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Improving Systems, Practices, and Outcomes

Making Sound Preschool LRE Decisions A Parent's Perspective

In this activity, participants watch a short video, then discuss the importance of parent perspective when Making Sound Preschool LRE Decisons, gaining a shared understanding of the impact attitudes and beliefs have on how inclusion is perceived. (30–60 min.)

Video: A Parent's Perspective on Inclusion in Early Childhood

Video © 2015 used with permission from the Desired Results Access Project, Funded by the California Department of Education, Special Education Division

Janelle Rethwisch talks about her perspective on inclusion for her daughter Lydia, in early childhood and beyond. This video can serve as a good introduction for families who are new to the concept of inclusion or who are deciding on service options. (6 min.)

Activity Process

After watching the video as a group, in a large or small group, discuss some or all of following questions. Choose an appropriate number of questions for your available time. End the discussion by asking a few participants to share their reponse to the closing question.

Photograph: A group of children are gathered around a table in a preschool class.

Discussion Questions

  1. What does Janelle want for her daughter?
  2. What impact does her attitude toward and beliefs about Lydia have on Lydia?
  3. How might Lydia's outcomes be different had Janelle believed she would not be able to do what other children her age do?
  4. Have you worked with children who have had significant needs? What was your attitude and beliefs about them— what they could do, or could not do? How do those attitudes and beliefs impact a child's development? How does it influence where services are provided?
  5. How does viewing the disability first (as opposed to child-first perspectives) impact the interaction the child has with their peers, family, other adults, and community?
  6. How are children impacted by adults whose attitudes and beliefs come from a deficit model? How are children impacted by a strength-based perspective?
  7. How has Lydia's inclusion in everyday activities from her earliest years helped to change the attitudes and beliefs about disabilities and inclusion of those around her, both peers and adults?
  8. What can adults do to foster and keep accepting attitudes in children as they grow?

Closing Question

  • In one sentence, how would you summarize what you learned from Janelle and Lydia's story?