Examining pre-service teachers' attitudes towards children with autism in the USA

Autism is a developmental disorder which affects a growing number of children worldwide. Since the disorder was first discovered by Leo Kanner almost seven decades ago there has been a lot of research trying to unravel this otherwise esoteric disorder. That research has contributed to better understanding of the disorder, shifting of conceptualisations as well as changing of professionals' and families perceptions and attitudes towards the disorder. Together, these changes have helped to promote better outcomes among children with autism. This study was designed to examine pre-service teachers' attitudes towards children with autism. Results indicated that pre-service teachers had positive attitudes towards children with autism. The pre-service teachers' attitudes were found to be influenced by their gender, academic major and different types of exposure to children with autism.