The Heart of Inclusion: Community Perspectives on Autism and Inclusive Education
By: Alexis Rose Crooks and Efren Velazquez
Abstract
Understanding community perceptions of inclusive education and neurodiversity is essential for effective support and integration of neurodiverse students. Prior research has examined educators' knowledge and attitudes toward evidence-based practices (EBP) in special education (Stahmer et al., 2012), yet gaps remain in comparing perspectives across parents, therapists, and community members. For example, teachers often report positive attitudes toward inclusion but may lack confidence in implementing EBPs effectively (Russell et al., 2022). In contrast, parents of children with autism express frustration with inconsistent accommodations, presenting disparities between policy and practice (Battanta et al., 2024). To examine these gaps, this study will employ Bronfenbrenner’s Ecological Systems Theory to view how individuals' knowledge of autism spectrum disorder influences their attitudes toward inclusion. Using a replication framework, this study will mirror Segall’s (2003) methodology to measure autism knowledge and inclusion attitudes. Participants will complete the Autism Inclusion Questionnaire (AIQ) to assess ASD knowledge and perspectives on inclusive education. We hypothesize that parents will hold the most favorable inclusion attitudes, while community members with limited exposure will exhibit less supportive views. We plan to recruit from three different groups to examine our hypothesis: parents of children with ASD, educators/therapists working with neurodiverse populations, and community members without direct linkage to ASD. Findings will contribute to understanding how social and institutional factors alter perceptions of neurodiversity and inclusive education. By identifying knowledge gaps and attitudinal differences, this research can inform inclusive educational initiatives and public awareness surrounding such, thereby promoting an inclusive society for neurodiverse individuals.
Language: English
Published on: Mar 20, 2025
Published by: University of North Georgia
In partnership with: Paradigm Publishing Services
Keywords:
© 2025 Alexis Rose Crooks, Efren Velazquez, published by University of North Georgia
This work is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License.