Including Children With Autism in Inclusive Preschools: Strategies ... http://newhorizons.org/spneeds/inclusion/information/schwartz2.htm 1 of 14 3/11/08 2:34 PM You are here: Home > Special Needs > Inclusion Including Children with Autism in Inclusive Preschools: Strategies that Work by Ilene S. Schwartz, Felix F. Billingsley, and Bonnie M. McBride The authors would like to thank Jennifer Annable, Janet Bauer, Pat Close, Ann Garfinkle, Jennifer Hessl, Kim Lundy, Ruth Rust, Misty Wood, and Connie Pious for their contributions to this project. This work was supported in part by U.S. Department of Education Grant H023C20212 and Cooperative Agreement HO86A20003. The content and opinions expressed herein do not necessarily reflect the position or policy of the U.S. Department of Education, and no official endorsement should be inferred. Requests for reprints or additional information should be sent to Ilene Schwartz, University of Washington, Experimental Education Unit, Box 357925, Seattle WA, 98195. The last 20 years have been an unprecedented time for parents and professionals working with young children with autism. We have benefited from more effective interventions and information about people with autism as well as from a trend towards more inclusive and normalized educational experiences for all young children with disabilities (Bailey & McWilliams, 1990). As a society we have had more opportunities to learn from adults with autism (Grandin & Scariano, 1986; Williams, 1992) and from parents of children with autism (Maurice, 1993). Researchers have learned more about effective interventions (e.g., Harris & Handleman, 1994; Koegel & Koegel, 1995; Lovaas, 1987), and children with autism are being included in child care, recreational, and educational