The Inclusion of Children with Special Needs in Early Childhood: Challenges and Dilemmas of Kindergarten Teachers

The philosophy of inclusion is anchored in the law of Israel, from 2002, stating that all children with special needs have the right to be educated in mainstream kindergartens. Some of the children are children that in the past would have been educated in special education facilities. Some of them have not undergonethe process of evaluation and diagnosis. As a result of this policy, kindergarten teachers in the mainstream face a complex reality of trying to teach a group of children with very diverse needs that they may not have had any professional training. This research examines the challenges and dilemmas that face the kindergarten teachers in their daily practices in trying to manage the kindergarten. The literature examines this subject in schools and what is the meaning of such policies from the aspect of school teachers and principles, but not from the aspect of kindergarten teachers.