Examining School Leaders' Simulated Interactions in Support of Students with Autism

Balancing the contexts of inclusion, parent-teacher communications, and thoughtful interventions for all students requires practice. In this article, the authors outline the concept of clinical simulations as a model for practicing and rehearsing within the challenges of inclusive schools, communication among stakeholders, and appropriate interventions. The authors examine one specific simulation focused on a disruption in a school cafeteria. In simulation, individual school leaders engage face-to-face with a concerned mother, whose son with autism was restrained by a school paraprofessional. One research question guided the design and investigation of this simulation: How do school leaders communicate with a concerned mother about a student with autism, inclusive school structures, and the use of physical restraint in school? This study holds three implications for the broad contexts of leadership preparation and ongoing development toward the full inclusion of all students.