Inclusive education or utopia for ASD? When community, teacher, and student collide to reach positive educational outcomes

Inclusive Education for individuals on the Autism Spectrum is a much sought after goal internationally. Many education facilities have donned to achieve this goal; however few have achieved it successfully without providing an independently designed facility tailored specifically for those on the Spectrum, ultimately losing the original goal. The current study has examined a state run primary school (Prep to Year 7) in a coastal area in Queensland, Australia. The key area of interest is how specifically does a government run, non-fee paying school provide gold standard inclusion facilities for individuals with Autism Spectrum Disorders. Two of the researchers with first-hand knowledge of the school, independently reviewed the factors contributing to the successful inclusion of children on the Autism Spectrum. A model was developed outlining the individual domains in which the goals are being achieved (i.e., Community, Teacher, and Student). The two remaining researchers reviewed the model in the context of psychological frameworks from an Autism theory and positive psychology perspective. The community framework embraced by the school community was found to be the overarching raison d'être for resounding successful implementation and long term maintenance of what presents as a way forward in Inclusive Education. The school has combined a pedagogy that meets both the Australian Curriculum requirements and adjusts to the specific needs of every child. The whole of school objective in the management and inclusion of these children has yielded this school with the most effective form of inclusive education in a naturalistic environment. The key finding of this study was that it is in fact the combination of inclusive education and multi-age learning that has maximized the benefits for the children with Autism Spectrum Disorders. From the grounds man to the librarian and back to the classroom a child in this inclusive education school has an individual education plan, and is an important player in the school community regardless of having a diagnosis or not. The benefits are seen for those on the Autism Spectrum and neurotypicals alike, where understanding and collaborative working see each person involved in the school gain rewards that exceed what would be expected of the most exclusive privately run, tailor made facility