Inclusion is a set of practices and beliefs that involves educating all students, regardless of disability, in their neighbourhood daycare or preschool with appropriate supports and necessary services

Principles of Inclusion

• Acceptance of diversity: Fairness is giving each student what they need, not just what everyone else has. Fair does not mean equal.
• Willingness to address individual needs: Each student is working to his/her greatest potential regardless of what other students in the class are doing.
• Use of reflective practice: The teacher is able to be flexible based on the needs of the day and recognize that these may change daily based on the individual student.
• Encouragement of collaboration: The general education and special education teachers work collaboratively in the same classroom to meet the needs of all students.
• Active development of a program that is inclusive of all children: Provide opportunities for both child-directed and teacher directed activities, use small and large group activities to build relationships and provide the supports and accommodations the child with ASD needs to be successful.

Inclusion Tips

• Provide many opportunities for communication and accept whatever way the child is able to communicate at that moment.
• Support communication by using visual schedules, labeling the environment with pictures and printed words, providing behavioural cue cards, choice boards, etc.
• Provide opportunities for imitation including duplicate toys, books and activities and space for more than one child.
• Support and encourage independence by offering choices, providing a visual schedule, using a timer, offering predictable routines and allowing the opportunity for independent exploration.
• Involve instead of isolating by teaching skills and encouraging skill development within the child’s preschool grouping. For example, putting on shoes can be taught during the group dressing routine to provide opportunities to watch others.

Source:
Geneva Centre for Autism
112 Merton Street, Toronto, Ontario, M4S 2Z8
Tel: (416) 322-7877 – Toll Free: 1-866-Geneva-9 – Fax: (416) 322-5894
www.autism.net