The role of school communities 121educational environment to determine the impact on the social inclusion of the
student with an Autism Spectrum Disorder.
Numerous studies report the positive social outcomes of inclusive education
(Boutot, 2007), de Boer, Jan Pijl and Minnaert, 2011). But mere exposure to dis-
ability through contact is not sufficient for positive attitude or behavioural change
for mainstream participants and can in fact have the opposite effect (Sullivan and
Glidden, 2014). In discussing successful inclusive practice, much focus appears to be
placed on students’ achievement of academic outcomes as the measure of success.
Given the pervasive social needs of students on the Autism spectrum, success for
these students needs also to be measured in terms of their social achievements or
social competence.
A student’s social competence is defined as when he or she displays behaviours
which, when used, must be effective in achieving his or her social goals and when
the selection of these behaviours is appropriate for the context (Stitchter, O’Connor,
Herzog, Lierheimer and McGhee, 2012). Given that social benefits occur as a result
of active facilitations by educators in promoting social interactions (Carter, Sisco,
Chung and Stanton-Chapman, 2010), how social inclusion is supported and facili-
tated by participants in the school community must be explored.
A number of participants within the educational community are critical to
the development and facilitation of socially inclusive opportunities for a student
with an Autism Spectrum Disorder. Of significant importance are the actions of
families, peers, Principals and Administrators, teachers, and students with an Autism
Spectrum Disorder. This chapter will address the contributions of school admin-
istrators and of teachers in the enactment of social inclusion through a discussion
of findings from a research study exploring mainstream education primary teacher
attitudes toward the social inclusion of students with an Autism Spectrum Disorder.
Teacher attitudes
The inclusion of a student with an Autism Spectrum Disorder in a regular class
can often present the class teacher with a challenge to their existing beliefs and
pedagogy and a feeling of uncertainty in regards to instruction and management,
arising as a result of the student’s unique learning and behavioural style. Globally,
research highlights teachers’ concerns of lack of knowledge, lack of support systems
and overriding legislative policy as obstacles to the inclusion process (e.g., de Boer,
et al., 2011; Lindsay, Proulx, Thomson and Scott, 2013). Further research suggests
that general education teachers of students with an Autism Spectrum Disorder have
limited knowledge about the specific traits and idiosyncrasies that define these stu-
dents’ learning styles and behaviours (Boyle, Topping, and Jindal-Snape, 2013; Osler
and Osler, 2008). For regular education teachers with little, if any, knowledge of
these traits, having to teach a student identified with an Autism Spectrum Disorder
can prove confronting and challenging at both a personal and professional level.
Teacher preparedness, knowledge of and attitude towards Autism Spectrum
Disorder have been found to have a significant impact on students’ school