Online ISSN: 2325-7466
2006
Triannual
National Association of Special Education Teachers (NASET)
United States

Articles

Challenges to Collaboration, Inclusion and Best Practices within the Special Education Community

  • Cecilia Scott-Croff, Ed.D. SAS, SDA, CPAC (Author) Borough of Manhattan Community College Early Childhood Center Inc. image/svg+xml
    Cecilia Scott-Croff has more than twenty-five years of experience in the fields of early childcare, special education, and advocacy. She is a leader in these fields having secured major city, state, and federal funding of over 5 million dollars for the programs she has served, obtained its national accreditation, managed multiple funding streams, and worked closely with at risk families. Cecilia has worked as a teacher, coordinator, special education itinerate supervisor, parent advocate, director, adjunct professor, higher education administrator, and staff developer throughout her career. She is a level 3 credentialed trainer with the New York State Association of the Education of Young Children, a New York State certified special educator, early childhood educator and administrator, and holds the New York State Certified Professional Administrator Credential (CPAC) and three teaching licenses with the New York City Department of Education. Cecilia serves as the Executive Director of the Early Childhood Center at Borough of Manhattan Community College. She is the Chair of the Child Care Council at City University of New York (CUNY). She is currently a board member of “It Takes a Village”, the National Coalition of Campus Children’s Center, a member of the Professional Development Institutes (DI) at CUNY’s Leadership Initiative, a member of the New York State Association for the Education of Young Children, Region 3 and Chair of the Adhoc Committee for the Child Care Access Means Parents in School Committee assembled by the National Association for Campus Children’s Centers. Cecilia has two graduate degrees, one in Early Childhood Education and the other in Administration and Supervision. She has also completed the Leadership Development Institute with the National Black Americans Council. Cecilia has a doctorate in Executive Leadership at St. John Fisher College and is working toward the Board-Certified Behavior Analyst (BCBA) certification at Hunter College.
DOI
https://doi.org/10.64546/jaasep.429
Abstract
This manuscript identifies the challenges of children with special needs and their families. This text further highlights the complexity of integrating children with intellectual differences into inclusive settings. Furthermore, the author incorporates the teamwork and collaboration principles and practices of the Division for Early Childhood (DEC) of the Council for Exceptional Children (CEC, 1990). In keeping with the Council’s principles, the most important aspect of the Council’s mission and goals is to work across systems to meet the needs of children and families (DEC 2009). These principles focus on the importance of parent involvement, collaboration and interdisciplinary approaches to services. Lastly, this paper examines inclusion, advocacy and support for parents while reflectively examining a study (Scott-Croff, 2017) that details the perspectives of parents and pediatricians caring for children on the autism spectrum.
Keywords
Advocacy, Attitudes, Autism, Barriers, Behavior Modification, Best Practices
References

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How to Cite
Scott-Croff, C. (2020). Challenges to Collaboration, Inclusion and Best Practices within the Special Education Community. Journal of the American Academy of Special Education Professionals, 15(2), 116-134. https://doi.org/10.64546/jaasep.429

Spring/Summer 2020

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  • Article Type Articles
  • Submitted April 29, 2020
  • Published June 15, 2020
  • Issue Spring/Summer 2020
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