What is your educational background?
I have a Bachelor's in elementary education with an early childhood emphasis. I also have early childhood special education certification added at a later date.

What other experiences, or staff development has prepared you for inclusion?
At my previous job, the last year that I was there, we had an inclusive program with children in regular and special education.

What is your job role?
I am involved in classroom planning, monitoring IEP's (Individualized Education Program's), testing, and working with the children and parents.

What is your role regarding the inclusive component of the program?
I test the children referred for comprehensive evaluations, write the reports, and IEP's when they are in my classroom. I am responsible for monitoring their goals and objectives.

How has your role changed or have you adapted your role as it relates to the inclusive program?
I have more responsibility for the children with special needs. It has taken me from the classroom more than I like, so I rely on my Educational Support Staff (ESS) more this year than last year.

What were your biggest concerns about participating in an inclusive program?
Would there be enough time to get in the experiences the children with disabilities need to gain and grow. With the Head Start components to meet (eating and cleaning) I was worried that we would be rushed during the day. Would the Educational Support Staff be able to keep up with the documentation needed? Would I be able to make them understand what I needed?

What were your experiences related to these concerns once inclusive services were implemented?
I found out that being flexible is much more important than in the past, and delegating things to others (ESS). I can get the information from the ESS. I found that if I explain what I want, they can get it for me.

What do you see as the benefits of moving toward inclusive services?
All the children benefit from the experiences set-up for our children with special needs. The typically developing children don't seem aware that one child is being targeted for something, and the parents think of these children as ALL KIDS!

Can you offer one or more anecdotes that you feel illustrate the benefits of inclusion?
We do a group with the physical therapist once a week. One week we did a "Humpty Dumpty" activity. One of our typically developing kids told their parents about it and they came back to school the next day asking about it. The parent was very interested in what was done and liked the idea of the therapist seeing all the children.