Issues Related to Inclusion for Students with 
Pervasive Developmental Disorders

"Historically, students presenting intensive educational challenges to our schools have been served outside the general classroom and, in many cases, outside the community school" (Winzer, 477).

Today, a greater variety of educational options are available for children with ASDs and childhood onset schizophrenia.  However, because of the nature of the symptoms of pervasive developmental disorders including autism and psychosis, educators and parents are often at odds about the best placement options.  The pros and cons of full educational inclusion include:
                 

                                        

Attitude - all students should be educated in neighborhood 

schools within general classrooms                   

Typical students become more accepting          
of human differences and show less                  
discomfort interacting with people who           
have disabilities

Curriculum can be modified
With support, all teachers can learn to include all students

Training often emphasizes early developmental skills and not
those needed for adult independence

Inclusion would require substantive changes
to all aspects of the education system

Generally, the more severe the disability, the more negative the
attitudes of the classroom teachers

The gap between students may be too great for interaction to occur;
Students with pervasive developmental disorders do not interact with
peers unless they are supported and encouraged to do so