Introduction
Many educational institutions and academic systems advocate for inclusive education among special-needs students to attend general classrooms. A particular focus on learners experiencing autism disorder has been raised to support their inclusion in the mainstream classroom to foster positive outcomes socially and academically. Participating in the general classroom and education system promotes social skills through communication and peer interaction. In turn, excellent communication skills enhance cognitive abilities, which fosters academic performance. Despite the benefits, learners with autism disorder require exceptional support to achieve normalcy and excellence in general classrooms. Teachers report challenges in instructing autistic children to learn at the same pace as their peers and perform tasks and activities within the expected time frame. Thus, the educational institutions advocating for inclusion need support strategies and equipment that facilitate the effective inclusion of autistic children in general classrooms. This paper explores various effective strategies for including learners experiencing autism disorder in the general K-12 academic system to enable the institutions to establish inclusivity and generalization for positive outcomes.
Literature Review
Antecedent Interventions
Antecedent interventions are appropriate for adjusting behaviors to reduce and prevent behavioral challenges in inclusive education. The approaches include altering or establishing daily routines that the students can practice to enhance memory, attention, and normalcy in inclusive education and classroom setups. The major strength of antecedent interventions is their proactiveness and early intervention in modifying appropriate and inappropriate autistic behaviors (Oliver-Kerrigan et al., 2021). Adjusting and altering the students’ schedules and environment helps them foresee future incidences as they adapt to the routine changes enhancing adaptability in general classrooms. Primary strategies for effective antecedent intervention include routine and predictable contingencies, prompting, and picture schedules.
Routine and Predictable Contingencies
Education is vital in increasing learners’ independence academically and socially. However, instructors working with autistic children experience many challenges in achieving their independence due to the heterogeneous nature of autism. Routine schedules and predictable contingencies enhance appropriate classroom behavior by ensuring students adapt to various tasks and class activities (Bolourian et al., 2022). The approaches enhance a child’s cognitive, behavioral, and social skills, reducing the reappearance of challenging situations with able students and promoting social and academic independence. Thus, it enables autism learners to gain independence socially and academically, which facilitates effective integration in general classrooms. Oliver-Kerrigan et al. (2021) investigated how predictable contingencies and routines can enhance appropriate behavior and intellectual ability in rural and urban classroom setups. The findings indicated that autistic children demonstrated high on-task and off-task behavior with predictable schedules. Further, the approach benefits the classroom as a whole as it benefits typical students in keeping up with on-task and off-task behaviors regardless of close supervision (Brodzeller et al. 2017). Therefore, instructors and early childhood care providers can apply routine schedules and predictable contingencies to encourage generalization and inclusivity of their activities, fostering intellectual and social independence.
Prompting
Prompting is a practical approach to successfully including and integrating autistic students in general education and classrooms with able learners. The strategy involves using various cues to prompt a reaction, which aids in gearing autistic students toward a specific goal. Prompts include verbal signs, gestures, modeling, physical features, and visual signs (Brodzeller et al., 2017). The cues provide instructional routine enhancing appropriate behavior and normalcy in the generalized classroom and educational activities. Bolourian et al. (2022) suggest that cues aid in directing and controlling behavior for all students in general classrooms through reminders prompting observation of classroom rules. Thus, the method is efficient in general classrooms to regulate and ensure good behavior.
The most effective approach for prompting autistic students includes visual cues, technological devices, and modeling. The visual cues allow the students to follow instructions by observing signs and images posted in various places. For instance, pointing arrows to various places such as the field, sitting positions in class, and the dining area. Tay and Keen (2019) argue that visual cues are effective assessment tools for understanding autistic learners’ social awareness and cognitive abilities. An educator can use the cues to gauge the learner’s understanding, which enhances decision-making on the steps to take to ensure their able peer does not leave them behind in academics and social skills.
In peer modeling, the instructor provides a cue to an able student who, in turn, prompts an autistic child by acting out the activity, task, or instruction. Conversely, an educator can prompt an autistic child directly by imitating and acting on a particular action that the student will internalize and memorize visually (Brodzeller et al., 2017). Finally, various technological devices can prompt autistic students to perform various actions. For example, sensory devices have proven effective in prompting actions at various intervals through vibrating techniques that probe the autistic learner toward a particular task or activity (Oliver-Kerrigan et al., 2021). Thus, prompting is an effective antecedent strategy where autistic students can learn from visual effects and various actions, enhancing normalcy and generalization of activities.
Picture Scheduling
Finally, picture schedules are effective antecedent intervention approaches that can be used as alternatives for prompts. A picture schedule is an image that demonstrates a particular activity and a given time, increasing an activity’s predictability (Brodzeller et al., 2017). The approach can help autistic students anticipate the following action, smoothly transitioning from one activity to another. Since able students can determine the following action, picture schedules provide an effective means of creating normalcy in general classrooms since autistic children will develop similar reactions to changes in environment and activities. A picture schedule allows students to perform tasks with minimal supervision and reduces the need for aides and cues (Tay & Keen, 2019). At the same time, they help students in observing rules and schedules, which saves time for explanations. Bolourian et al. (2022) argue that picture scheduling is an excellent strategy for inclusive classrooms since it has minimum intrusion that can cause distraction in class. Thus, they recommend using the strategy in general classrooms with or without disabled children. Therefore, the approach is effective in enhancing the normalcy and generalization of autistic learners in mainstream education systems and classrooms.
Peer-Mediated Strategies
Peer-mediated approaches provide practical strategies for including children with disabilities in mainstream education and classrooms. Peer interventions facilitate the interaction of autistic children with able learners, which helps deal with the social deficiencies associated with autism, enhancing the generalization of student activities socially and academically (Oliver-Kerrigan et al., 2021). Consequently, Brodzeller et al. (2017) state that peer-mediated approaches increase positive outcomes in on-task and off-task performance with minimum supervision from instructors, which fosters self-care practices. Thus, the strategy allows smooth interaction and functioning, which reduces the need for constant supervision leading to independence and self-management in autistic children. Peer mediation approaches include peer tutoring and collaborative learning.
Peer Tutoring
Peer tutoring involves pairing an autistic learner with an able student to work on a task by providing assistance, feedback, and instructions. Peer-to-peer education enhances learners’ social and cognitive abilities, encouraging interactions and student generalization for positive outcomes. A commonly used approach for defective peer tutoring in advanced classes includes pairing students with excellent social and communication skills with their autistic peers. The educator encourages the students to work together on various tasks and activities for a given period, which can help improve behavioral, cognitive, and communication skills. Peer support results in communication fluency, enhancing literacy and comprehension skills among autistic students (Oliver-Kerrigan et al., 2021). Hence, they can learn at the same pace as their able peers through instructional support, which reduces individual instructional time. Consequently, Peer tutoring offers interactive approaches between able and autistic students leading to increased participation in various on-task and off-task activities, which develop socio-cognitive skills. (Bolourian et al. (2022). Thus, the strategy effectively includes autistic students in general classrooms for equal education and opportunities.
Collaborative Learning
Collaborative learning includes teaching students in an integrated group setup where autistic students learn and perform the same activities as their able peers. In this approach, educators encourage cooperation to establish normalcy in general classrooms. The strategy boosts social interaction and academic performance in autistic students because they can relate to the activities performed by their peers, leading to enhanced cognitive abilities (Oliver-Kerrigan et al., 2021). Children gain cognitive skills by imitating their peer’s behavior and communication skills during interactions. Hence, they can adapt to classroom activities by observing others, leading to positive outcomes socially and academically. The effectiveness of peer tutoring and collaborative learning can vary across different classroom spectrums (Bolourian et al., 2022). For instance, the strategy may be challenging or unsuccessful in classrooms with few students, particularly in rural areas. Classrooms with fewer students pose challenges in pairing when one student is uncomfortable with their partner. Likewise, some students may feel uncomfortable being in the same group with autistic children creating division in general classrooms. Therefore, future research should consider effective collaborative and peer-tutoring strategies that work across all spectrums and pedagogies.
Summary of Review
From the above literature, educators have numerous strategies that can effectively facilitate the inclusivity of autistic students in general classrooms. Antecedent approaches offer excellent ways to adjust learners’ behavior to achieve goals. Predictable contingencies, prompting, and picture schedules help adaptability and normalcy in general class activities, leading to successful inclusion and positive outcomes. Another strategy is a peer-mediated intervention which offers peer tutoring and collaborative learning. The two approaches allow autistic students to interact and learn from their able peers encouraging social and cognitive skills. Hence, teachers can choose the most appropriate and adaptable approach according to the student’s needs and pedagogy to facilitate the effective inclusion of autistic students in general classes.
Reflection
Educators have diverse approaches to pick from in ensuring effective inclusivity of autistic students in general classrooms. Antecedent approaches are practical and offer routines that help all learners perform duties and tasks on time. Brodzeller et al. (2017) suggest using matrix activity charts to dictate various activities at specific times and places. The matrix charts can be posted in different locations to direct the learners on what is expected, which they can follow in their daily activities, making it a routine exercise. For instance, providing posters on the autistic child’s desk reminding them of their deskmate’s name or focusing on the teacher while in class. The cues will enable the child to pay attention and be aware of their social surrounding leading to effective generalization in mainstream classrooms.
Peer tutoring is another user-friendly approach to assisting autistic students to adapt to general education systems, enhancing positive outcomes socially and academically. Lastly, classroom teachers can encourage parents with autistic learners to provide sensory devices, which give prompt cues at particular times to indicate a change of activity. The learners can carry the devices in pockets, which facilitate immediate response to vibrating cues enabling them to blend in with able students.
Conclusion
Inclusive education benefits learners exhibiting autistic behaviors because the learners’ cognitive skills are associated with social interactions and excellent communication. With practical strategies, learners can achieve academic excellence and social skills equal to their able peers. The above review shows numerous methods of effectively including autistic students in general classrooms. The approaches include peer mediation and antecedent interventions that foster social interaction, cognitive skills, and academic outcomes. The strategies can be applied to improve response and stimuli, enhancing adaptability and normalcy in a general classroom. However, the research materials had minimal data to provide exhaustive approaches. The area is understudied and requires more investigation to answer the research question comprehensively.
References
Bolourian, Y., Losh, A., Hamsho, N., Eisenhower, A., & Blacher, J. (2022). General Education Teachers’ Perceptions of Autism, Inclusive Practices, and Relationship Building Strategies. Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders, 52(9), 3977-3990. Web.
Brodzeller, K. L., Ottley, J. R., Jung, J., & Coogle, C. G. (2017). Interventions and adaptations for children with autism spectrum disorder in inclusive early childhood settings. Early Childhood Education Journal, 46(3), 277–286. Web.
Oliver-Kerrigan, K., Christy, D., & Stahmer, A. C. (2021). Practices and Experiences of General Education Teachers Educating Students with Autism. Education and Training in Autism and Developmental Disabilities, 56(2), 158-172. Web.
Tay, H. Y., & Kee, K. N. N. (2019). Effective questioning and feedback for learners with autism in an inclusive classroom. Cogent Education, 6(1), 1634920. Web.
Annotated Bibliography
Bolourian, Y., Losh, A., Hamsho, N., Eisenhower, A., & Blacher, J. (2022). General Education Teachers’ Perceptions of Autism, Inclusive Practices, and Relationship Building Strategies. Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders, 52(9), 3977-3990. Web.
Bolourian et al.’s article discuss general teachers’ perception regarding inclusive classrooms for children with autism. The teachers suggest various inclusive strategies which have proved efficient in generalizing classroom activities and academics among autistic students. The article will provide supporting evidence for the effective strategies of inclusive education, such as visual aids and prompts.
Brodzeller, K. L., Ottley, J. R., Jung, J., & Coogle, C. G. (2017). Interventions and adaptations for children with autism spectrum disorder in inclusive early childhood settings. Early Childhood Education Journal, 46(3), 277–286. Web.
This article provides intervention strategies that support Autistic children in developing independence and individualized learning needs. The article is beneficial in providing infuriation related to the topic under investigation to answer the research topic.
Oliver-Kerrigan, K., Christy, D., & Stahmer, A. C. (2021). Practices and Experiences of General Education Teachers Educating Students with Autism. Education and Training in Autism and Developmental Disabilities, 56(2), 158-172. Web.
This article gives qualitative-based evidence on effective approaches that support the inclusivity of autistic students in general classrooms. The journal will help in providing evidence and examples of effective strategies.
Tay, H. Y., & Kee, K. N. N. (2019). Effective questioning and feedback for learners with autism in an inclusive classroom. Cogent Education, 6(1), 1634920. Web.
The journal focuses on using inclusive strategies for assessment to promote positive academic outcomes. It will be beneficial to explore how practical approaches can be used to assess autistic students’ progress socially and academically.