Teachers Urged to Create Inclusive Classrooms for Autistic Students

Special Education Specialist, Dr. Donna-Neisha Steele, is calling on Jamaica’s teachers to create inclusive classrooms that can accommodate and support students with autism.

This includes designing an accessible physical space, establishing predictable routines, and offering flexible communication methods.

Dr. Steele noted that with 500 to 700 children in Jamaica identified with autism yearly, there is need to foster environments where these students can thrive.

“We hear this term autism all the time and I feel like every turn you turn, somebody has autism or somebody is suspected to have autism. And… it definitely means we have to change our practices,” she said.

Dr. Steele, who is the founder of Special Education Ja, was addressing a recent webinar staged by the Jamaica Teachers’ Association (JTA) St. Thomas Chapter.

She explained that autism is a neurodevelopmental condition, which affects how someone communicates, how they interact socially and how they experience the world around them.

It is recognised as a “spectrum” with many different signs and characteristics although there are some behaviours that are common in autistic children, such as social communication challenges, repetitive behaviours, sensory sensitivities to sound, lights, and/or textures and preference for routines.

“So, if you’re a teacher that is not organised, you can already think about the implications for such a student in your room,” Dr. Steele pointed out.

She noted that in some cases, another disability exists with the autism. “And sometimes that causes confusion even for the expert to figure out what is at play here,” noted Dr. Steele, who has 20 years of experience in the field of special education across all educational levels locally and internationally.

Still, she stated that like any other disability, the goal of an educator must be to get the autistic student performing close to grade level. To this end, teachers need to employ certain strategies to accommodate these students.

“Visual supports, like picture schedules – those are important [especially] for our preschoolers to second grade. You want to make sure they have visual supports, especially the nonverbal students,” she said.

In addition, she noted that “you want to ensure that there’s a clear and consistent routine and clear, consistent transitions. Before you move to the next activity, you want to make sure those students are aware… you want to make sure that you try as best to stay on a routine. The minute you go off a routine, you segue away from it, you might have issues depending on the severity of the autism”.

Dr. Steele said that autistic children need access to sensory friendly spaces as well as breaks from the classroom when needed.

In addition, positive behaviour supports and reinforcement are crucial for these students.

She noted that often, these children are not held to account as much as they should “because we’re like, ‘oh, they’re on the spectrum’. I promise you, a lot of them understand. So, you want to ensure that you’re reinforcing what your expectations are as early as possible,” she said.

Other ways in which teachers can create an inclusive classroom for autistic students include employing individualised communication strategies and finding out what works for each student.

“So, for example, a student who might be non-verbal, you might ask yourself, ‘how do I communicate with that student?’ It takes a lot of texting, it takes a lot of observation, it takes a lot of putting in the work,” Dr. Steele stated.

She pointed out that parents have a key role to play in this regard, noting that many times educators struggle with not getting enough information from parents so that they can plan accordingly for their students.

“This is where it takes a whole village in this case. Because if a child, for example, is non-verbal, how is it I’m expected to teach this child? We have to find out what communication system works for this child,” she said, as she pointed to the usefulness of electronic communication devices.

Clear, simple language and visuals are also recommended for non-verbal students. In addition, providing quiet zones for calming, encouraging play-based social interaction and celebrating small victories daily can go a far way in creating a welcoming environment for autistic children.

Dr. Steele noted that often, an autistic student has a special interest or a special strength, “and you’ll always find them trying to get that done”.

The Ena Barclay Academy of Excellence, which is the first and only secondary-level special needs institution in St. Thomas, catering to students with intellectual disabilities, stands as an example of inclusive learning.

There, students’ strengths are nurtured and they have competed in special sporting competitions, amassing trophies and medals through participation in Jamaica Cultural Development Commission (JCDC) and 4-H Clubs competitions.

Acting Principal, Jacqueline Hendricks-White told JIS News: “We believe in adding value to the lives of the students placed in our care. Hence, we offer them skills. These students must leave here with a skill. They must be able to generate some form of income to support self, family and by extension contribute to nation-building.”