Early Childhood Special Education in Norway and the United States: A Meta-Synthesis

Abstract

This meta-synthesis investigates various aspects of early childhood special education in Norway and the U.S. Both countries strive to provide services for young children with disabilities in inclusive settings. However, the differences in policy, levels of governmental regulation and involvement, local organization of service delivery, and provision of social benefits shape very different realities for children with disabilities, their families, and their service providers in Norway and the U.S. This inquiry of 43 articles addresses such issues as overall quality of services and support available to children with disabilities and their families, qualifications of personnel who work with children with disabilities, funding of various early childhood settings that these children attend, and availability and accessibility of inclusive early childhood environments for children with disabilities in both Norway and the U.S.