Three Ways to Ensure Inclusion Beyond Autism Awareness Month
Practices parents can advocate for and strategies educators can model.
It is officially May and the thoughts of students and teachers have naturally turned to the long Memorial Day weekend and the upcoming end of year festivities. A few days ago it was still April which meant it was the time of year when bulletin boards are decorated with multi-colored puzzle pieces and “choose to include” mottos are commemorated. Don’t get me wrong it is great that 1/10 of the school year is now dedicated to celebrating neurodiversity and inclusion. That being said, I challenge all of my fellow educators to keep the spirit of #AutismAwarenessMonth going year round.
In too many schools, students receiving ABA services are secluded from the general population of students nearly all day long. It is true that these students require specialized services, but there are opportunities throughout the daily instructional schedule to spread inclusivity. Here are three ways to ensure a culture of inclusion beyond the month of April.
Inclusive Homerooms
Inclusive homerooms with teamed teachers is an easy way to bring together students with heterogenous learning styles and needs. The homeroom “friend list” that becomes a driver for birthday party and playdate invites will now truly reflect the diversity of the entire student population.
Unified Sports and Unified Physical Education
According to Special Olympics “Unified Sports joins people with and without intellectual disabilities on the same team. It was inspired by a simple principle: training together and playing together is a quick path to friendship and understanding.” While unified sports can build inclusivity beyond the school day, it also serves as a model for unified physical education classes that take place during the school day in which general and adaptive classes are brought together into one class.
Schoolwide Enrichment Model
In 2021 I had the honor of interviewing Dr. Temple Grandin, who shared advice for parents and educators from her unique perspective. One of the key points that Dr. Grandin made was that students with Autism need to be provided opportunities to follow their passions and engage in project-based learning collaborating with like aged peers. A proven way to provide ALL students with such opportunities is the Schoolwide Enrichment Model (SEM). In SEM ALL students have access to Type I and Type II enrichment opportunities to develop and showcase their talents. Also, a SEM predicated on an objective universal screening process will identify twice-exceptional learners for Type III enrichment.
Here are some resources on inclusion best practices for students with Autism:
Anderson, A. H., Carter, E. W., Lane, K. L., & Kennedy, M. J. (2019). Supporting inclusive education for students with autism spectrum disorder: Perspectives of general and special educators. Remedial and Special Education, 40(1), 15-25. doi: 10.1177/0741932518809969
Bearss, K., Taylor, C. A., Aman, M. G., & Whittemore, R. (2018). Autism spectrum disorder and school inclusion: A scoping review. Autism, 22(6), 647-659. doi: 10.1177/1362361317726578
Chiang, H. M., Cheung, Y. K., Li, H., & Tsai, L. Y. (2018). Predictors of successful inclusion for students with autism spectrum disorders: A systematic review. Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders, 48(3), 789-801. doi: 10.1007/s10803-017-3363-3
Kamps, D., Thiemann-Bourque, K., Heitzman-Powell, L., & Schwartz, I. (2019). Peer-mediated interventions to promote social interaction for individuals with autism spectrum disorder: A systematic review. Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders, 49(5), 1849-1869. doi: 10.1007/s10803-019-03856-2
Lee, Y. J., Choi, H. J., & Park, H. R. (2019). The effect of structured parent education on parents' behavior and children's communication performance in inclusive preschools. Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders, 49(3), 934-945. doi: 10.1007/s10803-018-3807-2
Odom, S. L., Hume, K. A., Boyd, B. A., & Stabel, A. (2019). Moving beyond the intensive behavior treatment versus eclectic dichotomy: Evidence-based and individualized programs for learners with ASD. Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders, 49(1), 1-10. doi: 10.1007/s10803-018-3718-2
Pellecchia, M., Connell, J. E., Kerns, C. M., & Xie, M. (2021). The use of virtual reality to improve social communication in children with autism spectrum disorder: A systematic review. Autism, 25(2), 411-423. doi: 10.1177/1362361320961318
Roberts, J. M., & Szabo, T. (2019). The relationship between executive function and social communication in children with autism spectrum disorder. Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders, 49(2), 558-572. doi: 10.1007/s10803-018-3752-0
Soto, G., & Sansosti, F. J. (2018). A systematic review of peer-mediated interventions for children with autism spectrum disorder. Research in Autism Spectrum Disorders, 49, 22-37. doi: 10.1016/j.rasd.2018.01.003
