The goal of special education in the United States has been to enable children with special needs to become full members of our society. Inclusion beginning at a young age is the appropriate method to accomplish this goal. For young children, society consists of their families, friends, and often a preschool environment. An environment of inclusion means that the child with disabilities or special needs is accepted within this world. Young children are adaptable and accepting of other children. The benefits of the inclusion model of special education out-weigh any negative factors.
The question of the inclusion of special needs children within the regular school system was first addressed legislatively in 1973 with the passage of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973. Section 504 forbid discrimination based on a person's handicap by any federal agency, defense contractor, public university, or any other agency receiving federal funds (Shapero, 1993, p. 65-66). In 1976, the right of disabled children to receive a free public school education was guaranteed with passage of The Education For All Handicapped Children Act. This protection did not extend to preschool children or younger children until 1986 when the act was amended and became known as the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA). This meant that early childhood special education departments would be required to educate special needs youngsters in the least restrictive environment. Preschool environments had to be opened to young children with disabilities. Parents could no longer have their young children with disabilities excluded from public preschools run by school districts or federally funded like Head Start. Private preschools and day-care centers could not exclude children based solely on the child's disability. The laws were now biased in favor of including all children in society.
Inclusion within the educational system at an early age ha...