To provide recommendations for consideration in relation to funding models that could best support inclusive education within the Victorian context. 2. Introduction This review presents an exploration of how best to fund students on the Autism Spectrum within inclusive school settings. Funding models to facilitate the implementation of inclusive educational policy have demonstrated that there is currently no agreed-upon method for the support of this group of students. Indeed, the heterogeneity of the population of individuals with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) presents as a unique instructional challenge as they exhibit a wide range of behavioural and learning challenges to educators and administrators. This report reviews international and Australian literature to identify current best practices for supporting students with ASD in inclusive classrooms. Funding models are analysed as to their potential effectiveness for the Victorian context. Key considerations when choosing appropriate funding models to support students with ASD are highlighted and recommendations based upon best practice models potentially most applicable for supporting students within inclusive classrooms are outlined. 3. Methodology In order to identify articles for the review, electronic databases (ERIC, PsychInfo and Google scholar) were searched using keywords such as "autism", "inclusive education" and "funding models"; "ASD", "inclusive education" and “funding models". As a key focus of the review was to look at contemporary funding models, the search was restricted to articles published since 2005. We have incorporated additional articles relevant to the broader focus of the review (e.g. best practices to teach students with ASD). We also included policy documents that were available in the public domain and relevant to the review. Abstracts of all identified articles were read to determine the eligibility of the identified article for inclusion in the report. It became clear that the majority of the articles identified in the process did not specifically describe funding of students with ASD. Instead, most articles described funding for all students with disability and referred to education of students with ASD in various parts of the report. This is not a surprising finding considering most jurisdictions, nationally and internationally, do not fund the education of students with ASD differently compared to students
To provide recommendations for consideration in relation to funding models that could best support inclusive education within the Victorian context. 2. Introduction This review presents an exploration of how best to fund students on the Autism Spectrum within inclusive school settings. Funding models to facilitate the implementation of inclusive educational policy have demonstrated that there is currently no agreed-upon method for the support of this group of students. Indeed, the heterogeneity of the population of individuals with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) presents as a unique instructional challenge as they exhibit a wide range of behavioural and learning challenges to educators and administrators. This report reviews international and Australian literature to identify current best practices for supporting students with ASD in inclusive classrooms. Funding models are analysed as to their potential effectiveness for the Victorian context. Key considerations when choosing appropriate funding models to support students with ASD are highlighted and recommendations based upon best practice models potentially most applicable for supporting students within inclusive classrooms are outlined. 3. Methodology In order to identify articles for the review, electronic databases (ERIC, PsychInfo and Google scholar) were searched using keywords such as "autism", "inclusive education" and "funding models"; "ASD", "inclusive education" and “funding models". As a key focus of the review was to look at contemporary funding models, the search was restricted to articles published since 2005. We have incorporated additional articles relevant to the broader focus of the review (e.g. best practices to teach students with ASD). We also included policy documents that were available in the public domain and relevant to the review. Abstracts of all identified articles were read to determine the eligibility of the identified article for inclusion in the report. It became clear that the majority of the articles identified in the process did not specifically describe funding of students with ASD. Instead, most articles described funding for all students with disability and referred to education of students with ASD in various parts of the report. This is not a surprising finding considering most jurisdictions, nationally and internationally, do not fund the education of students with ASD differently compared to students
psdlitreview_FundingInclusiveEducationforStudentswithASD.docx