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Inclusion and Autistic Spectrum

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Inclusion and Disabilities
Inclusion and Autistic Spectrum Disorder: A Negative or Positive Experience?
Introduction
The number of children that display autistic traits keeps rising and the need for services is at an all-time high. Out of 10,000 children born, 60 to 100 children and families will be affected by autistic spectrum disorder (Gulberg, 2010). Autism is characterized by a lack of connection to other people, even parents, and an avoidance of interpersonal situations (Feldman, 2011). Children with autism also show limited, repetitive and stereotypical patterns of behavior, interest, and activities. Not one child with autism is the same as the next; each child has their own severity and indicators of autism. A child with intellectual disabilities and a gifted child can both be given the diagnosis of being on the autism spectrum, because of the wide range of severities. Many of these children will not attend special schools, but instead be included in the general education population by inclusion. Inclusion has been found to have a number of benefits for children with autism. In addition, negative perspectives have also come into play when discussing autism and inclusion. Furthermore, parents have the right to make decisions for their child on an individual basis.
Benefits of Inclusion
Whenever the benefits of inclusion are brought up the first component that comes to mind is: social interaction. The benefits of social interaction is the most important component for including children with autism in an inclusion, general education setting (Lynch & Irvine, 2009). The reason this benefit is so high within a general education setting is that interactions occur at a greater frequency. Typical peers that meet cor...

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...sm spectrum disorder in the eyes of their coordinators. International Journal of Inclusive Education, 14(1), 97-114.

Feldman, R.S. (2011) Development across the life span (7th ed.). Upper Saddle River, NJ: Practice Hall.

Guldberg, K. (2010). Educating children on the autism spectrum: Preconditions for inclusion and notions of "best autism practice' in the early years. British Journal of Special Education, 37(4), 169-174.

Lynch, S., & Irvine , A. (2009). Inclusive education and best practice for children with autism spectrum disorder: An integrated approach. International Journal of Inclusive Education , 13(8), 845-859.

Vakil, S., Welton, E., O'Connor , B., & Kline, L. (2008). Inclusion means everyone! the role of early childhood educator when including young children with autism in the classroom . Early Childhood Education Journal , 36, 321-326.
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