Building Inclusive Early Childhood Environments: From Principles to Practices, Cassidy, Spring 2026

Course Number:	EDU 5515 S39
Instructor:	Lori Cassidy, M.Ed.
Location:	Online
Dates and Times:	February 6, 2026- April 8, 2026. Synchronous Virtual Workshops: February 6, 2026 and March 6, 2026 8:30-2:30 Synchronous Virtual Seminars: 5:30-7:30 pm: February 18, March 11, and April 1, 2026
Credits:	1 credit
Tuition:	$640 Set by and payable to VT-HEC

Course Description

Course Description:

This series invites early childhood educators to deepen their understanding and application of inclusionary practices for children from infancy to kindergarten. Participants will explore the policies and principles that shape inclusive early learning, with particular attention to Universal Design for Learning (UDL) as a foundation for equitable access and participation.

Building on this foundation, participants will engage with evidence-based strategies at both universal (Tier 1) and targeted (Tier 2) levels. They will learn how to design welcoming environments, make curriculum modifications, embed learning opportunities, and implement child-focused instructional strategies that promote meaningful inclusion. Participants will also consider effective approaches to assessment and progress monitoring, and meaningful ways to collaborate with colleagues and families.

Audience:

This course is intended for early childhood educators, early interventionists, and early childhood special educators working with young children from infancy to kindergarten. A bachelor’s degree is required.

Course Goals & Objectives

Course Goals:

Participants will acquire the knowledge and skills to enhance the inclusion of all children from birth to age 5.
Early childhood professionals will strengthen their understanding of principles of inclusionary p
Early childhood professionals will demonstrate their increased ability to implement inclusionary p

Course Objectives:

Define inclusion across early childhood settings and identify features of high-quality inclusive programs.
Explain the principles of Universal Design for Learning (UDL) and identify and apply developmentally appropriate Tier 1 (universal) practices.
Identify Tier 2 evidence-based practices and describe how they can be applied to support young children. .
Discuss strategies for collaboration, assessment, and analyzing progress monitoring data that strengthen inclusion.
Design and implement evidence-based inclusionary practices in one’s own setting and reflect on their use of inclusionary practices and identify actionable next steps for growth.

Required Readings/Resources

Costs for required readings, if any, are not included in the course tuition.

U.S. Department of Health and Human Services & U.S. Department of Education (2023). Policy Statement on Inclusion of Children with Disabilities in Early Childhood Programs.

https://sites.ed.gov/idea/files/policy-statement-on-inclusion-11-28-2023.pdf

Steward, J. (2024). From policy to practice: Evolving inclusion for young children with disabilities. Young Exceptional Children Vol. 27 (4). https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/10.1177/10962506241302426

Lohmann, M.J., Hovey, K.A., & Gauvreau, A.N. (2018). Using a Universal Design for Learning Framework to enhance engagement in the early childhood classroom. The Journal of Special Education Apprenticeship, Vol.7 (2).

https://files.eric.ed.gov/fulltext/EJ1185417.pdf

Dinnebeil, L.A., Boat, M., & Bae, Y. (2013). Integrating principles of universal design into the early childhood curriculum. Dimensions of Early Childhood, Vol. 4 (1)

https://fpg.unc.edu/sites/fpg.unc.edu/files/resources/presentations-and-webinars/Dimensions_Vol41_1_Dinnebeil-1_0.pdf

For additional course information

Lori Cassidy

(802) 498-3350

For additional registration information

VT-HEC Team

This course requires registration with the Vermont Higher Education Collaborative (VT-HEC) first. Please click on the Register Now button below.