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Education Sciences
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Creating Inclusive Learning Communities to Support Individuals on the Autism...
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Creating Inclusive Learning Communities to Support Individuals on the Autism Spectrum

A special issue of Education Sciences (ISSN 2227-7102). This special issue belongs to the section "Special and Inclusive Education".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (30 September 2022) | Viewed by 32583

Special Issue Editor

Dr. Amanda A. Webster

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
School of Education, University of Wollongong, Wollongong, NSW 2522, Australia
Interests: leadership for inclusive practice; promoting self-determination and agency of autistic individuals and families; co-production of research and practice; ecological factors influencing implementation of evidence-based practice; developing interdisciplinary practice for cohesive support

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

This Special Issue offers an opportunity for researchers to offer insight into the factors and influences that create inclusive learning communities for autistic and neurodivergent individuals across the lifespan. This issue will focus on neurodiverse perspectives regarding the key elements that comprise inclusive learning communities across the lifespan and the factors that facilitate or inhibit the inclusion and agency of autistic and neurodivergent people within these communities. A particular aim will be to examine the ways that autistic community members and researchers can work together and draw on current research to enact meaningful community-based practice that empowers all its members as meaningful members and contributors within the community. Contributions are invited from a variety of disciplines and recognize the importance of both expertise derived through research or through lived experience. In addition, we invite contributions that examine a more wholistic view of learning communities both in and out of traditional education settings as they provide opportunities for growth and capacity building at different stages of life. Finally, we aim to explore the meaning of inclusive communities for individuals across the spectrum and invite contributions that reflect the perspectives and practices that support individuals with a range of strengths and support needs.

Dr. Amanda A. Webster
Guest Editor

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a double-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Education Sciences is an international peer-reviewed open access monthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 1800 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Keywords

  • Neurodiverse perspectives of inclusive practice
  • Autistic perspectives of inclusive community
  • Exclusion and barriers to autistic participation and belonging
  • Empowment and agency of autistic individuals
  • Inclusive learning across the lifespan
  • Capacity building rather than treating

Published Papers (5 papers)

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Research

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13 pages, 300 KiB  
Article
Analysis of the Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) Knowledge of Cuban Teachers in Primary Schools and Preschools
by Osvaldo Hernández-González, Rosario Spencer-Contreras, Pilar Sanz-Cervera and Raúl Tárraga-Mínguez
Educ. Sci. 2022, 12(4), 284; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/educsci12040284 - 17 Apr 2022
Cited by 3 | Viewed by 3043
Abstract
Teachers’ knowledge of autism spectrum disorder (ASD) plays a key role in the successful inclusion of children with ASD in regular schools. The objective of this study was to analyze Cuban teachers’ knowledge of ASD of at inclusive primary schools and preschools and [...] Read more.
Teachers’ knowledge of autism spectrum disorder (ASD) plays a key role in the successful inclusion of children with ASD in regular schools. The objective of this study was to analyze Cuban teachers’ knowledge of ASD of at inclusive primary schools and preschools and to compare it with the results obtained in previous studies carried out at an international level. To do this, a cross-sectional study was conducted with Cuban teachers from urban and rural areas throughout the country. The sample was selected using a non-probabilistic technique. In total, 131 primary school and preschool teachers participated. Data were collected by applying the Autism Knowledge Questionnaire (AKQ) that measures ASD knowledge. The results indicated that Cuban teachers had an acceptable knowledge regarding ASD (0.57). Primary education teachers (17.58 ± 4.06) showed a higher level of knowledge than preschool teachers (15.35 ± 2.74). Regarding previous training, teachers who claimed to have received some type of specific ASD training (10.88 ± 3.29) made a greater number of errors than teachers who had not received specific training on ASD (8.91 ± 3.06). At the international level, Cuban teachers were observed to have similar knowledge about ASD when compared to active teachers or pre-service teachers from other countries where similar studies have been carried out. The results suggest that the training of Cuban teachers is not yet optimal to educate students with ASD in primary schools and preschools which are open to diversity. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Creating Inclusive Learning Communities to Support Individuals on the Autism Spectrum)
13 pages, 241 KiB  
Article
The Anxiety Caused by Secondary Schools for Autistic Adolescents: In Their Own Words
by Debra Costley, Anne Emerson, Danielle Ropar and Elizabeth Sheppard
Educ. Sci. 2021, 11(11), 726; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/educsci11110726 - 12 Nov 2021
Cited by 10 | Viewed by 4744
Abstract
Secondary schools are increasingly becoming inclusive of all students whatever their individual needs, but we question whether teachers understand enough about specific needs in order to effectively support all their students. Research indicates that autistic students often struggle with aspects of school (conformity; [...] Read more.
Secondary schools are increasingly becoming inclusive of all students whatever their individual needs, but we question whether teachers understand enough about specific needs in order to effectively support all their students. Research indicates that autistic students often struggle with aspects of school (conformity; social communication; sensory challenges; bullying) but very few studies ask autistic adolescents about their experiences. One of the key elements of the school experience for autistic adolescents is the levels of anxiety experienced by many students on a daily basis. This research set out to explore the extent to which autistic students in secondary schools in the UK were able to recognise and reflect on their own anxiety. The eighteen participants in this co-produced qualitative study took part in semi-structured interviews planned by a team of autistic and non-autistic researchers. The themes that emerged from this study, in terms of triggers for anxiety, included other people’s behaviour, fear of the unknown, and sensory sensitivities. A theoretical view of their difficulties concurs with the concept of intolerance of uncertainty. Our data suggest that autistic students continue to experience high levels of anxiety throughout their secondary education, despite supports put in place by some schools. Strategies are highlighted that could be implemented by all schools to promote truly inclusive settings. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Creating Inclusive Learning Communities to Support Individuals on the Autism Spectrum)

Review

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20 pages, 406 KiB  
Review
Profound Concerns about “Profound Autism”: Dangers of Severity Scales and Functioning Labels for Support Needs
by Steven K. Kapp
Educ. Sci. 2023, 13(2), 106; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/educsci13020106 - 19 Jan 2023
Cited by 10 | Viewed by 12773
Abstract
Recently the Lancet published a Commission on the future of care and clinical research of autism, which included a side panel arguing for the adoption of “profound autism”, a term in- tended to describe autistic people who require constant supervision or care, thought [...] Read more.
Recently the Lancet published a Commission on the future of care and clinical research of autism, which included a side panel arguing for the adoption of “profound autism”, a term in- tended to describe autistic people who require constant supervision or care, thought to usually have significant intellectual disability, limited or no language, and an inability to advocate for themselves. This state-of-the-art review deconstructs problems with autism sublabels such as “profound autism” and low- and high-functioning labels. It then examines the communicative and cognitive capacities of minimally speaking autistic people, finding that such individuals can communicate (especially with responsive partners) and need nonverbal testing that allows them to demonstrate their potential strengths. It concludes with the ability of minimally speaking autistic people to self-advocate, and the influences of other people to both support and frustrate their communication. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Creating Inclusive Learning Communities to Support Individuals on the Autism Spectrum)
11 pages, 263 KiB  
Review
Creating Inclusive Classrooms for Highly Dysregulated Students: What Can We Learn from Existing Literature?
by Emma Goodall, Charlotte Brownlow, Erich C. Fein and Sarah Candeloro
Educ. Sci. 2022, 12(8), 504; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/educsci12080504 - 22 Jul 2022
Cited by 1 | Viewed by 4395
Abstract
The ability to self-regulate is a key focus for educators, especially for neurodivergent students, such as those with ADHD, fetal alcohol syndrome, mental health difficulties, autism, and/or anxiety. Students not being able to self-regulate frequently results in their behaviours being labelled as “naughty” [...] Read more.
The ability to self-regulate is a key focus for educators, especially for neurodivergent students, such as those with ADHD, fetal alcohol syndrome, mental health difficulties, autism, and/or anxiety. Students not being able to self-regulate frequently results in their behaviours being labelled as “naughty” or “challenging” by teachers. Continued dysregulation can lead to periods of suspension and exclusion, impacting both attendance rates for students and their broader families. Previous research has shown that the impacts of poor self-regulation can be wide-ranging, spanning both social and academic outcomes. The broad negative impact of poor self-regulation means that it is important to support families and classroom teachers to effectively improve children’s self-regulation. However, to support families and educators, there is a need to develop and deploy a theoretical framework to suggest why self-regulation may be under-developed and, conversely, how self-regulation may be effectively developed across a wide range of contexts. This paper considers current literature exploring the links between individual experiences of emotions and connections with core abilities of interoception, self-regulation, emotional intelligence, and metacognition. It outlines a hypothesised model of how these abilities intertwine and how supporting core building blocks within educational settings can enable supportive and inclusive educational contexts, providing positive experiences for students and teachers alike. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Creating Inclusive Learning Communities to Support Individuals on the Autism Spectrum)

Other

Jump to: Research, Review

21 pages, 528 KiB  
Systematic Review
Teachers’ Attitudes toward Autism Spectrum Disorder: A Systematic Review
by Irene Gómez-Marí, Pilar Sanz-Cervera and Raúl Tárraga-Mínguez
Educ. Sci. 2022, 12(2), 138; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/educsci12020138 - 18 Feb 2022
Cited by 8 | Viewed by 6121
Abstract
(1) Teachers’ attitudes toward the inclusion of students with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) in mainstream schools influence daily educational practices. Depending on whether these attitudes are favorable or not, inclusive education could be fully or partially reached. This systematic review aims to analyze [...] Read more.
(1) Teachers’ attitudes toward the inclusion of students with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) in mainstream schools influence daily educational practices. Depending on whether these attitudes are favorable or not, inclusive education could be fully or partially reached. This systematic review aims to analyze teachers’ attitudes toward ASD and to determine the variables that moderate them. (2) We conducted a systematic review in WoS, Scopus, and PsycINFO databases, obtaining an amount of 16 studies included in this review. (3) The results revealed inconclusive levels in teachers’ attitudes: Some of the teachers reported positive attitudes, some neutral, and some negative. (4) Among the variables that probably moderate attitudes, we found knowledge, experience, training, and gender. Future research and implications for pre-service and in-service teachers, school administrators, and policy makers are suggested. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Creating Inclusive Learning Communities to Support Individuals on the Autism Spectrum)
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