Acknowledge Preferences and Support Choice Making
Young children with severe disabilities must have numerous opportunities to make choices including selection of materials, how long to spend in an activity, where to work or play, and partners with whom to work or play.

Use Facilitative and Natural Child Positioning Procedures
It is best to make the position as natural as possible and similar to the way other children in the classroom might position their bodies. Approaches to positioning may include support from an adult or peer's body, specially designed furniture and equipment as well as supportive materials such as pillows and wedges.

Use the Setting's Materials and Activities to Meet Individual Needs
While materials and activities in an early childhood classroom have specific aims and purposes, these aims and purposes can be matched and/or expanded to accommodate the individual goals, objectives, and outcomes specifically determined for each child with a disability as part of the Individual Education Plan or Individual Family Service Plan.

Provide Opportunities to Use Real Materials Within the Context of Meaningful Applications
Children should be afforded the opportunity to recognize, label, and use real materials. They should be able to experience routines that establish functional task sequences and strategies. Natural consequences and responsibility should be emphasized.

Encourage Cooperation and Helpful Interactions Among Peers and Employ the Principle of Partial Participation
In many instances children with severe disabilities are unable to do every component of an activity. Rather than deny the child the opportunity to use a material and be part of an activity, identify the part or parts he or she can do.

Thompson, B., Wickham, D., Wegner, J., Ault, M. M., Shanks, P., & Reinertson, B. A circle of inclusion: Facilitating the inclusion of young children with severe disabilities in mainstream early childhood education programs. Manual for the video. (1993). Lawrence, KS: Learner Managed Design.