Enhancing Inclusive Education for Preschool Pupils with Autism Spectrum Disorder through Local Communication Strategies

A Case of Musanze District, Rwanda

Abstract

Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is increasingly recognized in early childhood settings, yet many nursery schools, especially in low-resource regions like Musanze District, Rwanda, struggle to provide effective inclusive education due to limited teacher training, lack of communication strategies, and low participation in sensory integration activities. This study sought to investigate the strategies of inclusive education for nursery school pupils with autism spectrum disorder in Musanze District, Rwanda. The study was guided by the following objectives: to examine the prevalence of ASD among nursery school pupils in Musanze District on their learning outcomes, to assess the participation levels of ASD nursery school pupils in sensory integration activities on their learning outcomes, and to evaluate the effective communication strategies used by teachers with the ASD pupils on their learning outcomes in Musanze District. Guided by the Social Constructivism and Inclusive Education Framework, the study embraced a mixed research design, involving a total population of 229, from which a sample of 146 was selected. This sample targeted   10 school administrators, 30 preschool teachers, and 106 pupils with ASD, chosen using Yamane’s formula along with stratified random and purposive sampling techniques. Data collection instruments were a structured questionnaire, an interview guide, and document reviews. Qualitative data were analyzed through thematic analysis to find important themes, while quantitative data were examined using percentages, frequencies, means, standard deviation, and regression analysis. Findings showed that inclusive education strategies positively affected learning outcomes for nursery pupils with ASD. The prevalence of ASD accounted for 25% of the variance in learning outcomes, revealing a moderate and statistically significant relationship (R² = .25, p = .05). The negative effect size (β= -0.5) indicated that higher levels of ASD prevalence were associated with reduced learning outcomes. Participation in sensory integration activities explained 36% of the variance in learning outcomes, demonstrating a moderate and statistically significant relationship (R² = .36, p = .05). The positive effect size (β= .6) suggested that greater engagement in sensory activities contributed to improved learning outcomes for pupils with ASD. Furthermore, effective communication strategies accounted for 42% of the variance in learning outcomes, reflecting a strong and statistically significant relationship (R² = .42, p = .05). The positive effect size (β= .65) highlighted that the use of effective communication strategies significantly enhanced learning outcomes. The study recommended that policies should focus on improving support for inclusive education strategies that meet the needs of pupils with ASD. Schools should encourage participation in sensory integration activities, as these have a positive effect on learning. Training for teachers in effective communication strategies is also important to help them connect better with ASD pupils. Future research should look into the long-term effects of these inclusive practices and explore more specific strategies to enhance learning outcomes for children with ASD, ensuring all their diverse needs are addressed in schools.