Constructions of Autism in Education: Towards a More Radical Inclusion

• Main Author: Hunter, Sarah
• Other Authors: Michalko, Rod
• Language: en_ca
• Published: 2012
• Subjects: autism; equity studies; sociology; education; 0340
• Online Access: http://hdl.handle.net/1807/33653

Inclusion of children with autism in public education has become a pressing issue. As more and more children are diagnosed, schools are increasingly unable to provide individualized educational services and one to one aides for each of these children. In this master's thesis, the author describes the ways in which discourses around public education and the ideal neoliberal worker have in turn shaped discourses around students and workers with autism. Reimagining inclusion of students with autism pushes us to reimagine "autism" and "school" itself. Through discussions of the paradoxes of autistic speech and self determination, and the relationship between discourses of autism and discourses of education, the author suggests a new way to imagine autism, inclusion, and education.