The current national and international trend of inclusive schooling has resulted in the proliferation of pupils with autistic spectrum disorders (ASD) attending mainstream schools. Inclusion is defined by UNESCO (2005) as a process concerned with the identification and removal of barriers to education. UNESCO advocates a rights based approach to education, based upon the principles of equality, inclusion and access to free, quality education in terms of content and processes.  Recent research has questioned the effectiveness of inclusion and highlighted many barriers to inclusion being achieved. Definitional inconsistencies and varied outcomes have led to inclusion becoming a highly contested and complex concept in many countries (Allan, 2010; Ferguson, 2008; Graham & Slee, 2007).  Despite many policy developments and subsequent legislation addressing inclusive education, inclusive practices have failed to become firmly embedded in Irish schools.  The belief that pupils with special educational needs (SEN) will benefit from their inclusion in mainstream schools has been challenged, as issues and challenges surrounding the benefits of inclusive policies on the academic and social outcomes for pupils with SEN still remain (McCoy & Banks, 2012).

In Ireland, parents are recognised as the primary educators of their children (Ireland, 1937).  The important role of parents in the education of their children with SEN has been acknowledged in successive policy documents and statements published in recent years. (EPSEN Act, 2004; NCSE, 2015; UNESCO, 1994).

This research describes the attitudes and experiences of mainstream schooling for pupils on the ASD spectrum and relevant stakeholders.  In total, 134 stakeholders participated in the school-based data collection phases (3-7) from January 2013 to September 2015.  Three data sets were purposively sampled to carry out the research aims and objectives.  The first data set consisted of parents that were recruited from an online posting on autism support websites, requesting suitable candidates to participate during phase 1 of this research.  The pilot study was conducted in Phase 2.  The second data set consisted of eight mainstream primary schools in Leinster with access to an ASD special class.  These schools completed questionnaires in phase three.  Four schools were then selected for in-depth analysis in the subsequent phases of the research. A multiple embedded case study describes the experiences of inclusion for thirteen primary pupils with ASD across four primary schools (Yin, 2009).  This research centred around the following research questions:

1. What are the attitudes to and experiences of inclusion for pupils with ASD attending mainstream primary school and relevant stakeholders?
2. What facilitates inclusive practices in school?
3. What are the challenges or barriers to inclusive practices in school?
4. What are the experiences of transition and transfer?
5. What is the evidence of best practice in the case study schools?
6. Can you design your 'ideal school' for pupils with ASD?

This research is underpinned by constructivist principles that inform and  guide the research design, the chosen methods of data collection, data analysis procedures and the recording and presentation of research findings.  There is no single, absolute truth, as this research acknowledges the multiple realities that can be experienced by various pupils with ASD in their respective school environments (Denzin & Lincoln, 2011). The parsimonious Bronfenbrenner Model (1994) provides a suitable theoretical framework to investigate the processes of teaching, learning and transition, and to describe the various levels of engagement and participation experienced by pupils with ASD at different phases of their schooling. These processes are analysed within the context of each school, community and home environment.  The triangulated viewpoints of case study participants will give greater insights to the attitudes and experiences of inclusion for pupils with ASD and relevant stakeholders.

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