Measures for Conceptualizing High-Quality Education for Children with ASD in Inclusive Preschool Classrooms

As more children with autism enter the general preschool classroom (Shaw et al., 2025), researchers, practitioners, and caregivers are increasingly in need of tools that can truly evaluate the quality of inclusive education. There are a number of classroom assessment tools that may offer this information, but little guidance on which to use to ensure both global and inclusive classroom quality specifically for young children with autism. The purpose of this thesis is to identify which classroom assessment tools can best capture the complex dimensions of inclusive quality for preschoolers with autism. Specifically, the study compared three tools (i.e., the Early Childhood Environment Rating Scale-Revised [ECERS-R], the Inclusive Classroom Profile [ICP], and the Autism Program Environment Rating Scale–Preschool/Elementary [APERS-PE]) to explore three research questions: (1) What are the differences in data collection procedures across tools? (2) What are the overlapping and unique domains and items across tools? (3) To what extent do these tools reflect evidence-based practices (EBPs) for young children with autism? The researcher conducted a crosswalk analysis based on three tool manuals and aligned domains and items with Love and Horn’s (2021) classification of global and inclusion quality, as well as the Steinbrenner (2020) EBP framework. Findings for RQ1 indicated that while all three tools include direct observation, the ECERS-R has the most streamlined procedures, whereas the ICP incorporates more extensive documentation, structured interviews. The APERS-PE adds interview objects and mandatory reporting after obtaining the results based on the ICP, making the evaluation process more comprehensive but also more time-consuming. For RQ2, analysis showed that although the three tools share common global quality classifications (e.g., environment, routine, interaction and collaboration), only the ICP and APERS-PE offer detailed coverage of inclusion-specific areas, such as individualized assessment and behavior support. The APERS-PE in particular includes unique items and strategies aligned with autism-specific needs. For RQ3, mapping EBPs across tools revealed that the APERS-PE reflects the largest number of EBPs (21/27), including discrete trial training and functional behavior assessment, while the ICP includes ten EBPs focused on social participation, and the ECERS-R reflects only six EBPs, mostly general strategies. Overall, this study suggests that no single tool is sufficient to capture all aspects of inclusive quality for autistic preschoolers. The ECERS-R is the most widely used assessment tool, which reflects the global quality of the class. The ICP helps to understand the integration of children with disabilities in the class. The APERS-PE comprehensively discusses the curriculum structure and personalized support in the inclusive classroom and explores the intervention of problem behaviors of children with autism. Practitioners may benefit from combining at least two tools, one addressing global quality (e.g., the ECERS-R) and another aligned with autism-specific inclusion and EBPs (e.g., the APERS-PE). These findings can guide researchers and educators in selecting tools for program evaluation and professional development. Future directions include adapting these tools for multilingual classrooms, improving assessor efficiency, and incorporating perspectives from multiple stakeholders to enhance the validity and feasibility of inclusive classroom assessment.

Grantor dc:publisher

University of Kansas

Year dc:date.issued

2025

Author dc:creator

• Shi, Fuyanan

Advisor dc:contributor.advisor

• Hugh, Maria L.

• Special education
• Autism
• Evidence-based practices (EBPs)
• Preschool inclusive education
• Quality assessment
• Rating scales

Statement dc:rights

• This item is protected by copyright and unless otherwise specified the copyright of this thesis/dissertation is held by the author.

Language dc:language.iso

en

Dc Identifier Other

https://www.proquest.com/LegacyDocView/DISSNUM/32042935

OAI identifier oai:identifier

oai:kuscholarworks.ku.edu:1808/38066