Least Restrictive Environment, Preschool | Autism PDD
Get as many opinions as you can.
My MIL is here right now. She is a Kindy teacher - and I was talking to her about Bug's placement.
Bug just completed half a year of special ed. preschool. He has an IEP, and has done really well in his classroom. No meltdowns, the teacher says he is "delightful" - he plays well with the other children...
My goal for Bug is to have him mainstreamed in Kindergarten - and we have one more year before Kindy.
Right now, he is scheduled to be in the same type of all special needs preschool classroom in the fall.
MIL thinks he should move to a less restrictive preschool classroom - since we have just one more year before Kindergarten.
She thinks I should request a meeting to discuss his fall placement, and least restrictive setting. (Perhaps a "high risk" classroom - which meets the same number of days and time, but has all typical kids/30% have IEPs).
I'm not sure. He was in an NT preschool in the fall - and it did not go well at all... That is one of the reasons we went ahead and had him evaluated. Bug is mild on the spectrum - but he is much improved after just half a year with this program/IEP/Teacher.
Should I ask his teacher what her opinion is? (I really like her, and like I said, Bug has progressed wonderfully in her classroom).
What are your opinions?
Thanks.
I'd go for the inclusion as much as possible, as early as possible. The NT kids will be more tolerant at the younger ages, and I imagine that the aide will look less out of place to the other kids in the earlier classes.
But since every kid is unique you will need to get evaluations. First step would be to ask the teacher. She's saying that he is delightful and plays well with other kids, so maybe its time to push a bit.
That's just IMHO.
nt/peers. I would also ask that he have some suppport. A shadow aide that
can facilitate if needed. I waited to send my son to preschool. In retrospect I
would have sent him sooner. He only attended a typical preschool and will
enter Kindergarten with a shadow aide next fall.We did two year prk sped. when she was 3 adn 4
Now she is 5. We are not goint to Kdg in the fall because she just turned 5. With a late birthday there wont be a problem doing that. We will be doing regular pre-k with modifictations to meet her IEP.
I had the choice of SCI but she would be in KDG. also and be with reg ed 70 percent of the day. I did visit the classrooms. Seeing the Kdg class I knew immediately I had to wait another year.
I might add her pre k class for two years only had 5 kids.
She needs now really needs to experience a larger classrom with reg ed kids. I think being in the small classrom has hurt and helped her.
[QUOTE=moderngnome]Thanks, Everyone. I was just so surprised by MIL last night - This is the first time I've questioned his placement.
[/QUOTE]
I hope you keep questioning his placements. 
Thanks, Everyone. I was just so surprised by MIL last night - This is the first time I've questioned his placement.
I'll contact his teacher on Monday (Bug is in summer school).
my son is mild as well and was in a special pre-K class and did great! i am
thinking of pulling him from that and putting him into a "regular"
classroom b/c inclusion is our goal as well for kindergarten.
i think going into the mainstream is great if you have the right supports
in place. an aide would probably be the best bet and then she can fade as
your child becomes more and more comfortable.
if it at all possible i would try to find a pre-k program that is "smaller" in
class size b/c that would probably help as well!
L
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