Sheila Clonan
The following is a faculty research project supported by the Upstate Institute:
Sheila Clonan, Assistant Professor of Educational Studies, and Regina Conti, Associate Professor of Psychology
Because no inclusive preschool programs exist in Madison County while neighboring Oneida and Onondaga counties offer 9 and 20 inclusive preschool sites and 3 and 2 traditional special education preschool sites respectively, Clonan and Conti will examine the type and availability of special education services at the preschool level in five counties in the Upstate New York region, and attempt to determine the factors contributing to the availability of inclusive services. These factors may include local resources dedicated to preschool special education programming, perceived need and/or demand, administrative support, and availability of existing preschool sites, but also community commitment toward inclusion and parental knowledge and attitudes regarding inclusion.