Beyond Placement: Parental Visions of Inclusion in Autism-Specific Early Childhood Classrooms

• In Event: AERA Roundtable Session Thursday 2:15 pm - Gold 2
  In Roundtable Session: Centering Families and Students in Inclusive Education

Abstract

This qualitative study explores how parents of young children with autism conceptualize inclusion within autism-specific classrooms. Drawing on grounded theory and ethnographic interviews with seven parents from diverse backgrounds, findings reveal a vision of inclusion defined not by physical placement in general education but by emotional security, relational trust, and individualized support. Five themes emerged: inclusion as persistent advocacy, stability, emotional connection, familial safety, and flexible support. These findings challenge normative, placement-based models of inclusion and reframe it as a culturally responsive, relationship-centered practice. This paper situates these insights within broader efforts to reimagine inclusive education through family experience and co-construction, directly aligning with AERA’s call to "unforget histories" and envision futures shaped by marginalized voices.

Authors

• Juliet E. Hart Barnett, Arizona State University

• Erin Rotheram-Fuller, Arizona State University

• Jesse Fleming, Arizona State University