines for class size and staffing standards, procedures for the ECSE classrooms' caseload, requirements for teacher licensure and/or endorsement in each program, physical space in the classroom, and other factors impacting teaching and learning practices. That way, they can ensure that all children's needs

There are several classroom considerations for providing special education and related services in inclusive settings. Below is a list of common models recommended for inclusive education. EC leaders need to make sure collaboration among professionals and paraprofessionals, including related service providers, happens smoothly and professionally. Team members from different disciplines work together to plan and implement an appropriate educational program for the child with a disability. Below some of the current inclusive instruction models are presented. These inclusive instructional models apply to children with disabilities

approaches to children's learning and development.

process and are prepared for these transitions.

knowledge about EC learning and development.

informed opinion when appropriate.

and development, and

children and families.

**practices**

*DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.5772/intechopen.96511*

#### *Quality Inclusion of Young Children with Disabilities: Taking a Stance to Support Early… DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.5772/intechopen.96511*

creating communities of practice and learning communities that include a shared vision and understandings to achieve best practices. In communities of practice, EC professionals can find opportunities to build knowledge by participating in collaborative reflection about their methods and connecting with others who share a commitment to continual reflection and improvement. These opportunities arise from what EC professionals have in common with one another, a focus on the child's learning and development outcomes, and a commitment to provide quality services to children and their families. EC leaders need to make sure that as a program, they:

