The National Early Childhood Inclusion Institute is one of the premier educational opportunities for anyone involved in the care and education of young children with special needs in inclusive settings.

The Keynote Address
Janice Fialka (left)–parent, poet, a compelling storyteller, and an award-winning advocate for families and persons with disabilities–will present the 2017 Keynote address. She is a nationally-recognized speaker, author, and advocate on issues related to disability, parent-professional partnerships, inclusion, and raising a child with disabilities.

Her newest book, What Matters: Reflections on Disability, Community, and Love chronicles her son Micah’s journey of living a fully inclusive life. Special education pioneer Ann P. Turnbull said of it: “If I could recommend a single book about family life and disability to families and professionals alike, hands down, it is this one.”

The Popular Federal Plenary Session
Federal panelists return to share new information on early childhood policies and initiatives related to inclusion and to supporting children with disabilities and their families. Participants will have opportunities to ask questions and share their perspectives with the panelists.

A Movie-Maker and Her Brother
Two years ago, Jenna Kanell made the short award-winning romantic comedy Bumblebees about her younger brother, Vance, who has autism, cerebral palsy, and epilepsy. Using the film and Vance’s story, this year’s Family Plenary session will explore the role of early interventionists in supporting the entire family of a child with special needs, from the perspective of a sibling, parent, and the 20-year-old subject of the film himself. We will discuss the many ways that early interventionists provide hope to families when they need it the most, and how they prepare families for a future filled with amazing possibilities.

Dozens of world-class experts, dozens of groundbreaking sessions, free courses for CEUs—and an enduring impact.
For over 15 years, the Inclusion Institute has drawn people from across the country and around the globe to Chapel Hill to learn about the latest research findings, models, and resources to guide inclusive policy, professional development and practice; to develop collaborative relationships and cross-agency systems to support early childhood inclusion; and to have the opportunity to meet, learn from and problem solve with peers.

Read the 2016 Inclusion Institute Summary Report.