Early Childhood Educators’ Readiness Embrace Inclusion for Preschool-Age Children with Disabilities in California

Despite the push to increase inclusive early childhood (EC) care and education programs to support the learning and development of all children, such programs remain rare in California where most preschoolers with disabilities receive special education services in special day classrooms. Developing inclusive programs requires EC educators who are committed to supporting inclusion. Using a survey of EC teachers in public and private programs, this study sought to identify factors that influenced the teachers’ attitudes toward and self-efficacy for providing inclusive programs for young children with disabilities. While most of the teachers reported positive views of inclusion, they reported less comfort with the idea of supporting children with disabilities in their programs. Examinations of the teachers’ education and experience levels suggest that experience with children with disabilities influences teacher comfort while education may influence understanding of law