Social inclusion for students with ASD 23result in more rapid treatment gains for students with ASD (Koegel and Koegel,
2006; Koegel and Koegel, 2012; National Autism Center, 2009; Reichow and
Volkmar, 2010).
Moreover, variables such as incorporating highly preferred activities into special-
ised activities (Baker, Koegel and Koegel, 1998; Koegel et al., 2012; Koegel et al.,
2012; Koegel et al., 2013), priming or prior experience with activities (Gengoux,
2009; Koegel, Koegel, Frea and Green-Hopkins, 2003; Zanolli, Daggett and Adams,
1996), setting up and maintaining cooperative arrangements (Dugan, Kamps,
Leonard, Watkins, Rheinberger and Stackhaus, 1995; Jull and Mirenda, 2011; Koegel,
Werner, Vismara and Koegel, 2005), providing peer-mediated interventions (Chan
et al., 2009; DiSalvo and Oswald, 2002; Mason, Kamps, Turcotte, Cox, Feldmiller
and Miller, 2014; Pierce and Schreibman, 1997), and using trained paraeducators to
facilitate social interactions (Feldman and Matos, 2013; Koegel, Kim and Koegel,
2014; Kim, 2014; Robinson, 2011) have been shown to be important variables in
providing an inclusive social environment that encourages students with ASD to
interact with their typically developing peers. These components, used in combi-
nation, have been shown to produce particularly large effects for improving social-
isation particularly in encouraging social participation, engagement, generalisation
to other settings, and development of reciprocated friendships (Koegel and Koegel,
2006; Koegel and Koegel, 2012). Each of these variables will be discussed in the
following section.
Evidence-based interventions
It is mandated, and best practice, that schools implement evidence-based programs.
That is, schools must implement programs that are supported by research. This sec-
tion will describe a few evidence-based programs that address social inclusion for
students with ASD in the school setting.
Specialized school activities. One line of research addressing social interventions
for students with ASD has shown that implementing specialized social interven-
tions in the form of “clubs” that incorporate the preferred interests of students with
ASD has been successful for improving social skills in these students (Baker et al.,
1998; Koegel, Fredeen et al., 2012; Koegel, Vernon et al. 2012; Koegel, Kim, Koegel
and Schwartzman, 2013). This type of intervention has proven to be effective for
improving social skills in students with ASD, and is applicable to all different grade
levels and to all students with varying functioning levels (Koegel, Freedan et al.,
2012; Koegel et al., 2013).
For example, Baker, Koegel, and Koegel (1998) conducted a study that created
lunch clubs using perseverative interests of students with ASD as the theme of a group
activity. Using a multiple baseline across participants design, the authors incorporated
perseverative interests of elementary school students with ASD into common play-
ground activities. For example, one of the participants had a perseverative interest
in state capitals, thus a state capital tag game was developed. As various state capitals
were called, students had to run to that state on a large playground map. The authors