He is intelligent but different - Stakeholders perspectives on children with autism in mainstream school in urban India

Shruti Taneja Johansson Department of Education and Special Education, University of Gothenburg, Sweden Shruti.johansson@ped.gu.se Background In India, 2.3 million children with autism are excluded from the main disability legislation and lack educational rights. Despite significant developments in the field of autism in India in the last 15 years there is hardly any research in the field on autism, education and school. Children with Aspergers they are educable. Like we can be hopeful about Aspergers but on the contrary we cannot be hopeful about autism. (Special educator) Aim Develop contextual understanding of children with autism in mainstream schools in India. To explore school staffs awareness of autism and stakeholders perspectives about children with autism. Description of study Qualitative interpretive study, conducted in Kolkata, using an ethnographic mode of enquiry (5 months). Interviews with 13 head teachers, 11 class teachers, 7 special educators, 3 counsellors and 14 parents.

Findings Low awareness of autism among school staff. There is little significance given by teachers to gain an understanding about autism. Many misconceptions surrounding the severity of autism and the absence of such children in mainstream schools.

His behaviour is strange but see he is super intelligent. He is extremely intelligent so compared to the rest of the class he is at a much higher level. (Teacher)
See a person who is a loner, it will remain and you cant physically force him to be with somebody. (Teacher)

Stakeholders perceive a child with autism as different from peers and draw on the normal-not normal dichotomy..
Whereas school staff described the child as a loner out of choice, parents perceived it as a lack of alternative.

Discussion/conclusion School staff give little attention to autism and fail to recognize how characteristics associated with autism play a central role in the childs behaviour and academic performance . Certain assumptions underlie teachers perception of child as different personality traits as intrinsic to the child, norms on appropriate child development and homogeneity among students. There is a need to address this during teacher education.

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