Inclusive Education of Children with Autism

Autistic spectrum disorders are becoming more commonplace among pupils in today's schools. Less commonplace are teachers and professionals equipped to adequately adapt to and deal with children with autism. As researchers and medical professionals have been searching worldwide for a known cause and possible cures for autistic spectrum disorders, educators have been searching for methods to help minimise the behavioural deficiencies within the academic environment. A few methods for inclusive education, discussed in this paper, have had dramatic results with both the autistic children in the classroom and the people with whom they interact with. These children have been able to learn more readily and teachers have found that many of the disruptions an autistic child can cause are more easily resolved. But to what extent is this possible; and what else needs to be done? Truthfully, a lot more needs to be done for these methods of inclusive education to be successful. Some areas have excellent access to schooling systems equipped to teach children with autistic spectrum disorders while others have no provisions to handle these disabilities. This paper will look at some of the methods that have been researched worldwide, which of these methods are currently available, and how accessible these methods are to the children today in the United Kingdom. Strategies and ideas of what else needs to be done will also be discussed, as will be the results these methods have had to those children who have been lucky enough to gain access to inclusive education.