2026 International Early Childhood Inclusion Institute

To effectively support all preschool children, including those with disabilities, it's essential to understand each child's developmental level and use appropriate adaptations to guide instruction. This session will focus on using developmental indicators to understand a child’s current development and determine the next learning target. Participants will also explore how to adapt the environment, materials, and instruction to meet individual needs. The STEMIE Guide to Adaptations will be used as a framework to support participants as they work through a case study on selecting needed adaptations. ,

We know that infants and toddlers thrive when surrounded by responsive and caring adults. We also know that families with young children often experience high levels of stress, particularly when they are involved with Child Welfare Systems.  This session will provide an overview of an innovative collaboration designed to support families navigating this experience in Arkansas. HealthySteps and Safe Babies Programs are working together to support pathways to improve access to quality medical homes for children and families who are experiencing heightened adversities and/or involvement with the Child Welfare System with the goal of increasing relationships beyond the pediatric community and continuity for children in foster care with established medical homes. HealthySteps is a program that adds the expertise of a child development and behavioral health promotion and prevention expert, a HealthySteps Specialist, to the pediatric primary care team. Safe Babies is an approach driven by a vision of prevention and mobilized through collaborative partnerships within communities and states to meet the urgent developmental needs of babies and toddlers. Safe Babies applies the science of early childhood to the practices of Child Welfare with an innovative team-based approach to improve outcomes for children and families impacted by greater adversities and family separation.
Participants will learn more about both programs, successes, challenges, and lessons learned from the collaboration in Arkansas, and opportunities for future innovations.

How does the Itinerant Early Childhood Special Educator (ECSE) support our youngest learners in the early childhood programs they would participate in if they did not have a disability? We understand the importance of allowing all young children to learn alongside their peers, but how do itinerant teachers ensure they provide the proper support to meet high expectations? This session will touch upon how itinerant services meet the needs of young children, describe the role of the itinerant ECSE teacher, as well as the role of the general early childhood teacher. We will then look at a vehicle for embedding instruction through collaboration between educators and families, giving participants a hands-on opportunity to try the tool. We will end by discussing the important first steps for new itinerants. Join us in this introductory session as we delve into the effective practices that empower our youngest learners to reach their full potential.

In this session, we will share the history of the Sesame Street and Autism initiative and how Julia came to life, highlighting the collaboration and research that shaped her introduction to Sesame Street. We’ll also explore how Sesame Street’s bilingual Autism tools can strengthen partnerships among families, early educators, and community providers in inclusive early childhood settings. Participants will learn how resources can help build connections, support routines, and affirm each child’s individuality, while gaining practical strategies to integrate these tools into family engagement and classroom practice. 

Note: The presenter for this session is presenting virtually. 

This session explores the intersections between early identification, early intervention, and inclusion in early childhood systems. Using a Fragile X case example and cross-system research findings, presenters will examine where families encounter barriers and highlight practical strategies to improve referrals, coordination, navigation supports, and inclusive participation outcomes.