Optimizing Inclusive Instruction: Translating In-Person Practices to Virtual Environments

Proceedings of the 9th International Conference on Future of Teaching and Education

Year: 2025

DOI:

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Optimizing Inclusive Instruction: Translating In-Person Practices to Virtual Environments

Dr. Elizabeth T. Ashline

ABSTRACT:

The COVID-19 pandemic has brought about a significant shift in classroom instruction, particularly to students with Autism and other disabilities requiring specialized support. The paper explores insights from interviews and focus group discussions with educators, shedding light on translating inclusive instructional practices from physical to virtual education classrooms. Both data sources consistently depicted a positive experience concerning inclusion and its effectiveness in the present educational setting. The findings from both data sources unequivocally indicate the prevalence of common inclusion instructional practices in meeting the developmental needs of students with autism spectrum disorder (ASD). Co-teaching has demonstrated significant benefits in inclusive education by leveraging the strengths of both general and special education teachers. Differentiation, accommodations, and modifications have proven effective in addressing the diversity of students’ needs. In addition, co-teaching teaching using breakout rooms or different virtual classrooms can be highly effective for meeting students’ diverse needs and providing them with a supportive and engaging learning environment. Educators have faced unprecedented challenges in translating traditional classroom strategies to the online environment, particularly in supporting students with ASD.

keywords: Inclusion, Inclusive Instructional Practices, Autism, Virtual Learning, Co-teaching