About the Project

This project aims to connect students with autism with their typically developing peers and create meaningful experiences for students with and without disabilities. The school administrators and teachers have diligently supported students from disadvantaged backgrounds. The “BigHeroes, Little Sidekick” reading buddy program has been implemented with students in general education classrooms. We would like to include students with autism in the reading buddy program and build partnerships with typically developing students across various learning activities. First, all classroom teachers will attend an autism awareness training and participate in educating all students on how to support students with autism. Second, upper-grade students who volunteer as reading buddies(i.e., Big Hero) will be trained to use the dialogic reading approach with younger students with autism. Structured story time, access to storybooks, and parent training on dialogic reading will also be implemented to prepare students with autism for the reading partnership. Third, matched grade-level peer buddies will be selected to partner with students with autism to support their mainstreaming experience in the general education environment. Dedicated spaces for inclusive activities and reading with peers will be created throughout the school.