Seattle Public Schools Educators\u27 Perceptions of the Efficacy of Autism Inclusion Programs

The number of children diagnosed with Autism Spectrum Disorders (ASD) is on the rise, both in the United States and around the world. The Individuals with Disabilities ACT (IDEA 2004) and No Child Left Behind Act (2001) mandate that children with disabilities, including children with ASD, be educated in the Least Restrictive Environment (LRE). The general education classroom is increasingly identified as the LRE. General education teachers are increasingly responsible for educating students with ASD, often with little or no training on ASD or intervention methods. Few previous studies have explored general education teachers’ experiences and attitude towards inclusion of learners with ASD. This study examines general education teachers’ perceptions of the effectiveness of inclusion in their schools and their experiences teaching in inclusive settings. This study illuminated two areas of interest: first, teachers were supportive of inclusion, and second, teachers identified areas where they felt inclusion policies needed to be improved in order for inclusion practices to be more effective. This paper subsequently analyzes the aforementioned trends and provides recommendations for further study of inclusion of students with ASD in the general education classroom