Increasing Engagement in Students with Autism in Inclusion Classrooms

Abstract The benefits of inclusion classrooms for students with Autism Spectrum Disorders have been frequently acknowledged by parents, instructors, and professionals in education settings. However, despite the general support for inclusion classrooms, students with autism often struggle academically. Among some of the factors that contribute to this outcome are: problems of student motivation, ineffective consequences for academic behavior, and ineffective learning histories with the instructor and the classroom environment. We review and describe evidence-based practices relative to each of these problems, all of which can be implemented by educators or other professionals in a classroom setting. We provide a description of these strategies, and examples of how to incorporate them effectively into daily instructional activities to improve academic engagement in children with autism.