True Inclusion: Perceptions of Students With ASD and Their Families

• In Event: Inclusive Education: Considerations From Multiple Perspectives

Abstract

True inclusion extends beyond placing students with dis/abilities in classrooms alongside nondisabled peers. Qualitative methodologies were used to examine the nuanced experiences of students with autism and their parents through multiple lenses (Luttrell, 2010). The purpose of this study was to inform educational policies and school practices surrounding the inclusion of high school students with ASD in general education and co-teaching settings by analyzing the perceptions of students and their parents to define true inclusion as well as the facilitators and barriers to inclusion. Findings suggest specific practices school personnel could adopt to promote true inclusion and a sense of belonging among students, including fostering the development of peer friendships and providing explicit executive functioning support across school contexts.

Author

• Keara Browne, New York City Department of Education