Synopsis of the Evidence

This piece of evidence was created as an academic paper to explore the challenges and
benefits of inclusive education. These sections highlight the ideas for strategies to support
learning and participation of students with disability, there is a particular focus on autism
and the strategies used specifically for that disability.

Philosophy of Inclusion
In the classroom
As Shaddock & Smith (2007) state Inclusive practice begins with an understanding of the
importance of being personally inclusive of students, parents and others; treating each
student as an individual; disregarding labels; learning from good practitioners and best
practice research; and reflecting on their own performance as teachers (p.12). It is
important for teachers to look at a child with a disability and see them as a person with a
whole different story not just a list of disabilities and needs (Thomas, 2012). Your actions,
attitudes and values will influence all children in shaping their perspectives of disability; it
starts with the teacher as to how children with diverse needs are accepted within a
classroom setting and how inclusion is made to accommodate them without segregation.
The discussion of planning learning experiences in the classroom will focus on creating an
inclusive environment and curricula for children with autism. To begin planning, an
understanding of the main characteristics of autism is needed in order to cater for them.
These characteristics include: differences or difficulty in social interaction and
communication, as well as restricted or repetitive activities and interests (American
Psychiatric Association, 2000; Carnahan et al, 2011).
Classroom Adaptation and Strategies
As mentioned before in the characteristics of autism, there is difficulty in communication
and social interaction. There are ways in which these challenges can be approached to
better precede the student in development, learning and skills. Vygotsky postulated that an
individuals learning and development occurred in the context of his/her social milieu and
that by collaborating peers that were further along in academic/cognitive development
working with students not quite as advanced as them could help progress learning and skills
using the theories of sociocultural development and Zone of Proximal Development
(Naraian, 2010). Vygotskys theories are important to consider when looking at ways in
which to help develop social and communication skills.
Comment [RS1]: Sub-standard 1.6
Exemplifies strategies for inclusive
education which supports the participation
and learning of students with disability.
Comment [RS2]: Sub-standard 1.6
Demonstration of an understanding of how
a teacher can influence how a student with
disability can be included within the class
based on their actions and classroom
environment.
Comment [RS3]: Sub-standard 1.6
Evidence of knowledge about a teaching
strategy to support the participation of a
student with autism.
Children with autism are often able to talk and often have well-developed speech and
vocabularies, but are often unable to engage in reciprocal conversation, decode messages,
and use language in meaningful and interactive ways (Hyde & Conway, 2010). Because of
these difficulties some children become frustrated and often refuse to participate because
they arent understood (Hyde & Conway, 2010). Therefore, these children need a program
that allows them to communicate in ways in which they are at their level of ability and
understanding, and have opportunities to develop and meaningfully use communication
methods (Hyde & Conway, 2010). Some ways in which this can be achieved, once
determining the students level of cognitive and academic ability, develop appropriate
strategies like: ensure the student is listening by using their name before instruction; pairing
visual and verbal clues for instructions, schedules and rules; teaching appropriate process of
conversation and listening; buddy systems; and prompt, scaffold, support and encourage.
It can be understood that the elements of communication are important process of social
interaction and will help work in conjunction with furthering social skills; there is also the
issue that students with autism often have trouble playing with their same-age peers as
they have poor imaginations so they dont often engage in pretend or ordinary play (Hyde &
Conway, 2010). Play skills will need to be taught in stages to the students, beginning with
the interests of the child and then introduce a peer (Hyde & Conway, 2010). Have the peer
play nearby then gradually move then closer until they are playing with the same objects
together (Hyde & Conway, 2010). Once the student is playing comfortably with others
introduce the concepts of reciprocal play and sharing (Hyde & Conway, 2010).

Comment [RS4]: Sub-standard 1.6
Demonstration of understanding the
learning implications for a student with
autism and ways in which teaching
strategies can support participation for
students with autism.
Comment [RS5]: Sub-standard 1.6
Demonstration of understanding the
learning implications for a student with
autism and ways in which teaching
strategies can support participation for
students with autism.