Students with Autism in Inclusive Classrooms

Many students with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) are being integrated in inclusive classrooms and learning alongside their typically developing peers. The purpose of this study was to provide teachers with effective strategies to support students with ASD and help them achieve greater success academically, socially, and behaviourally. The related literature has been extensive but failed to provide a sufficient amount of evidence-based strategies for teachers to utilize when working with students with Autism in their inclusive classrooms. Analysis of both the related literature and the collected data suggests that there is a relationship between the challenges teachers experience and the factors that inhibit teachers to successfully include students with ASD. This qualitative study explores the understandings from two teachers in Ontario who experienced including students with ASD in their inclusive classrooms. They were chosen based on convenient and criterion sampling procedures. Both Participants engaged in separate semi-structured interviews and were asked a series of open-ended questions. Although the sample is limited, both participants provide insight on their perspectives, challenges, actions, including teaching strategies to facilitate a successful learning environment for students with ASD. Recommendations for increased support, adequate training, and preservice teacher education programs are also discussed