Inclusive Education

A Year of Building What Lasts

As this year comes to a close, I’ve been reflecting on what it truly means to build something that lasts—not just something that launches well, but something strong enough to support educators every day, without adding to their workload.

Optimizing K-12 Classrooms for Autistic Learners: 6 Design Strategies that Benefit All Students

The link between classroom design and learning outcomes is clear. In the past two decades much has been learned about ways to structure classrooms to reduce behavioral challenges and improve learning outcomes for students with autism. We now know that designing classrooms for au

5 Differentiated End-of-Year Activities to Keep Special Education Students Engaged

Adaptable for Multiple Developmental Levels & Learning Styles As the school year comes to a close, maintaining engagement in special education classrooms requires thoughtful planning. Students may be at varying developmental stages, with different learning profiles and support n

Fostering Autism Acceptance in School Districts: A Guide for School District Administrators

April marks Autism Acceptance Month, a time to celebrate and support autistic individuals, culminating in World Autism Awareness Day on April 2. As a school district administrator, you have the unique opportunity to champion acceptance, improve district-wide understanding, and e

Communication Difficulties: The Silent Barrier

This article is the first in our series on Key Root Causes of Disruptive Classroom Behaviors and How to Help

Strengthening the Student-Teacher Relationship as a Foundation for Positive Behavior

This article is the fifth in our series on Key Root Causes of Disruptive Classroom Behaviors . . . and How to Help

Addressing Executive Functioning Challenges as a Root Cause of Disruptive Behaviors

This article is the final one in our series on Key Root Causes of Disruptive Classroom Behaviors and How to Help

Leveling Up the Power of Paraprofessionals

Just as a gymnast relies on a spotter, a tree draws strength from its roots, and a musical relies on its stage crew:

Hi-Lo Books: An Innovative Option for Struggling Teen Readers

Can you imagine struggling to read in middle school? What would it feel like to find books at your reading level geared towards young children? Perhaps starting out with a basic, entry-level picture book is a good first step to begin learning how to read, but what would you do i

What Is MTSS and How Does It Help Struggling Students?

MTSS stands for a multi-tiered system of supports. It is a data-driven, tiered framework, also referred to as a multi-tiered process or model of supports, that is designed to help schools identify struggling students early and intervene quickly. Besides focusing on giving studen

IEP MEETINGS: What Can I Request for My Autistic Child?

An Individual Education Plan (IEP) is a legal document that is developed during a meeting between parents and school staff for every child eligible for special education. This plan includes a child’s strengths and weaknesses, educational needs, goals, and the services needed to

Our Autism Journey From Special Education to Mainstream Classrooms

According to the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA), every child with special needs has the right to be educated in the least restrictive environment (LRE) , which is the general education classroom as a first option. Working toward a more restrictive environment

Equity for Serving Our Rural Students

I’m from a small town in rural Kansas with no stoplights and the nearest Walmart is 30 minutes away. My father was a rancher with 200 head of cattle and my mom was a teacher at the nearby—and only—school.

Supporting Students in the Least Restrictive Environment

When developing a child’s IEP, the Least Restrictive Environment (LRE) is one of several components that must be determined regarding placement. LRE has been a part of federal special education law since 1975. It has continued to recognize the benefits for autistic children or t

Five Great Ways to Improve Parent Teacher Communication to Support Children With Autism

With new technologies, ways to communicate or share information have become instant, workloads have increased while deadlines have shrunk, and expectations for students continue to rise. Teachers and parents have expanded their ways of communication by sharing information at any

Six Co-Teaching Models That Really Work in Inclusion Classrooms

A full-inclusion classroom is not just an educational model that includes all students (combining those with and without IEPs) integrated into a general education classroom. With any full-inclusion classroom comes additional educators and support as well as a variety of teaching

Positive Behavioral Interventions and Supports (PBIS) for Autism

What It Is and Why It Is Important for Students With Autism Positive Behavioral Interventions and Supports (PBIS) is really about implementing a new kind of school-wide culture. Positive behavior strategies and social-emotional learning (SEL) are becoming more common in schools

What I Wish I Knew Before Teaching in a Full-Inclusion Classroom

One teacher who works with autistic students reports on the great benefits and challenges of full-inclusion classrooms for students with autism and other different abilities.

Integrated Play Groups and FloorTime

The Top Two Interventions for Improving Developmentally-Beneficial Play in Autistic Children While group play is an important component of child development, autistic children may not develop social interaction and play skills in the same way that their peers do. As a result, it

Supporting Play in Early Childhood: Specific Strategies for Autistic Children

Without a doubt, play is an essential foundation for a child’s development, especially throughout the early elementary years. Engaging in fun, enjoyable, and imaginary play is often a natural part of life for typically developing children; however, for autistic children, the acq

How Can I Support Autistic Students in My Classroom?

Four Key Strategies to Support Autistic Children: Introduce Imitation, Use New Technologies, Create Soothing Classroom Design, and Scaffold Learning

What Makes a Special Education Teacher Effective?

10 Characteristics That Matter Most A special education teacher who works with autistic students needs to have an array of interpersonal skills, ranging from competency and consistency to adaptability and discernment. Throughout the school year, special educators must wear a var

10 Spectacular Virtual Field Trips for Autistic Students

Field trips create enriching experiences that support instruction. Students habitually love field trips, and they get excited about hands-on learning. Teachers love field trips because they engage students in learning, allow for real-life connections, support cultural education,

6 Ways to Set Up Inclusion Settings Successfully for Autistic Students

Defining inclusion: Inclusion is a common term used in education, meaning to bring together all students regardless of their abilities. An inclusion setting allows students with disabilities to learn and socialize alongside their non-disabled peers. Successful inclusion opportun

Using Applied Behavior Analysis Interventions to Motivate the Classroom, Promote Cooperation, and Improve Behavior

You may have heard the phrase “ABA can save the world!” While Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA) works well on an individual basis, I have found that those same techniques and interventions also work well in the classroom. In fact, the use of ABA interventions in the classroom can

“Opportunities to Respond” in the Classroom for Autistic Students

Strategies for Active Engagement in the Classroom and on Zoom f or Autistic Children You’ve likely heard the phrase “Busy hands are happy hands,” but the same is true for our brains. One of the hardest skills for autistic students is what to do in the classroom when they’re expe

Autism Fidget Toys Are More Than Just Fun: Strong Research Supports Their Use

In recent years the toy industry has exploded with options for toys focused on the fidgeting sensory needs of autistic people and those with ADHD and other disabilities to have their fine motor needs met. Pop-fidgets, Push-pop fidgets, Infinity Cubes, Pop Tubes, Fidget Spinners,

How to Strengthen Executive Functioning Skills for Autistic Children

Executive functioning is a fundamental process that each person needs to achieve goals, filter distractions, prioritize tasks, and control impulses. Deficits in executive functioning will impact a person’s ability to get through the daily tasks of the day effectively. Nearly eve

Ways to Develop a Strong Parent-Teacher Relationship

A Teacher’s Guide for Communicating Effectively With Families Who Have Autistic Children Effective communication with families is a significant piece of being a good teacher. It can be challenging for us teachers to find time in our day to communicate with the families of our st

Autism 101: 10 Tips for General Education Teachers

There is a common saying in special education when referring to our autistic learners - if you’ve met one autistic child; you’ve met one autistic child. Teachers need to remember that each child is unique and will have a distinctive combination of strengths, needs, and challenge

Who's Who on the IEP Team?

Learn What Each Specialist Does in Order to Make the Most of Your Child’s IEP Team When you show up to your child’s IEP meeting for the first time you may be wondering, “Who are all of these people?” You probably know the classroom teacher and the special education teacher, but

Building a Social Network for Autistic Students

How to Create a Peer-Mediated Intervention to Support Social Skills for Autistic Children We all need a social network; a group of people who are there for us in good times and in bad. But how can we help autistic children develop their network?

Using Peers to Support Autistic Children in the Classroom

Could Peers Be the Solution to Support Autistic Children in the Classroom? “Put a para with the student” seems to be a quick solution that many school teams jump to when looking for ways to support autistic students. While there are some positives to adult support—including more

Falling Through the Cracks: Better Identification and Integrated Treatment for Autistic or Other Special Needs ELL Students

Research indicates that ELL students who should be classified with disability status are being overlooked. The good news is that increasingly, educators are integrating ELL and special education services in a culturally responsive manner. As training programs for both teachers a

Teaching Autistic Children Writing Skills

Learning to write is an important skill. For autistic children, writing provides an outlet for them to express themselves, be creative, and communicate. Learning to write is considered essential for being successful in life. There are certain strategies for teaching autistic chi

10 Fun Activities Using Patterns to Teach Early Math Skills for Autistic Children

Red, Blue, Red, Blue: Using Patterns to Teach Early Math Skills Teaching autistic children various patterns is a key foundational skill that will support their later math development. The following activities utilize Applied Behavioral Analysis (ABA) strategies to provide an eng

Teacher Tips: Using Expressive Labeling to Teach Autistic Children Language Skills

This resource was created as a supplement for the ARIS® Academic Readiness Intervention System Language Builder complete early autism curriculum, Lesson #33, Expressive Labeling in Books. Download a free copy of the lesson and learn more about the ARIS curriculum . For autistic

Teaching Language Skills to Autistic Children Using 2-D and 3-D Matching

For autistic children, language skills can be taught using 2-D and 3-D matching skills. Matching is the ability to see two things and recognize that they are the same. Matching skills train and improve concentration, visual and short-term memory, attention to detail, classificat

A New Curriculum for All Children with Autism

The new Language Builder: ARIS (Academic Readiness Intervention System) was developed to provide a curriculum to any teacher or parent interested in helping a child with autism develop to their full potential. ARIS was designed so that even school districts that cannot afford to

Best Free Resources for Homeschooling Your Autistic Child

A New Curriculum for Autism: ARIS

Teachers, parents and Speech Language Pathologists (SLPs) have been asking for an “all in one” autism education curriculum for years. Language Builder: ARIS (Academic Readiness Intervention System) is now available to support teachers and parents helping children with autism lea

A New Homeschool Curriculum for Autistic Children: ARIS

Homeschooling is not always easy, but it can provide many benefits for children with autism. In the first two years of the pandemic, researchers found that home environments were frequently advantageous for autistic children because they reduced the amount of social and sensory

Strategies for Homeschooling Children with Autism: You Can do This!

Teaching children with autism even the most basic skills can feel daunting to a home schooling parent or even, at times, an autism professional. For instance, we may attempt to teach a child for the hundredth time to wipe her mouth with a napkin, but then… drum roll ...She goes

8 Ways to Promote Socialization Skills in Students with Autism

Socialization is an important skill for all children to learn and develop. Research suggests that by supporting a child’s socialization, children are more likely to develop self-confidence, problem solving skills, and key language skills, all of which are vital skills that they

Classroom Routines: Preparing Your Child with Autism

This resource was created as a supplement for the Language Builder: Academic Readiness Intervention System (ARIS) complete early autism curriculum, Lesson #79, Following a Schedule. Download a free copy of the lesson and learn more about the ARIS curriculum . Preparing your chil

Strengths-based Approaches to Autism for Teachers, SLPs, and Parents

Celebrating Strengths and Shifting Away from Deficit-Based Thinking Far too often, society’s bias towards students with autism focuses on the autism, rather than the whole child. Students with autism are more often perceived as “lacking” in some area, rather than celebrated for

How ARIS Supports Social Emotional Learning and Whole Child Development for Students with Autism

Social-Emotional Learning (SEL) and the whole child approach have huge implications for child development and successful learning for all children of all ages, but SEL and whole child are especially critical for teaching children with autism. SEL is defined by the Collaborative

How to Prepare for an IEP Meeting – For Teachers of Students with Autism

As a teacher, it is likely that you have either held or participated in an IEP meeting. Often times, you have likely interacted with family members who may be nervous or anxious about the process. Some parents may come in to IEP meetings feeling intimidated by the many people si

12 Popular Games Adapted for Children with Autism

This resource was created as a supplement for the Language Builder: Academic Readiness Intervention System (ARIS) complete early autism curriculum, Lesson #73, Playing Games with an Adult. Download a free copy of lesson 73 and learn more about the ARIS curriculum . Play is often

Autism and Inclusive Sports

Special Olympics and Unified Sports for Children with Autism Sports are a unifying, fun way for individuals and communities to connect. For individuals with autism, participation in athletic events may be difficult due to the loud, chaotic environments or exclusion from particip

Inclusion Toolkit: Top Ten Products to Accommodate Students with Autism in the Classroom

The beginning of a new school year can be a difficult time for some children with autism. Shifting from the comfort of home to an environment packed with loud voices, stiff chairs, slamming doors, and a new structure can trigger anything from distraction and discomfort to full m

Does My Student Have Autism? A Guide for Teachers

It’s a couple months into the school year. The kids in your class know where to put unsharpened pencils, how to ask to go to the bathroom, and what to expect day to day. You have a strong sense of each child’s personality, strengths, and weaknesses. And you’ve noticed which stud

Positive Pedagogy: How to Bring Positive Psychology into Special Education and Inclusive Classrooms for Students with Autism

How can you help your students discover stillness? joy? authenticity? Positive psychology is the science of well-being, which applied, can bring more positivity and happiness into your classroom. Try investing in these easy “rituals,” or habits, to transform your classroom into

How to Bring Positive Psychology into Special Education and Inclusive Classrooms for Students with Autism

How can you help your students discover stillness? joy? authenticity? Positive psychology is the science of well-being, which applied, can bring more positivity and happiness into your classroom. Try investing in these easy “rituals,” or habits, to transform your classroom into

10 Tips for Teaching Young Children with Autism Spectrum Disorder

Top Tips to Help You Get Started All children have unique learning needs, but children with Autism Spectrum Disorder or ASD require a little extra guidance and support. Whether you’re a parent or teacher, it’s essential to understand what a child with autism needs and how you ca

School Support for Students with Autism Spectrum Disorder: A Guide for Parents

This article was originally published on the Speech@NYU blog . Speech@NYU is the online master ’ s program in speech-language pathology from NYU Steinhardt. 1 in 68 children have Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD), which is roughly 1 percent to 2 percent of students in the United St

It Takes a Team: 4 Steps to Building a Stronger Therapy Team

For students on the Autism spectrum, having a strong and reliable therapy team to support individual needs can be an important factor in student success. When members of a therapy team are collaborating seamlessly, a student is more likely to have high quality support across all

Parents Guide to Bullying for Children with Autism

What is bullying? Stopbullying.gov defines bullying as: “Unwanted, aggressive behavior among school-aged children. It involves a real or perceived power imbalance and the behavior is repeated, or has the potential to be repeated, over time.” There are three types of bullying: ve

Let's Build: How Playing With Blocks Benefits Children

This resource was created as a supplement for the Language Builder: Academic Readiness Intervention System (ARIS) complete early autism curriculum, Lesson #63, Block Imitation - Basic Structures. Download a free copy of the lesson and learn more about the ARIS curriculum . It’s

11 Classroom Management Strategies for Children with Special Needs

Strategies to use with your students Inclusion is a great thing. Children with special needs are no longer isolated in “Special Ed” classrooms and only seen on the playground or in the lunchroom. Kids with special needs thrive in the presence of their peers. There are so many le

Transition: A Guide to College Readiness and Applications for Students with Autism

Tips and Strategies for Transitioning to College with Autism Of the roughly 50,000 young Americans with autism who graduate from high school each year, less than 7,000 end up with a college degree (Wei et al 2015). This discouraging statistic has given rise to countless transiti