School integration of high-functioning children with autism. A qualitative clinical interview study.

The purpose of this study is to describe the factors that are critical to successful school integration of high-functioning children with autism. The report presents a qualitative description of the experience of parents and teachers with individual integration of high-functioning children with autism. Eight sets of parents, key teachers, and several of the children were interviewed using a semi-structured questionnaire. The foundation of the qualitative analysis is the perceptions of the interviewees, as gleaned from transcripts of the tape recordings. The results have been organized around some central themes: the academic and social progress in the course of schooling; the resources and methods used in connection with the integration; and the dilemmas and costs involved in the integration. Finally, some key-factors for successful integration are drawn from the material.