Inclusion in regular classrooms for children with autism: effectiveness and outcomes

Inclusion for Children With Autism: Both Sides of the Story

For the past several decades, full classroom inclusion has been the standard for the education of children with learning disabilities. This practice is based on the belief that inclusion in the regular classroom setting will automatically result in positive outcomes for the learning disabled student, as they will seek to mimic the behaviors of the general school population. This may be true for some learning disabilities. However, for children with autism, evidence is mounting that inclusion may have a destructive effect on their ability to socialize and learn. The proposed research will explore the effects of inclusion for the child with autism and its impact on the student.

Problem Rationale and Statement

The Individuals with Disabilities Act (IDEA) requires the Department of Education to keep statistics regarding specific childhood disabilities. The category for autism was only added in 1991. Since statistics have been kept, the number of cases of children with autism has been on the rise. However, a number of children with autism are home schooled, which has an affect on the numbers actually reported (Fighting Autism, 2004). Since 1991, the number of new cases of children diagnosed with autism has demonstrated a nearly 5,000 fold increase (Fighting Autism, 2004). Every school district in the country is likely to be touched by these statistics at one time or another.

The rationale for this study is based on new research that indicates that inclusion may not be the best educational option for autistic children, due to the unique characteristics of their disability. Until recently, autistic children were grouped in a category with all other learning disabled children. However, new research suggests that this may not be a correct assessment of the autistic child. This research will explore the problem of whether inclusion in the regular classroom setting is the best choice for autistic students, or whether they would benefit from a different educational setting.

Literature Review

The idea of inclusion for children with learning disabilities is supported by vast amounts of research. This literature review will explore this research as well as new research that support the premise of the proposed study. The literature review will first examine research supports inclusion and will them address new research that indicates a changing paradigm regarding the education of autistic children.

Autistics in the Classroom

One of the key difficulties faced by teachers is how to integrate children with special needs into the standard classroom setting. However, the inclusion of children with autism baffles many seasoned veteran teachers (Kluth, 2003). The autistic child needs special support in the classroom to help them learn to cope.

Learners with autism struggle emotionally and mentally in the standards classroom. One of the key areas of concern is in the area of transitions. The autistic child can experience stress and feelings of disorientation when moving from one environment into the other (Kluth, 2003). Teachers must develop strategies to help the student make the necessary adjustments during transitions.

Children with autism often have difficulty remaining seated for a long period of time (Kluth, 2003). One approach is to allow students to move about frequently or to give them something to manipulate during lessons (Kluth, 2003). However, this can be disruptive to the rest of the class. Autistic children have trouble organizing and often need help in this area as well (Kluth, 2003).Teachers in the standard classroom must many allowances and adjustments in their classrooms to accommodate the autistic child.

In children that are higher functioning most students stay in the same placement in which they started in the first grade (White, Scahill, & Klin et al., 2007). Jordan (2008) examines the difficulties associated with all-inclusive models and strictly segregated models. She envisions a world where inclusion is achieved through treating all learners differently, rather than the same.

In a recent study in France, a link was found between the children's characteristics and the amount of time spent in the regular classroom setting (Yianni-Coudurier, Darrou, & Lenoir, 2008). The study found that their weekly hours of inclusion and time spent in a specialized setting were dependent upon the children's behavior and adaptive abilities, as well as their parent's socioprofessional category (Yianni-Coudurier, Darrou, & Lenoir, 2008). This study suggests the development of an at-risk population of students that may need special attention in order to inclusion to work. This study also highlights the importance of individual circumstance in determining the best setting for the child.

This study is supported by the results of a study that indicate attitudes of school principals regarding children with autism and their ability to be placed in the regular classroom were dependent upon demographic factors and their own personal attitudes towards autism and placement (Horrocks, White, & Roberts, 2008). Both of these studies indicate that demographic factors play a role in the placement of autistic children. The number of hours spent in the general classroom have risen from 31% in 1988-89 to 80% in 2000-01 (Dybik, 2004).

Conclusion

The literature review revealed that attitudes toward inclusion sprang from a political debate about educational rights and anti-discrimination attitudes. In the beginning, there appeared to be sufficient data to back up the success of inclusion for children with special needs. However, in recent years, the demographics of the special needs population has been changing. The growing number of autistic children represents a major difference in special needs population. Inclusion for that autistic population is different from inclusion for other special needs categories. Typical autistic behaviors set them apart from the remainder of the special needs population. Inclusion is a different topic than it is for the other special needs categories.

The literature reveals that for some children, particularly those with mild forms of autism, inclusion may be the most beneficial setting for the child. However, for moderate to severe children, putting them in a regular classroom may not be the best choice. Improper placement of the severely autistic child in the regular classroom places a strain on the child, it also places a strain on the teacher and the other students.

There is a growing body of support that indicates that while inclusion may be the best answer for mildly autistic children, it may not be the best setting for those with moderate to severe autism. Until now, research into the autistic child in the classroom has focused on taking the position of either for or against inclusion in the general classroom. However, when one takes the body of literature as a whole, it appears that inclusion is good for some and bad for others. This leads to the logical conclusion that differences exist between children who are successful under inclusion and those that are not. Understanding these differences is the key to taking the proper action for an individual.

Literature regarding autism and inclusion missed the important point that in order to make the program a success, we must decode the keys to success. One of these keys lies in understanding the various characteristics of children that are successful with the inclusion model and those that are best served by other classroom settings. This study will concentrate on filling the gap that exists in literature regarding the need to develop an instrument for helping to determine which children are more likely to succeed in inclusive programs and those that are likely to be better served in an alternative classroom setting. It will use a survey of teachers with autistic children in the general classroom setting to attempt to uncover factors that may indicate a greater or lesser chance for success.

Methodology

This study will examine the characteristics of children in the inclusive classroom setting in an attempt to understand which factors are likely to lead to success and which are likely to lead to failure for the student, teacher, and other children within the classroom. It will use a survey regarding the attitudes of teachers regarding their experiences with inclusion of autism in their classrooms. It will seek to explore the common factors between successes and the common factors among failures.

The study will be conducted by administering a survey to teachers in the general classroom setting in the local school district. They will be teachers of grades 1-6 and will have been teaching for at least one year prior to the survey. They may or may not have had an autistic child in their classroom, in which case, they will answer only those questions that pertain to their general attitudes towards inclusion of autistic children in the classroom.

Surveys will be handed out by the administrative secretary so that teachers can return them at their convenience. However, a final deadline will be set to turn them in. The administrative secretary will collect the surveys and keep them in one place until the end of the study, at which time the research will pick them up. Administrative personnel responsible for distributing and collecting the surveys will be asked to avoid reading them and to keep them confidential. A manila envelope with a clasp will be provided for this purpose. The administrative secretary will be asked to store them in a secure file cabinet, when they are not being used.

The target sample number is 200 surveys. Surveys will be sent and collected until this number is reached, at which time schools can discontinue distributing the surveys. This study will use a random sampling technique, where the researcher does not have any control over the make up of the study group. Only teachers in the general classroom will be included in this study. Exclusionary criteria will include special needs teachers, or other teachers in special settings, such as reading labs, etc.

This group of teachers were chosen, as the literature indicates that they are the most likely to be exposed to autistic children in the regular classroom. They are most likely to have had experience with and understand the impact of inclusion on their classroom. This group of teachers has no control over whether they will have a child with autism in their classroom. It is mandated that they will have this responsibility thrust upon them and they have no choice but to attempt to make accommodations to adjust to and inclusion setting.

Data will be analyzed using descriptive and comparative statistical techniques. Subjective data will be coded using a scheme that is used to recognize general patterns in the responses. The frequency of these patterns will be analyzed using frequency distribution. Two-tailed analysis will be used. A p-value of 0.05 will be used to determine which conditions are statistically significant.

This study methodology directly addresses the gap discovered in the literature review regarding the inclusion of autistic students in the classroom. It is expected that this method will reveal patterns in the children who are successful in their inclusion experience and those that are not. This research will contribute to our understanding of which students are likely to be successful in an inclusionary setting and which ones would be better served by a different classroom situation.

Appendix

Cover Letter

Sandy Smith

7584 Apple Ridge Drive

Shelton, Kansas 45987

Sandy Smith

Researcher

Classroom Survey

This is a survey related to the inclusion of students with autism in the general education setting.

1. Your position within the school district (optional):

a. General Education Teacher b. Special Education Teacher

2. Subject(s) you teach (optional):

3. Number of students with disabilities in your class:

4. Number of students with autism in your class:

5. What age range of child do you work with?

6. What is the student/teacher ratio of your class?

Please circle the number that best represents your impression of each of the following statements.

You may make additional comments on any survey item or use a separate sheet of paper for comments.

The scale is as follows:

Strongly Disagree (SD)

Disagree (D)

Agree (a)

Strongly Agree (SA)

7. Students with disabilities actively participate in classroom 1-2 3-4 activities with their peers without disabilities in the general education classrooms.

Comments:

8. Students with disabilities who spend half of their school day 1-2 3-4 or more in the special education classroom have access to the general education curriculum.

Comments:

9. General education teachers attend IEP meetings and 1-2 3-4 have input on student placement.

Comments:

10. General education teachers are provided information 1-2 3-4 on accommodations for students with autism.

Comments:

11. The benefits of inclusion in this district outweigh the 1-2 3-4 challenges.

Comments:

12. Teachers in this district collaborate effectively to help 1-2 3-4 students with disabilities.

Comments:

13. The professional development provided by the district 1-2 3-4 has had an impact on my classroom practice this year.

Comments:

14. The structure for the delivery of services to students with 1-2-3 4

Autism in this district is successful.

Comments:

15. All teachers and support staff have sufficient administrative 1-2 3-4 support in planning and preparation time to meet the needs of students with autism in and outside of their classrooms.

Comments:

16. Other supports must be implemented in my district 1-2 3-4 in order for inclusion to be effective.