Abstract

The purpose of this study was to understand the relationship between a learning environment and students with autism. The overarching question was What is the role of classroom design in inclusive education? With extensive research available on general education classroom design for typically developing students, the same research is lacking for students with autism. This study hoped to find out what aspects of learning environments are beneficial for these students and their learning. The researcher interviewed two teachers, one from a private school and one from a public school, both located north of Boston, Massachusetts. The researcher also collected one set of observations from the same schools. The findings in this study suggest that there may be a relationship between learning environments and the experience students with autism have in school.

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