School is often considered an ideal setting for child social skills training due to the opportunities it provides for skills teaching, modeling, and practice. The current study evaluated the effectiveness of two variants of the Secret Agent Society social skills program for children with high-functioning autism spectrum disorders (HFASD) in a…

The unique challenges presented by children with autism can quickly overwhelm unprepared teachers. Educators need direction on how to begin to understand and address the behavioral problems and social communication needs of children with autism. They require practical techniques that can be incorporated during naturally occurring instructional…

This article, by Karen Broomhead of Liverpool John Moores University, discusses an exploration of the clashing norms, values and expectations of parenting behaviours between parents of children with behavioural, emotional and social difficulties (BESD) and practitioners. Semi-structured interviews with 15 education professionals, employed in both…

This article investigates the experiences of students diagnosed with autism who change schools during the early primary years in New South Wales (NSW), Australia. Using the narratives of eight mothers, the article documents the circumstances leading to school change, usually towards more segregated provision. Mothers highlighted the difficulty of…

The purpose of this study is to comparatively examine the student-teacher relationships of preschool children with and without special needs (SN) and to identify the variables which predict student-teacher relationships. In order to collect data from 40 preschool teachers regarding 54 students with and 54 students without SN, the Student and…

Behavioural, emotional and social difficulties (BESD) are a significant impediment to effective teaching and learning in England and Wales. Initiatives such as in-school Learning Support Units (LSUs) and off-site Pupil Referral Units (PRUs) aim to address BESD through short-term individualised learning programmes, followed by mandatory…

The increasing trend of placing students with disabilities in general education classrooms has raised questions among researchers, policymakers, practitioners, and parents about classmate peer effects on all students. However, little is known about the peer effects of classmates with disabilities on the outcomes of other students in the classroom;…

Recent legislation has increased the emphasis on including students with disabilities in the general education classroom. However, students with autism spectrum disorders (ASD) exhibit a wide range of behaviors that make inclusion difficult. To date, there has been little research to identify best practices in reducing problem behavior and…

This article explores the discursive formation of inclusion in early childhood education and after-school (recreation) centres in a Danish municipality. While inclusion has been a central educational issue in research and practice for well over quarter of a century, with continuing emphasis worldwide on "initiatives by governments", this…

Including children with Autism Spectrum Disorders (ASD) in inclusive classroom settings has become more prevalent with the intention of enhancing academic and social development. However, little is known about how these children are faring. This study examined the social networks of children with ASD who spent more than 50 percent of their school…

Students with hearing loss attending general education classrooms have been reported to experience difficulties in social skills and relationships. This 5-year longitudinal study examined the social skills and problem behaviors of students who were deaf or hard of hearing, and who attended general education classrooms. Data were obtained from…

A meta-analysis of single-subject research was conducted, examining the use of Social Stories[TM] and the role of a comprehensive set of moderator variables (intervention and participant characteristics) on intervention outcomes. While Social Stories had low to questionable overall effectiveness, they were more effective when addressing…

The current study investigated the effects of Social Stories written according to Gray's specifications on on-task behavior in inclusive classroom settings in three children with autism. Using a multiple-baseline design across participants, modest improvements in on-task behavior were associated with implementation of an auditory-visual Social…

In this article, James Williams, a young man with Asperger's syndrome (AS) shares his experiences taking physical education in a generalized education setting and discusses the implications for students with AS. He was diagnosed with AS when he was 9 years old. School was tough at times, especially when social interactions came into play. One of…

Thousands of educators have turned to "You're Going to Love this Kid!" for fresh ways to welcome and teach students with autism--and now the book teachers trust is fully revised and more practical than ever! Gathering feedback from teachers across the country during her popular workshops, autism expert Paula Kluth targeted this second edition to…