Perspectives on Regular and Support Class Placement and Factors that Contribute to Success of Inclusion for Children with ASD

Abstract

For young children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) in regular schools, ASD specific service delivery options include regular class placement with itinerant consultative support and support class placement. This study provided an examination of levels of parent, teacher and principal satisfaction with both regular class placement (n = 39) and a satellite support class option (n=35), which provides a more gradual transition into regular class. Given that regular class placement was the ultimate goal for children enrolled in the study, factors that either facilitated or acted as barriers to successful inclusion were examined for those children currently in regular classes. There were relatively high levels of parent, teacher and principal satisfaction with both satellite support class and regular class placement for children with ASD, with higher levels of parental satisfaction with satellite support placement. Across all respondents, the most frequently identified facilitating factors were related to teaching practices and skills. In contrast, barriers identified were generally related to child characteristics. A number of suggestions for future research are offered.

Schooling for Pupils with Autism Spectrum Disorder: Parents’ Perspectives

“…Parents expressed the highest preference for special schools known as “resource schools”, which 65% of the parents believed was the optimal type of school (The Autism and Asperger Association 2013 ). Carter et al ( 2014 ) reported that parents and teachers were typically satisfied with special solutions, as well as regular classroom placement. The factors facilitating the education of students with ASD are related to the learning practice and skills of the teachers.…”

“…Teixeira De Matos and Morgado ( 2016 ) reported that inclusion in mainstream schools is influenced by a positive attitude towards pupils with ASD and their behavior, their attendance in the school or class, and their overall acceptance in groups of typical developing pupils. Carter et al ( 2014 ) reported a high level of satisfaction with special solutions among both parents and teachers, as well as regular classroom placement for children with ASD. Facilitatory factors were found to be related to the learning practice and skills of the teachers, while obstacles were most often linked to the child’s characteristics.…”

Experiences of children with autism spectrum disorders in adapted physical education

“…Physical education (PE) is one school setting in which children with ASD can improve their current level of motor performance as well as gain new skills. Researchers often ask teachers, parents and instructional aids about their experiences with teaching students with ASD but not the individuals themselves (Carter et al, 2014;Schultz, Sreckovic, Able, & White, 2016;Syriopoulou-Delli, Cassimos & Polychronopoulou, 2016). This is one way to examine the how individuals with ASD perceive an experience.…”

Utilizing Peers to Support Academic Learning for Children With Autism Spectrum Disorder

“…As a result, research regarding academic achievement in the population is less prevalent than research about communication and social skills (Keen, Webster, & Ridley, 2016;Wong et al, 2013). Although students do face barriers to successful inclusion, such as anxiety, poor social skills, adaptability problems, and stereotypical behaviors (Carter et al, 2014;Lindsay et al, 2013), many students with ASD demonstrate shortcomings in core subject areas (Keen et al, 2016;Kurth & Mastergeorge, 2010;Wei, Christiano, Yu, Wagner, & Spiker, 2015). Deficits in reading and math are detected as early as preschool (Miller et al, 2017), and parents report frustration or displeasure with the academic progress for children with ASD (Mackintosh, Goin-Kochel, & Myers, 2012;McDonald & Lopes, 2014;Starr & Foy, 2012).…”