Book Spotlight: Small Steps, Big Changes for Preschool Inclusion

Author:

Lai-Thin Ng

Publisher:

National Early Childhood Intervention Council (NECIC), Malaysia

Publication Date:

15 September 2024

More Details:

Book page on publisher’s website

Every child has the right to learn, to belong, and to grow — regardless of ability.

Small Steps, Big Changes for Preschool Inclusion is Malaysia’s first resource of its kind: an essential companion for turning the belief in inclusion into everyday practice in our preschools, and beyond. It centres the practice of presuming competence and ensuring access in supporting children with disabilities.

The book brings together Lai-Thin’s professional expertise and lived experience — as a disability-inclusion advocate, inclusive education specialist, and care partner to family members with disability and neurodivergence.

Designed to be usable with any curriculum, this resource equips preschool teachers, school leaders, parents, and advocates with practical tools and strategies to make early childhood education truly inclusive.

Inside the book, you will find:

• Classroom-friendly strategies to support children with diverse learning needs and abilities, enabling every child to participate meaningfully.
• Approaches to address challenging behaviours with compassion and understanding, not punishment.
• Ways to foster respectful interactions between children with and without disabilities.
• Strategies for effective collaboration among teachers, families, support professionals, and community — embedding inclusion into school life.
• Practical guidance for supporting children with disabilities, and their families, navigate transitions: from home to preschool, between classrooms, or into new learning environments.

About the Author

Lai-Thin is an inclusive education specialist and disability-inclusion advocate. She holds a Master’s degree in Special and Inclusive Education (Erasmus Mundus) and a Bachelor’s degree in psychology (HELP).

Lai Thin currently serves as Project Lead for the National Early Childhood Intervention Council (NECIC), where she coordinates initiatives that strengthen early childhood intervention and inclusive education practices in Malaysia. She is also a member of The OKU Rights Matter Project, writing resource briefs and advocacy papers, as well as co-curating resources.

Growing up with a neurodivergent sibling and being a dementia care partner, she learned that true support means centering the autonomy and lived experiences of people with disabilities. Blending personal insights and professional expertise, she works to challenge ableism and build systems that uphold the dignity, rights, and full participation of persons with disabilities.

Cover Art

“I wish I could go to school” by Branden Lim

Branden’s painting portrays a preschool setting with a ramp and small steps, symbolising accessibility for all children. Faceless figurines represent diversity, highlighting inclusion regardless of appearance. Branden, a wheelchair user with spinal muscular atrophy, created this piece to advocate for equal access to education for all children, regardless of any disabilities.

To know more about Branden, visit: www.brandenlim.com