Characteristics of Inclusive Learning Environments for Students with Autism Spectrum Disorder

As Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) diagnoses continue to increase, the number of students with an ASD diagnosis in public and private schools continues to increase as well. For students with an ASD diagnosis, it is essential that their learning environments be designed with specific characteristics and strategies to be inclusive and supportive to their needs and future success. Many researchers have recognized the need for more schools to implement inclusive and supportive environments for students with ASD. This paper combines and discusses articles that explore the various characteristics of an ASD diagnosis, the challenges associated with the diagnosis in everyday life and in education, as well as how to create supportive and inclusive learning environments for students with ASD. The goal of this paper is to combine literature to create a guide on implementing specific characteristics of an inclusive and supportive learning environment that may be used by parents, educators, and other persons associated with the everyday and educational challenges of students with ASD