Inclusive Education and Autism Spectrum Disorder: Preparing University Students to Support Secondary Learners

Authors

Kristen M. Lucke, University of St. Augustine for Health SciencesFollow
Cynthia Haynes, University of St. Augustine for Health SciencesFollow

Files

Description

Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) affects approximately 1 in 31 children in the United States, highlighting the need for future teachers and occupational therapists (OTs) to support students with ASD in inclusive educational settings. This mixed-methods capstone examined how an OT-informed professional learning session influenced university students’ knowledge, confidence, and readiness to support learners with ASD. Fifteen graduate students participated in a 75-minute instructional session addressing six ASD learning domains. Pre- and post-session measures included demographic information, the investigator-developed Knowledge and Perceptions of Autism Spectrum Disorder (KPASD) assessment, Likert-scale ratings, and qualitative reflections. Participants demonstrated significant increases in total KPASD scores (p = .001), domain-level gains (p = .047), and an average 6.4% improvement in correct responses. Qualitative findings reflected increased understanding of ASD characteristics, diagnostic disparities, behavior, and inclusive instructional strategies. Findings demonstrate that a single structured learning experience can meaningfully enhance ASD-related knowledge, confidence, and inclusive readiness, illustrating how OT-informed professional learning strengthens evidence-based, collaborative, and inclusive practice to prepare future professionals better to support students with ASD in educational settings.

Publication Date

Fall 2025

Publisher

University of St. Augustine for Health Sciences

Keywords

Autism spectrum disorder, Inclusive education, Occupational therapy, Teacher preparation, Professional learning, Evidence-based practices

Medical Subject Headings

Autism spectrum disorder, Occupational therapy, Interprofessional education, Evidence-based practice; Inclusive education

Disciplines

Occupational Therapy | Secondary Education

Comments

Poster presented at the OTD Capstone Symposium at the University of St Augustine for Health Sciences in Fall 2025.

Recommended Citation

Lucke, K. M., & Haynes, C. (2025, October 1). Inclusive Education and Autism Spectrum Disorder: Preparing University Students to Support Secondary Learners. Poster presented at the Virtual OTD Capstone Symposium, University of St Augustine for Health Sciences. Retrieved from https://soar.usa.edu/otdcapstonesfall2025/18