Young Children with and without Disabilities: Perceptions of Peers with Physical Disabilities

Young children with and without disabilities were interviewed regarding their perceptions of other children with and without disabilities. Both groups of children were generally positive and realistic about the physical, academic and social competence of children with and without disabilities. However, compared to typically developing children, children with disabilities tended to view other children with disabilities more positively in the physical and academic areas. In the social areas, more children without disabilities responded more positively than children with disabilities. These findings have implications for successful inclusion in early childhood education.