Can “Special” Programs for Children with Autism Spectrum Disorders Be Inclusive?

Inclusion of children with autism spectrum disorders through shared peer activity

“…Many authors write about comprehensive education for children with ASD without mentioning peers (e.g., Lynch & Irvine, 2009;Marks, 2007;Strain et al,, 2011). Other authors mention peers but focus mainly on their potential role as a helper and source of prompts, reinforcement and positive pressure in inclusive educational settings (e.g., CROSLAND & DUNLAP, 2012, OSTROSKY;KAISER;ODOM, 1993;KOEGEL;MATOS-FREDEN;LANG;KOEGEL, 2012;SPERRY;NEITZEL;ENGELHART-WELLS, 2010).…”

Parent and Educator Perspectives of ASD Learning Environments in Public Charter Schools

“…Some of the theoretical debates are around the actual practice of what public charter schools provide SWD, including student with ASD (Downing et al, 2004;Estes, 2009;Fiore et al, 2000;Lange, & Lehr, 2000). There are mixed results on what type of educational setting is most beneficial for students with ASD (Humphrey, 2008;Marks, 2007;Whitaker, 2007). The ongoing controversies speak to a greater need for qualitative studies such as this one to look at individual parent and educator perceptions on the educational programs being provided to students with ASD in both traditional public and public charter schools.…”

“…Studies were also conducted on what services students with ASD were receiving in regular public schools (Stuart et al, 2006;Whitaker, 2007;White et al, 2007). Humphrey (2008) summarized evidence based strategies for inclusion as an ideal design for students with ASD and Marks (2007) advocates for inclusion as the ideal model for students with ASD as mirrored in the legislation of NCLB and IDEA.…”

“…Starr, Foy, & Cramer (2001) have found that parents and educators believe that students with ASD will get the greatest benefit out of an inclusion setting; while Leyser & Kirk (2004) found that parents and educators believe that students with ASD will not have social and educational needs met in an inclusion setting. The reality may be that parents and educators are choosing between academic needs in specialized settings or social needs in an inclusion setting (Garrick, Duhaney, & Salend, 2000;Marks, 2007).…”

“…Previous research on parents' perceptions of services for students with ASD in preschool has been conducted within the public school setting (Bitterman et al, 2008;Ellen Seery, 2000;Stuart et al, 2006). There are many studies that add to the debate on what educational setting and services are most appropriate for students with ASD as evaluated by parents and professionals, and how students with ASD are placed within the continuum of specialized programs to mainstreaming and/or inclusion, in both traditional public school and public charter school settings (Humphrey & Lewis, 2008;Jindal-Snape et al, 2005;Lange & Lehr, 2000;Leyser & Kirk, 2004;Marks, 2007;Spann et al, 2003;Whitaker, 2007;White et al, 2007). Within the public charter school context, many studies have looked at what charter schools are providing, if anything at all, for students with ASD and SWD from the perspectives of parents, professionals in education, charter school developers and state educational agencies (Estes, 2009;Fiore et al, 2000;Howe & Welner, 2002;Lange & Lehr, 2000;Lange et al, 2008).…”