Inclusive culture in the aspect of realizing the rehabilitation potential of subjects accompanying children with autism spectrum disorders

Abstract

Introduction. Socialization of children with autism spectrum disorders is carried out through their immersion in the sociocultural space. The most important component of sociocultural integration is reliance on the rehabilitation potential of both individuals with autism spectrum disorders and their immediate environment. An analysis of understanding inclusive culture was embedded in the ideological concept of the research initiative. The study aims to determine the conceptual positions of inclusive culture as a specific system of attitudes, knowledge and skills that contribute to solving problems of including children with autism spectrum disorders and their immediate environment in various sociocultural spaces and relationships. Materials and methods. The study involved 307 people representing four subject groups of Nizhny Novgorod Oblast of the Russian Federation: teachers/specialists of preschool educational institutions, teachers/specialists of general education organizations, parents of children with autism spectrum disorders and students receiving defectology education. The main research method was the author's questionnaire survey of respondents followed by expert assessment. Results. The obtained results reflect the variable subjective positions of respondents in relation to various aspects of inclusive culture as the basis for the inclusive potential of persons with autism spectrum disorders and their immediate environment. The differences in understanding the essence and mechanisms of inclusive culture and of its place in personal and social context among different subjects of educational space are updated. This aspect allows objectifying the problem of effective interaction between family and educational organization in disclosure and implementation of the rehabilitation potential of persons with autism spectrum disorders. More than 50% of teachers/specialists of educational organizations, as well as 70% of surveyed students and parents of children with autism spectrum disorders, differentiate the concepts of ‘culture of inclusion’ and ‘inclusive culture’, giving them different content contexts. 57% of surveyed teachers and 65% of parents consider persons with disabilities to be objects of inclusive culture, i.e. they are assigned a more passive role as a consumer of this very culture specially formed for them. Conclusion. The results obtained allow determining the main directions of educational, advisory and psychocorrectional work aimed at increasing psychological and pedagogical competence of specialists and parents who accompany children with autism spectrum disorders. Subjective expectations and ideas of respondents about the indicators and criteria of psychological culture, inclusion and features of interaction between society and people with disabilities act as a guideline for strategic planning of comprehensive support for families raising children with autism spectrum disorders