Early childhood educators are facing the challenge of creating quality educational programs for young children from an increasingly diverse mix of racial and cultural backgrounds. Programs that, in the past, have largely ignored the diversity of their participants must re-examine approaches that emphasize the universality of linear lists of developmental milestones; they must pursue practices that reflect a pluralistic approach to both content and methods of instruction. Yet a multicultural, multi-ethnic, and multi-ability student population demands a unique and nontraditional approach, characterized by individualization and sensitivity to unique expressions of group identity. In this article, the authors discuss the developmentally appropriate practice (DAP), which is considered as the foundation of early childhood education and serves as a guideline for curriculum development, and provide a description of the steps involved in planning for the inclusion of children with disabilities in a typical early childhood program. (Contains 1 table and 2 figures.)