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Effective Educational Inclusion of Students on the Autism Spectrum

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Abstract

Beginning with early efforts to prepare preschool aged children with autism to join their peers in regular education classes, there has been a continuing interest in including children with autism spectrum disorders (ASDs) in regular education classes. A modest body of literature has explored ways to enhance the social interactions of children with ASDs and to more fully integrate them into academic and co-curricular experiences with their peers. These efforts have shown benefits to the children with ASDs as well as their peers in specifically defined situations. While there remains a serious lack of rigorous research in this area and a clear need for additional study regarding the long term impact of full inclusion on both groups of children, the existing research provides some interim strategies for professionals working with these children.

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  1. Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey, 6 Rose Valley Road, Rose Valley, PA, 19063, USA

    Suzannah J. Ferraioli & Sandra L. Harris

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  1. Suzannah J. Ferraioli
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  2. Sandra L. Harris
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Correspondence to Suzannah J. Ferraioli.

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Ferraioli, S.J., Harris, S.L. Effective Educational Inclusion of Students on the Autism Spectrum. J Contemp Psychother 41, 19–28 (2011). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10879-010-9156-y

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