Parents’ Attitude toward Inclusion of their Children with Autism in Mainstream Classrooms

Authors:
Shivani Mathur, University of Rajasthan, India
Kavita Koradia, University of Rajasthan, India
Email: shivanimathursaharia@gmail.com
Published: November 19, 2018
https://doi.org/10.22492/ijpbs.4.2.04

Citation: Mathur, S., & Koradia, K. (2018). Parents’ Attitude toward Inclusion of their Children with Autism in Mainstream Classrooms. IAFOR Journal of Psychology & the Behavioral Sciences, 4(2). https://doi.org/10.22492/ijpbs.4.2.04


Abstract

Despite the growth of inclusive education programs adopted by many schools across India, children with special needs rarely find themselves included in them. Autism being a pervasive disorder, it becomes hard for autistic children to communicate and express themselves in a socially appropriate manner. Hence, the objective of this study was to explore the perceptions of parents about inclusion of children with autism in mainstream classrooms. A sample of 20 parents whose children were already enrolled in a mainstream school was selected from a school in Jaipur, Rajasthan, India. Participants were assessed on Parent’s Attitudes to Inclusion (PATI, 1998). The result of the study showed the attitude of parents towards the quality of educational services in mainstream education is negative; whereas, when it comes to child acceptance and treatment in mainstream education the parents have a positive attitude. It was also found that parents of children with autism have a neutral attitude towards the mutual benefits of inclusive education. The findings also revealed that regardless of their positive outlook, parents had certain conjectures about such inclusivity. These pertained primarily to childcare responsibilities, children’s transition tasks and teachers’ challenges of managing everything effectively while teaching both students with and without diagnosis of autism in the same classroom. This study can be used by special educators, school authorities and teachers teaching in an inclusive classroom to better understand the concerns of parents of children with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ADS).

Keywords

autism, inclusive education, mainstream education, special education