Peer acceptance of students with autism: a guidebook for general education elementary school teachers

The Education for All Handicapped Children Act, EAHCA (PL 94-142),
 was established by law in 1975. It gave special needs students the opportunity to have
 class with non-special needs students in regular school (Heward, 2006). Mainstreaming
 has become one of the most popular subjects in the education field and the number of
 students who are participating in mainstreaming is increasing. However, general
 education teachers did not obtain enough training on teach student with autism in their
 classroom setting (Moore-Abdool, 2010). Moreover, student with Autism Spectrum
 Disorders (ASD) have difficulty developing peer relationships. Their lack of
 understanding of social cues, humors and communication skills bring out tough situations
 to make a friend (Laugeson, Frankel, Gantman, Dillon, & Mogil, 2012). Students with ASD are often isolated from mainstreaming environments because general education
 teachers and students do not understand how to teach ASD students.
 The purpose of this project is to provide a guidebook for general education
 teachers to support general education students so they can understand and accept students
 with autism in the classroom. This guidebook includes characteristic of student with
 ASD, instruction tips, 15 lesson plans, and useful resources. The lesson plans is
 recommended for elementary school general education teachers and it can provide
 support for junior high and high school teacher to obtain the main ideas about autism and
 awareness on the lesson plans.

The Education for All Handicapped Children Act, EAHCA (PL 94-142), was established by law in 1975. It gave special needs students the opportunity to have class with non-special needs students in regular school (Heward, 2006). Mainstreaming has become one of the most popular subjects in the education field and the number of students who are participating in mainstreaming is increasing. However, general education teachers did not obtain enough training on teach student with autism in their classroom setting (Moore-Abdool, 2010). Moreover, student with Autism Spectrum Disorders (ASD) have difficulty developing peer relationships. Their lack of understanding of social cues, humors and communication skills bring out tough situations to make a friend (Laugeson, Frankel, Gantman, Dillon, & Mogil, 2012). Students with ASD are often isolated from mainstreaming environments because general education teachers and students do not understand how to teach ASD students. The purpose of this project is to provide a guidebook for general education teachers to support general education students so they can understand and accept students with autism in the classroom. This guidebook includes characteristic of student with ASD, instruction tips, 15 lesson plans, and useful resources. The lesson plans is recommended for elementary school general education teachers and it can provide support for junior high and high school teacher to obtain the main ideas about autism and awareness on the lesson plans.