We have many parents and educators who use and adapt Experience Curriculum as a tool for special education. In particular, they appreciate the sensory-based materials and play focused experiences. Experience Early Learning believes that early childhood special education should emphasize a developmental focus over a disability focus. Therefore, our inclusive methods acknowledge each child’s potential and supports their ongoing learning process. Additionally, Experience Preschool activities are open-ended and flexible so that children of varied developmental levels and needs can participate and positively contribute to the learning experience.

The Experience Preschool curriculum uses a developmental continuum that focuses on a child’s developmental level, rather than being a specific age-based model. This also allows for easier and more intentional adaptation. You can see and download the developmental continuum of skills here.

Depending on your group’s developmental level and their needs, the Little Learners teacher guide might be an additional resource that you want to add onto the base system. This guide offers many simplified adaptations of the activities and suggests different ways to use the included materials. If you find that you are having to simplify or adapt many of the activities, this would be a great support tool and many of our special ed teachers use this book to assist in the individualization process. Of course, you could try this extra guide for one month and then decide if you want to continue that extra tool for the rest of the year along with the base curriculum system.