Practices That Support the Inclusion of Children With Autism Spectrum Disorder in Mainstream Early Childhood Education in Zimbabwe
The international and national mandate to serve learners with special needs in regular education warrants examination of support practices for including learners with autism in Zimbabwe. Entrenched within the inclusive pedagogical philosophy, the current qualitative study executed individual interviews with 18 teachers, document analysis, and nonparticipant observations in the Midlands educational province of Zimbabwe to explore support practices for including learners with autism in regular Early Childhood Development (ECD) classes. The study revealed that support practices for including learners with autism in regular ECD classes included entry competencies informed pedagogy, reinforcement, academic adaptations, socialization, consultation, and strategic management of structured routines and compulsions. The institutionalization of comprehensive teacher education for inclusion and collaborative culture could optimize support practices for including learners with autism in regular ECD classes.