Eureka! Institutional Repository

Τhe purpose of this study is to examine adaptive tactics used by teachers to manage the autistic child in the conventional classroom of elementary school. This focus is aimed at identifying the realistic dimensions of the inclusion of autistic children in the general class and how to manage and deal with these children by non-specialists. The research conducted was qualitative and content analysis was used in semi-structured interviews. Twelve teachers, ten women and two men participated in the survey. Their ages ranged from 30 to 53 years. The teachers came from eight totally geographic regions of Greece. The present study has shown that teachers working in inclusive and general education classes co-educating pupils in the autistic spectrum, over time and with the experience of disorder, manage to function, to a certain extent effectively, without have no training, formal expertise or substantial help. These teachers manage to cope with the day-to-day needs and challenges of the educational process that includes a general class but also manage cases of autistic children despite the fact that this greatly hampers their professional daily routine. Without the inclusion of these children in their class, these teachers may have followed a joint program for all pupils. Because of autistic children, however, they have personalized programs and adaptive tactics not only for autistic children but also for others. And all this is done while seeking cooperation with the teacher of parallel support, parents and any other factor surrounding the child with autism and can catalytically influence the results of his learning.