| The main purpose of this study was to explore the perceptions of special education teachers regarding the institutional practices of the inclusion process for students with autism into the general education setting. The phenomenological approach was utilized in this study to understand the perspectives of the special education teacher regarding the inclusion process for students with autism. This study captured the perspectives of 14 special education teachers in one Southern California school district. The special education teachers served students with mild to severe disabilities in kindergarten through eighth grade. The special education teachers were initially individually interviewed and asked to complete a sentence completion activity. A follow-up focus group consisting of two special education teachers, two general education teachers, and one special education administrator was conducted to further explore this phenomenon. The participants' responses were analyzed to explore common themes that emerged. The six themes that expressed the views of the special education teachers were (a) Satisfaction to see their students with autism benefit academically, socially, and behaviorally in the general education setting; (b) reservations in making a general education placement recommendation for their students with autism; (c) preparing general education teachers for the instruction of and interactions with students with autism; (d) preparing students with autism for the curriculum and learning environment in the general education setting; (e) fostering a team work relationship among parents, general education teachers, and support staff; and (f) building collaboration with the general education teacher and support staff. The special education teachers all reported positive feelings toward the practice of inclusion but acknowledged the significant challenges. The special education teachers expressed the importance of thoughtfully considering the benefits and drawbacks of a general education placement for each child with autism. The special education teachers revealed the importance of preparing both the general education classroom and the student prior to placement. The special education teachers highly emphasized the need for communication, collaboration, and consultation with the IEP team members to successfully plan and implement programs for students with autism. |
