Young children with developmental delays or disabilities and their families need specialized services and supports to optimize their development and prepare for later learning. These services and supports are most effective when coordinated with other services and programs in the community. IDEA Part C and Part B, 619 programs must be an integral part of each state’s early childhood education system. IDEA programs have much to contribute to systems building because of their longstanding focus on coordinated service delivery. Staff from these programs can offer resources and expertise to help build, support, and sustain the broader early childhood education system. For more information on an early childhood mixed delivery system, contact the PDG B-5 technical assistance specialist for your region.
Resources
The following resources provide an introduction to IDEA Part C and Part B 619 requirements and share examples of how IDEA state staff and staff from other programs can work together to build coordinated systems.
Inclusion Essentials
This video conversation and FAQ handout discusses strategies from the Joint Policy Statement on the Inclusion of Children with Disabilities in Early Childhood Programs.
Policy Statement on Inclusion of Children with Disabilities in Early Childhood Programs
This policy statement, released jointly by the Departments of Education and Health and Human Services, re-affirms that all young children with disabilities should have access to high-quality inclusive early childhood programs that provide individualized and appropriate support so they can fully participate alongside their peers without disabilities and achieve their full potential.
Assistive Technology Devices and Services for Children With Disabilities Under the IDEA
The Office of Educational Technology and the Office of Special Education Programs provide guidance in support of children with disabilities who need assistive technology (AT) devices and services for meaningful access and engagement in education. Resources include a Dear Colleague Letter on the provision of assistive technology devices and services for children with disabilities under the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA), and a document entitled Myths and Facts Surrounding Assistive Technology Devices and Services.
Programs Serving Children with Disabilities— IDEA as a Key Component of a State Early Childhood System
This brief provides information and resources about the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act’s (IDEA) two early childhood programs.
State Early Childhood Inclusion Self-Assessment
This self-assessment tool that provides a framework for examining key aspects of state infrastructure that are useful for promoting high-quality inclusive practices, programs, and policies.
Early Childhood Inclusion: A Summary
This brief that summarizes the Joint Position Statement on Early Childhood Inclusion of the DEC and NAEYC.
Early Childhood Inclusion: A Joint Position Statement of DEC and NAEYC
This joint position statement highlights the benefits of inclusion of young children with disabilities and developing policies and procedures to support implementation of inclusion for young children with disabilities throughout the state’s mixed delivery system.
Remote Service Delivery and Distance Learning
This web page is a compilation of information for state early intervention Part C and early childhood special education the IDEA Part B, Section 619 programs.
IDEAs that Work, Toolkit on Universal Design for Learning
This toolkit that contains information focused on increasing states’ capacity to provide rigorous assessment, instruction, and accountability for students with disabilities, as required under the IDEA, using universal design for learning principles.
Practice Improvement Tools: Topic: Transition. Early Childhood Technical Assistance Center
This set of checklists describes changes that occur for children with disabilities with the following transitions: from hospital to home, into early intervention (Part C) programs, to community early childhood programs, into Part B/619, and to kindergarten or school-age programs.
Statewide Implementation Guide
This toolkit/guidebook contains tools, materials, and examples derived from the Pyramid Model and ECTA's DEC Recommended Practices implementation technical assistance.
IDEA Overview
This webpage provides basic information and an overview of Part C and Section 619 of Part B that are the portions of the IDEA that relate to young children.
Services for Children with Disabilities
This website provides information about child care services for children with disabilities and links to many resources for parents on child care options and child health and development, with links for Parent Centers in all states.
Building High-Quality Early Intervention and Preschool Special Education Programs
This framework guides state Part C and Part B Section 619 Coordinators and their staff in 1) evaluating their current state systems; 2) identifying potential areas for improvement, and 3) developing systems that support implementation of evidence-based practices.