The Relationship of Program Quality to Children's Play in Integrated Early Intervention Settings

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to examine associations between three types of program quality indicators (structural, global, dynamic/process) and children's play behavior. Children with and without disabilities were observed during free-play periods in integrated early childhood programs. Teachers' interactions with both groups of children were largely similar, and the children's play differed only in level of social play. Teachers were more involved in supporting children's play in classrooms with better teacher-child ratios and when a greater proportion of them had specialized training in early childhood education. Teachers' interactions with children were not related to children's cognitive play level but were related to their social play level.