This qualitative research study examines, explores, and describes teachers' perceptions towards high functioning autistic (ASD) students and its impact on the student's learning environment in suburban elementary school inclusion classrooms. Significant themes and subthemes emerged while analyzing the data. The emergent themes categorized were 1) enriching experiences, 2) classroom challenges, 3) preparedness and knowledge, 4) accommodations, and 5) needed supports. Based on the data I concluded that teachers perceived students with ASD to positively impact the learning environment their classroom. Participants reported that ASD students are challenging to work with due to their disruptive behaviors and lower level of functioning, which impacts the student’s academic capabilities. Shifts in teaching strategies and lesson plans were reported in order to best address the student’s ASD diagnosis. Participants also reported a lack of training and feeling underprepared on how to best meet the academic and social needs of ASD students. Recommendation for school systems and educators based on the findings are for schools districts to ensure the proper training programs for teachers surround ASD; implement better systems for utilizing a team approach when working with ASD students; and implement policy change surrounding teacher schedules when teaching a class with an ASD student in it.
","abstract_html":"<p>This qualitative research study examines, explores, and describes teachers' perceptions towards high functioning autistic (ASD) students and its impact on the student's learning environment in suburban elementary school inclusion classrooms. Significant themes and subthemes emerged while analyzing the data. The emergent themes categorized were 1) enriching experiences, 2) classroom challenges, 3) preparedness and knowledge, 4) accommodations, and 5) needed supports. Based on the data I concluded that teachers perceived students with ASD to positively impact the learning environment their classroom. Participants reported that ASD students are challenging to work with due to their disruptive behaviors and lower level of functioning, which impacts the student’s academic capabilities. Shifts in teaching strategies and lesson plans were reported in order to best address the student’s ASD diagnosis. Participants also reported a lack of training and feeling underprepared on how to best meet the academic and social needs of ASD students. Recommendation for school systems and educators based on the findings are for schools districts to ensure the proper training programs for teachers surround ASD; implement better systems for utilizing a team approach when working with ASD students; and implement policy change surrounding teacher schedules when teaching a class with an ASD student in it.</p>","abstract_has_math":false,"creators":["Donati, Corleigh"],"institution":null,"degree_name":"Doctor of Education (EdD)","degree_level":"Dissertation","degree_discipline":"Education","degree_department":null,"school":null,"contributors":["Steven Moskowitz","Tarae Waddell-Terry","Nathalie Saltikoff"],"advisors":[],"committee_chairs":[],"committee_members":[],"year":2017,"date_issued":"2017-03-01T08:00:00Z","date_published":"2017-03-01T08:00:00Z","updated_at":"2026-07-24T05:21:05Z","subjects":["Educational Leadership","Elementary Education"],"languages":[],"rights":[],"rights_urls":[],"identifier_entries":[]},"links":{"outbound_url":"https://dune.une.edu/theses/104","outbound_label":"Repository record","outbound_source":"dc:identifier"},"metadata_groups":[{"id":"people","label":"People","entries":[{"key":"dc:contributor","label":"Contributor","values":["Steven Moskowitz","Tarae Waddell-Terry","Nathalie Saltikoff"]},{"key":"dc:creator","label":"Author","values":["Donati, Corleigh"]}]},{"id":"academic_context","label":"Academic Context","entries":[{"key":"dc:date.available","label":"Dc Date Available","values":["2017-03-22T07:00:00Z"]},{"key":"thesis:degree_discipline","label":"Discipline","values":["Education"]},{"key":"thesis:degree_level","label":"Degree Level","values":["Dissertation"]},{"key":"thesis:degree_name","label":"Degree Name","values":["Doctor of Education (EdD)"]}]},{"id":"subjects_keywords","label":"Subjects and Keywords","entries":[{"key":"dc:subject","label":"Dc Subject","values":["Educational Leadership","Elementary Education"]}]},{"id":"identifiers","label":"Identifiers","entries":[{"key":"dc:identifier","label":"Identifier","values":["https://dune.une.edu/theses/104"]}]},{"id":"additional","label":"Additional Metadata","entries":[{"key":"dc:description.abstract","label":"Abstract","values":["This qualitative research study examines, explores, and describes teachers' perceptions towards high functioning autistic (ASD) students and its impact on the student's learning environment in suburban elementary school inclusion classrooms. Significant themes and subthemes emerged while analyzing the data. The emergent themes categorized were 1) enriching experiences, 2) classroom challenges, 3) preparedness and knowledge, 4) accommodations, and 5) needed supports. Based on the data I concluded that teachers perceived students with ASD to positively impact the learning environment their classroom. Participants reported that ASD students are challenging to work with due to their disruptive behaviors and lower level of functioning, which impacts the student’s academic capabilities. Shifts in teaching strategies and lesson plans were reported in order to best address the student’s ASD diagnosis. Participants also reported a lack of training and feeling underprepared on how to best meet the academic and social needs of ASD students. Recommendation for school systems and educators based on the findings are for schools districts to ensure the proper training programs for teachers surround ASD; implement better systems for utilizing a team approach when working with ASD students; and implement policy change surrounding teacher schedules when teaching a class with an ASD student in it.
"]},{"key":"dc:title","label":"Title","values":["The Impact Of Teachers’ Perceptions Of Students With High Functioning Autism On The Student’s Learning Environment"]}]}],"canonical_facts":{"dc:contributor":["Steven Moskowitz","Tarae Waddell-Terry","Nathalie Saltikoff"],"dc:creator":["Donati, Corleigh"],"dc:date.available":["2017-03-22T07:00:00Z"],"dc:description.abstract":["This qualitative research study examines, explores, and describes teachers' perceptions towards high functioning autistic (ASD) students and its impact on the student's learning environment in suburban elementary school inclusion classrooms. Significant themes and subthemes emerged while analyzing the data. The emergent themes categorized were 1) enriching experiences, 2) classroom challenges, 3) preparedness and knowledge, 4) accommodations, and 5) needed supports. Based on the data I concluded that teachers perceived students with ASD to positively impact the learning environment their classroom. Participants reported that ASD students are challenging to work with due to their disruptive behaviors and lower level of functioning, which impacts the student’s academic capabilities. Shifts in teaching strategies and lesson plans were reported in order to best address the student’s ASD diagnosis. Participants also reported a lack of training and feeling underprepared on how to best meet the academic and social needs of ASD students. Recommendation for school systems and educators based on the findings are for schools districts to ensure the proper training programs for teachers surround ASD; implement better systems for utilizing a team approach when working with ASD students; and implement policy change surrounding teacher schedules when teaching a class with an ASD student in it.
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