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Ages:
Birth to 3 Years
3 to 6 Years
Birth to 3 Years
- Colorado: Colorado has developed guidance on supports and services in everyday
routines, activities, and places where all children develop and learn to
address the natural environments requirement of Part C of the Individuals with
Disabilities Education Act. A number of resources are available including the
following:
- Connecticut: Connecticut has developed a number of
resources to support implementation of the natural environments
requirements:
- Delaware:
Guide to Promoting Inclusion in Early Care and Education: A Section of the User’s Guide to the
Growing Together Portfolio
 (PDF: 1,506kb)
This guide has been developed to help early care and education providers include more children
with disabilities in their groups. The guide includes suggestions for activities, questions to ask
families, ways to share information with families, as well as various resources of additional
information to support inclusive practices.
- Georgia: Georgia developed information for families,
"Fact Sheet: Natural Environments"
(PDF: 4,355kb) and "Frequently
Asked Questions: Natural Environments" (PDF: 2,420kb) , to increase
understanding and awareness regarding natural environments requirements and what it
means to their child and family.
- Indiana: "Early Intervention
in Everyday Routines, Activities, and Places: Guidelines for Indiana"
(PDF: 185kb) was developed to help ensure compliance with
natural environments requirements and support providers in implementing these
requirements.
- Kentucky: The Kentucky Department of Education and the
Kentucky Commission on Children with Special Health Care Needs - First
Steps Program, with state Improvement Grant Dollars, supported the
University of Kentucky, Interdisciplinary Human Development Institute and
Department of Family Studies to convene a Natural Environments Task Force
and Self-Assessment Project. The project has developed and disseminated a
state position statement on natural environments, identified and validated
guiding principles, indicators and strategies for implementation of the
state position statement, and developed a self-assessment document and
pilot process to assist local service providers in the implementation of
services in the natural environment. Materials related to this project
can be accessed at http://www.ihdi.uky.edu/NESAP/.
- New Jersey: New Jersey has developed the following documents to support it's commitment
to providing quality services to children in natural environments:
— Service Guidelines
(PDF: 3,651kb) presents vision and mission statements, describes
what natural environments are, discusses natural environments and the IFSP
process, and a list of 17 beliefs or expectations about services in natural
environments.
— Program Self Study
(PDF: 1,220kb) assists early interventionists in developing and
providing quality services for infants and toddlers in natural environments.
— A public awareness
(PDF: 593kb) piece provides news and information on natural environments.
- New Mexico: "New Mexico Family Infant
Toddler Program, Technical Assistance Document - Natural Environments"
(PDF: 717kb) , was developed to provide guidance to providers on
providing supports and services to infants, toddlers, and their families in everyday,
routines, activities, and places. The document outlines four recommended practices
including (a) family-centered supports and services, (b) supporting child participation
in everyday routines, activities and places, (c) expanding and enhancing natural
learning opportunities, and (d) integrating supports and services. It also provides
guidance on natural environments as an integral part of the IFSP process.
- North Carolina: "Growing Up Naturally"
(PDF: 729kb) - The purpose of this document is to provide practical
information and guidance for early intervention adminstrators, service providers and
others delivering services in Natural Environments.
- Oregon:
Models of Teaming
and Service Design In EI/ECSE Programs (PDF: 76kb)
This paper includes a review of what is known about service design and
collaborative teaming and the models used in Oregon. It offers a review of
current research and "best practice" regarding service delivery and models
of teaming. Recommendations are offered regarding further actions and
training activities.
- Pennsylvania:
The Guidelines to Support the Early Intervention
Process: Inclusion (PDF: 1,261kb) addresses services for children birth to five.
The guidelines include and refer the reader to legal requirements, suggest quality practices, and
clarify activities related to inclusion. This document is part of a series of guidelines that have been
approved by the PA Departments of Public Welfare and Education, Office of Child Development and
Early Learning.
- Texas: In Texas, early intervention services are provided
to over 35,000 children in natural and inclusive environments. The Texas
Interagency Council on Early Childhood Intervention (ECI) has developed a
service provider training module that clarifies the history, approach and
goals of early intervention in Texas. Relevant sections of "ECI 101"
focus on the following: Family-Centered
Philosophy (PDF: 9,049kb) , Routines-Based Approach to
Family-Centered Services (PDF: 5,403kb) , Relationship-Based Approach to
Family-Centered Services (PDF: 4,589kb) and Working with Children and
Families in Home and Community Settings. (PDF: 4,572kb)
- Virginia: Virginia developed an analysis of federal regulations,
OSEP
policy letters and Virginia policies and procedures related to natural
environments in "Natural Environments
Correlations with Federal Regulations, Policies and Procedures and
OSEP Policy Letters"
(PDF: 63kb) . This document serves as an excellent resource for states
in summarizing policy related to natural environments.
In translating policy to practice, Virginia provided guidance to families and
providers on the provision of early intervention services in the context of
natural environments within the framework of the Individualized Family Service
Plan (IFSP) in "Family Centered Early Intervention Within the Context of
Daily Routines and Activities of Children and Families: Development of the IFSP".
Sections of this document and appendices that relate specifically to natural
environments are as follow:
- — Page 2 of the Individualized
Family Service Plan (PDF: 110kb) form provides opportunities
for documenting children and family daily activities and routines and page
8 provides for the identification of learning opportunities and activities
that build on the child's and families' interests and abilities for
each outcomes.
- — Pages 3, 7 and 9 in the Individualized
Family Service Plan Form - Guidance (PDF: 78kb) provides
instructions on how to complete the IFSP sections related to natural environments.
- Washington: Washington State Infant Toddler Early
Intervention Program
 (DOC: 105kb) "Guidelines for Implementing Early Intervention Services
in Natural Environments" was developed to provide guidance to all
individuals who comprise the state early intervention system in adapting
and modifying services as necessary to meet the natural environments
requirements of the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act, Part C.
The Guidelines emphasize the importance of providing early intervention
services as part of the family's daily routines and activities, specifically
using the child's natural learning opportunities.
- Wisconsin:
Wisconsin's Web site on natural environments presents guidelines developed by
its state interagency coordinating council, practical information on putting the guidelines
into practice, and examples of success stories.
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3 to 6 years
- Illinois: The Illinois State Board of Education in
collaboration with the Partners in the Access and Equity Project developed
a guidebook, "One of Us - Access and Equity for All Young Children" (PDF: 512kb) ,
to encourage and promote increased access for preschool age children with
disabilities to be educated with their typically developing peers in
preschool programs. The guide includes information on (a) collaboration
as the key to inclusion, (b) providing inclusive individualized services,
and (c) finding solutions.
The Illinois State Board of Education, Early Childhood Division has
devloped a guidance
paper on LRE in early childhood special education (PDF: 30kb) .
- Iowa: 3-4-5 Thrive:
A Guide to Providing Educational Opportunities in the
Least Restrictive Environment (LRE) for Iowa’s Preschoolers with Disabilities —
Developed by the Iowa Department of Education in collaboration with parents, educators, and others,
this guide provides direction in ensuring that preschoolers are provided educational opportunities
that meet Federal LRE guidelines.
- North Dakota: To assist personnel in providing
individualized services to preschool children with disabilities, North
Dakota developed "Early
Childhood Special Education for Children with Disabilities Ages Three
through Five" , a reference guide of required and recommended practices.
This guide focus on a number of key elements, including recommendations
related to providing opportunities for young children to be educated with
same-age peers without disabilities in a variety of settings (least
restrictive settings). An "LRE Planning Worksheet" (PDF: 12kb)
is provided as well as "An Alternative Procedure to
Identify the Most Appropriate Learning Environment" (PDF: 29kb) when modifying the IEP.
- Oregon: In Oregon, many young children with disabilities receive
services from a combination of different programs,
including Early Childhood Special Education, Oregon Head Start Pre-
Kindergarten, Migrant Head Start and Local Education Agencies.
A Guidance Paper: Head Start,
Migrant Head Start and Early Childhood Special Education (age three to five) (PDF: 164kb) , which was
developed by Oregon Department of Education, Office of Special Education and Office of Student
Services in April 2000, clarifies the roles and responsibilities of each program in relationship to
the special education needs of these children.
Models of Teaming and Service Design In EI/ECSE Programs (PDF: 76kb)
This paper includes a review of what is known about service design and
collaborative teaming and the models used in Oregon. It offers a review of
current research and "best practice" regarding service delivery and models
of teaming. Recommendations are offered regarding further actions and
training activities.
- Pennsylvania:
The Guidelines to Support the Early Intervention
Process: Inclusion (PDF: 1,261kb) addresses services for children birth to five.
The guidelines include and refer the reader to legal requirements, suggest quality practices, and
clarify activities related to inclusion. This document is part of a series of guidelines that have been
approved by the PA Departments of Public Welfare and Education, Office of Child Development and
Early Learning.
- Utah: The development of this
guidance document
(PDF: 1,571kb) was an activity of a long-term
strategic plan within the Utah State Office of Education, Special Education
Services to support early childhood programs and extend opportunities for
inclusion in preschool special education. Partners across the State of Utah
participated in meetings and contributed resources and expertise.
We encourage you to contact us by e-mail about
natural environment/inclusion
resources that you have available in your state.
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Links on this site are verified monthly. This page content was last updated on 02/27/2008 CF.
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