Dialectic special pedagogy in early childhood: new ways of addressing secondary disability and inclusion in mainstream settings

Inclusive education for children with disabilities remains a challenge despite advances made in education policies. Educators express various concerns about the inclusion of children with disabilities in mainstream settings. In line with the focus of this book, it is argued that educators need to understand both the fundamentals of disability and the nature of special pedagogy. This chapter contributes to addressing both through a discussion of a cultural-historical view of disability and development, followed by an elaboration of the link between special pedagogy and secondary disability. To illustrate this relationship, the chapter presents an empirical study on the inclusion of a child with autism spectrum disorder in an Australian long day-care setting. The chapter concludes with insights into how a dialectic special pedagogy for the early years addresses potential secondary disabilities so that children with disabilities have a successful transition into future competences and meet their social and personal developmental goals.