Effects of an arts integration curriculum versus a non-arts integration curriculum on the school experiences of kindergarten through middle school students with autism

This study addressed one possible method of instruction for students with high-functioning autism. A treatment and control group were examined to discover if a difference was present in the areas of social skills, communication skills, and classroom behaviors using an arts integration curriculum. The review of literature pointed to a promising prospect using this method. The sample size from this qualitative research study (n=18) did not allow for a statistical analyses. The most interesting findings were seen in the area of communication skills using the data instruments -- parent surveys, teacher surveys, and classroom observations. The classroom observations revealed a difference between the students in the treatment group (using an arts integrated curriculum) and the control group for this population. The parent surveys and teacher surveys in the areas of social skills and classroom behaviors were mixed.