To the Maximum Extent: Determining Appropriateness, Success, and the Least Restrictive Environment for a Student With Autism

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Abstract

This paper is an ethnographic case study that analyzes how decisions get made regarding appropriate placement for a fourth grade student with the diagnosis of autism. The author details the discussion around his current placement, how participants discuss his success there, and who gets to decide what is the least restrictive environment for the upcoming school year. The case study data is used to show the cultural, societal, and structural inequities that exist for students in special education as they try to gain access to meaningful interactions with their non-disabled peers.

Author

• Erin McCloskey, Vassar College