Special education programs and methods in mainstream daycare – inclusive professional pedagogic practice for children with autism spectrum disorders (ASD)

The political agenda of inclusion has placed an increased number of children
with ASD in mainstream daycare institutions. This agenda has increased the demand for special-education skills among mainstream daycare pedagogues, creating a gap between daycares’ capacity for intervention and the children’s need for intervention. To successfully include children with ASD in mainstream daycare institutions without compromising their social and cognitive development, daycare institutions must close this gap. This study seeks to explore inclusive professional practices in mainstream daycare that supports opportunities for children with ASD to develop their social potential.