This study examined the inclusion of children with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) in regular classes and analyzed the factors related to its success and failure. Thirty seven inclusion coordinators participated in the study and conveyed their view about their own experience. The qualitative methodology used in this study was comprised of regular bi-monthly reports by the inclusion coordinators, a comprehensive report on one successful and one ‘problematic’ event of their student, and focused open interviews with the inclusion coordinators. Two general categories emerged for success and failure: the included student’s functioning (behavioral, social, and cognitive) and the inclusion environment (collaboration, attitude, organizational aspects). Two general categories emerged from the analysis of success and difficulty factors: the inclusion environment (didactic aspects, the environment’s behavior) and the student’s functioning (personal/internal factors, social skills, stereotypical behavior, student’s individual abilities). Implications of these findings are discussed.
Dr. Eitan Eldar is the founder and director of the Applied Behavior Analysis Center (Teaching, Community Services & Research) at the Zinman College in Israel. He has been widely acknowledged by the educational community for his extraordinary efforts to fulfill the goals, values, and mission of disseminating behavior analysis. He has written numerous papers and books, authored the first applied behavior analysis (ABA) textbook in Hebrew and served as the first chairman of the Israeli Association of Applied Behavior Analysis. Dr. Eldar designed a model for individual full inclusion in general education settings for autistic students that has been adopted by the Ministry of Education countrywide.
Dr. Eldar has organized workshops and conferences on various topics related to the enhancement of services the ABA science can offer to improve the quality of daily living for parents, para-professionals, and educators.
ד”ר איתן אלדר – ניתוח יישומי של התנהגות
