The role of the inclusion coordinator may be a novel concept for some early childhood special education programs which are progressively moving toward an inclusive model for delivery of special services. Because of the many issues one might encounter regarding inclusion in early childhood programs, it is necessary to describe the role of the inclusion coordinator and to encourage programs moving toward the inclusive service delivery model to consider utilizing such a role. The coordinator is responsible for the overall operation of the inclusion program and ensures that specified procedures are understood and followed, that problems are addressed, and that the child is indeed receiving appropriate services.

One of the most important roles of the inclusion coordinator is to oversee the enrollment of children with disabilities in community early childhood programs. This includes, but is not limited to, exploring and securing a variety of placement options for families of children with disabilities and assisting families and programs with the various forms of financing that might be needed to maintain these options and placements.

The inclusion coordinator is also responsible for informing community early childhood and special services staff regarding any necessary public school district policies and procedures to be followed or implemented. The coordinatoràs role includes coordinating inservice training activities for personnel participating in inclusion programs including the community early childhood staff as well as related services staff and paraprofessional staff. Another important aspect of the coordinator role involves public relations, whereby additional community programs are recruited to become involved in the inclusion of children with disabilities. Within this public relations framework, the coordinator will also provide information to any interested parties regarding the observation of inclusive early childhood programs and facilitate the scheduling of those observations.

The inclusion coordinatoràs role is integral to the successful inclusion of a child. It provides a necessary link between the community and the school district. The coordinator, in effect, serves as a liaison between the community early childhood staff and related service providers, while ensuring the administrative obligations of the school district are being fulfilled. It is the responsibility of the coordinator to ensure that options for service delivery within community settings are available, are financially feasible for participating families, and that appropriate services are being provided in these settings.