Facilitating Inclusion by Reducing Problem Behaviors for Students With Autism Spectrum Disorders

Abstract

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 promoting inclusion for students with ASD. The authors conducted a systematic literature review of three major psychological and educational electronic research databases to identify empirical research articles in the past 10 years that included (a) students in kindergarten through 12th grade, (b) facilitated inclusion, and (c) reduced problem behavior. Results indicated a lack of evidence-based practices that use inclusion as an independent variable. This article highlights four themes demonstrated to be effective: functional behavior assessments, tiered models of service delivery, behavioral approaches, and social skills training. Implications for educators are discussed.