Specialization or Segregation?

Abstract

Students with autism are more likely to be educated in self-contained special education classrooms than their peers with other disabilities. Often, these separate programs are designed specifically for students with autism, providing specialized personnel, resources, and interventions. However, some critics view such programs as contrary to the preference for inclusion expressed by the least restrictive environment provision of the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act. In this case study, one school district grapples with the dilemma of determining appropriate educational placements for its students with autism. The district's long-established self-contained autism program is being reviewed in light of an increased commitment to the inclusion of students with disabilities. Administrative data, school staff perspectives, and family perspectives reveal a vast range of pros and cons of the autism program with significant implications for how the district will move forward with placement and service decisions for students with autism.