Document Type
Article
Publication Date
Spring 2025
Abstract
This study's purpose was to determine if the Preschool SDI program, created by Iowa, was an effective program for creating a successful inclusive environment for all students. To determine the effectiveness, the following guiding questions were asked: 1) What is the rate of growth between the amount of time spent in an inclusive setting and academic success and 2) What inclusive models are successful in creating inclusive settings for teachers and students? To answer these questions this study focused on a north central Iowa school district. Participants included a total of 67 three- to five-year-old children enrolled in the district’s preschool program at the time of the study. Seven of these students had IEPs for needs beyond speech services. Quantitative data were collected through the preschool assessment tool, GOLD. Field notes based on independent peer interactions for students with IEPs were collected by staff in each classroom. The field note findings show no real benefit based on absolute growth between the Preschool SDI Program and the number of independent peer interactions. The GOLD data suggests all students continued to make growth in the area of social emotional development in an inclusive setting. This data, when combined, suggests that the Preschool SDI Program is beneficial to students and staff with the provided training, materials, and ongoing coachin