Developmentally Appropriate Practices and Young Children With Disabilities: Contextual Issues in the Discussion

Since the dissemination of statements by the National Association for the Education of Young Children about developmentally appropriate practices, a discussion has occurred about the relevance of those practices for the early education of young children with developmental delays and disabilities. In this manuscript, contextual issues are described that should be considered when discussing the application of developmentally appropriate practices to young children with special needs and when studying the convergence of those practices with early childhood special education practices. Also, a framework is proposed for addressing the application of developmentally appropriate practices with young children who have disabilities.