Trading places: Autism Inclusion Disorder and school change

Abstract

This article investigates the experiences of students diagnosed with autism who change schools during the early primary years in New South Wales (NSW), Australia. Using the narratives of eight mothers, the article documents the circumstances leading to school change, usually towards more segregated provision. Mothers highlighted the difficulty of these school transitions and the family distress that often prompted change. The eight cases of school change that are analysed provide a stark picture of the extent to which Australian schools are unable to adapt to these students. Rather than searching for the causes of these difficulties in the behaviour of students, it is argued that we need to look at the pattern of deficits found in classrooms and schools, as described by concerned mothers. In this article the pattern is referred to as Autism Inclusion Disorder. The defining features of this disorder are the co-presence of persistent school deficits in social communication/interaction (including teacher inability to interact with students) and school restricted and repetitive behaviours (such as rigid adherence to negative behaviour management). Maternal school change narratives suggest that for a genuinely inclusive education system to develop more attention should be directed towards changing schools rather than changing children to fit traditional classrooms.

Keywords:

• disability
• autism
• mothers
• inclusive education
• special education
• school change

Acknowledgements

This project has ethics approval from Macquarie University (Ref: HE27NOV2009-D00187) and from the Aspect Research Ethics Committee. Thanks to my principal supervisor Professor Jennifer Bowes (Children and Families Research Centre, Institute of Early Childhood, Macquarie University) and associate supervisor Dr Kathy Cologon (Institute of Early Childhood, Macquarie University). Neil Maclean provided assistance with graphics. Thanks also to the two anonymous referees who provided many useful suggestions for revision.

Notes on contributor

Rozanna Lilley is a social anthropologist currently researching maternal perspectives on autism diagnosis, early intervention and schooling. Graduating from the University of Sydney in 1988 with a BA (Honours) degree and a University Medal, Rozanna was awarded a PhD (Anthropology) from the Australian National University in 1994. In 2009, she embarked on a second PhD (in Early Childhood) at the Children and Families Research Centre, Macquarie University, on the experiences of mothers whose children diagnosed with autism are transitioning to primary school in NSW. That PhD was submitted in June 2014. She has published widely in scholarly journals, books and popular parenting magazines.