Preschoolers' ideas about disabilities

[[abstract]]Each year in the United States, more than 2.5 million typically developing 3- to 5-year-old children are enrolled in early childhood classes that include at least one child with an identified disability. This article examines what we know about typically developing children's ideas about age mates with disabilities and how experiences in inclusive programs may influence children's ideas and attitudes. We focus on young children's understanding of different disabilities, the ways that parents and teachers can influence children's ideas, and relations between children's ideas, interactions, and experiences in settings that include peers with disabilities. Finally, we offer suggestions of ways that teachers can support preschool children's interactions and help them to understand what it means to have a disability