Exploring factors of successful transition to elementary school among children with autism spectrum disorder in Japan: a focus group study

Abstract

Introduction: Children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) face numerous challenges in transitioning to elementary school, which can cause confusion for the children and concern among their parents.

Aims: This study aimed to identify the process of school transition from kindergarten to elementary school for children with autism spectrum disorder in Japan, by evaluating the effectiveness of a school transition program.

Methods: A focus group interview was conducted with seven parents who participated in a transition program. They were asked about communication with the teachers, support obtained from the school, and their experiences after their children entered elementary school. After the group interview was recorded and transcribed, the data were analyzed using inductive content analysis to determine the parents’ experiences of the school transition process.

Findings: Six main themes emerged from the focus group interview: acquisition of prerequisite skills, adjustment in dealing with children with ASD, communication between school and home, communication between peers and children with autism spectrum disorder, collaboration with special needs education teachers, and the principal’s understanding of special needs education.

Conclusion: These findings provide an overview of the challenges and possible solutions to support school transitions for children with autism spectrum disorder in inclusive educational environments.

Introduction

The transition from kindergarten to elementary school generally involves a major environmental change for both children and parents. During such transitions, many children struggle to adapt to a new environment and routine, which may trigger anxiety in children and their families (Entwisle and Alexander 1993). Furthermore, many children with special needs, such as children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD), face more difficulties in adjusting to elementary school settings due to their personal challenges (Nuske et al. 2019), including communication and social interaction deficits (Bauminger and Kasari 2000), sensory issues (Liu 2013), and emotional regulation issues (Carroll et al. 2014). Stoner et al. (2007) reported that children with ASD tend to feel anxious during such transitions, which is a factor that makes these transitions difficult.

In particular, children with ASD entering regular classes face a variety of difficulties when an adequate special-education support system is not in place (Fontil and Petrakos 2015). According to a national survey conducted in Japan, classroom teachers indicate that about 6.5% of elementary and junior high school students in their regular classrooms have special needs that are related to developmental disorders (Japan Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science, and Technology [MEXT] 2012). In Japan, special needs education was included in the School Education Law in 2007, and it was stipulated that all schools, not just special needs schools, should further improve their support for children with disabilities. Since then, with various amendments to laws and regulations, special needs education in Japan has made progress in increasing accessibility and support for children with disabilities who attend regular schools (Yoshikawa et al. 2019); however, this remains insufficient without progress in teachers’ awareness and improvement of the human and physical environment in regular elementary school classrooms. In Japanese elementary schools, regular classroom teachers are expected to work together with special needs education coordinators or special needs education classroom teachers. The special needs education coordinator is the person responsible for liaison and coordination with stakeholders, inside and outside the school, and with parents. Special needs education coordinators are appointed on an annual basis to either teachers of special needs classes, school nurse teachers, or regular class teachers, and most of them concurrently carry out their regular school duties. However, due to insufficient resources, classroom teachers are often forced to become the primary source of support for children with a possible diagnosis of ASD. Consequently, such children and their parents often struggle with adjusting after entering school, as the care for these children depends greatly on the knowledge and competence of the classroom teacher. Some children with ASD studying in regular classrooms, for example, fail to follow group instructions, while others need verbal prompts to take actions. Thus, it is vital to establish a support system from the school transition period and develop useful intervention strategies for teaching school readiness skills that will enable children with ASD to appropriately participate in classroom activities, such as engaging in tasks, orienting to materials, and responding to instructions (Fleury et al. 2015).

However, the intervention strategies employed in previous research were designed to address a single skill or goal, such as reducing problem behaviors and making requests (Dojo et al. 2008, Rispoli et al. 2011). For example, Yamamoto et al. (2012) implemented an intervention aimed at developing classroom participation skills in five children with developmental disabilities. The target behaviors were five items, such as greetings and raising hands. The participants acquired these school-related behaviors as a result of using a token economy, but the impact of this intervention on the child's school life after entering elementary school is unclear. Due to the wide range of school readiness skills required in elementary schools, a comprehensive program that promotes positive and adaptive classroom-related behaviors and reduces problem behaviors is needed. In addition, few intervention studies have focused on school transition, despite these themes extending to school readiness. Ishikawa et al. (2018) developed a comprehensive school transition program that sought to increase positive school-related behavior among children with ASD before commencing regular classes in elementary school. The results of the quantitative evaluation showed that the frequency of children's aggressive behavior decreased as their positive behavior increased. Their analysis provided initial evidence that school readiness intervention efficiently increases school-related positive behavior in children with ASD before beginning elementary school in Japan. However, no follow-up studies have been reported on the impact of the behaviors acquired in the transition program on school life. It is worthwhile to note the progress of children who have acquired school readiness behaviors through intervention studies in a simulated school environment during the school transition period, as reported from the perspective of parents of children with ASD who are enrolled in inclusive classes.

Given children's adjustment to elementary school, it is necessary to consider not only their school readiness skills but also their interactions with peers, parents, and school personnel. According to the ecological and dynamic model (Rimm-Kaufman and Pianta 2000), for example, trust between parents and principals (Shelden et al. 2010), collaboration between special and general education teachers (Angell et al. 2009), and social involvement with peers (Rotheram-Fuller et al. 2010) may also have a direct or indirect impact on the success of school transition for children with ASD. In Japan, however, there are only reports on transition support meetings between stakeholders (Akatsuka 2013), and the creation of school support sheets for kindergartens (Etchu et al. 2018). The efforts made by parents and schools to help children with ASD adjust to school or the types of interactions among children, parents, and school personnel within the Japanese school education system have not been thoroughly discussed.

The purpose of this study was to: (a) evaluate the effectiveness of a school transition program (Ishikawa et al. 2018) and gain information on how it affects the lives of elementary school children with ASD, and (b) explore how interactions occur among children, parents, and school personnel during school transition from the perspectives of parents.

Methods

Setting and participants

This study was conducted at a university in Tokyo, Japan. We provided information about the research plan to parents of children with ASD via email. Participants had to meet the following criteria: (1) have a child with ASD who attended regular classes in a public elementary school, (2) live in Tokyo or surrounding areas, and (3) have participated in the aforementioned School Transition Program study by Ishikawa et al. (2018) from 2015 to 2017. The participants’ children had been in elementary school for one or two years, thus the interviews regarding children’s school transition period were conducted retrospectively.

This program was designed in accordance with behavioral support techniques for children with ASD (e.g. Stahmer et al. 2012) with the aim of reinforcing children's classroom-related behavior in an environment that simulated an elementary school based on the curriculum used in elementary schools. Clinical psychologists played the role of the teacher and reinforced behaviors that are required in Japanese public elementary schools, such as sitting, looking at the blackboard, and answering questions. For example, the time schedule and rules during the session were put on the whiteboard, and the teacher (i.e. the clinical psychologist) gave specific, short instructions. The children practiced raising their hands when they knew the answer to a question posed by the teacher and answering when the teacher called their names. The clinical psychologists acting as the teachers told the children specifically what they did well by verbally praising them. Additionally, through lectures, parents were provided with tips to engage in positive interactions with their children and to share information using a communication notebook with teachers. The participants consisted of two fathers and five mothers of children with ASD. Table 1 shows the participants’ characteristics. All the participants’ children had difficulty with social interaction and tended to talk about their interests one-sidedly. They were also vulnerable to sudden changes in plans and got upset when things did not go their way. However, their sensory sensitivity was not pronounced and there were no co-occurring issues. The children attended a local kindergarten and then enrolled in a public elementary school. Noteworthily, there are two main types of facilities of preschool education and care in Japan: kindergartens and nurseries, with 98% of five-year-olds attending one or the other. Preschool education is not compulsory in Japan and is clearly distinct from school education because early childhood developmental needs are quite different from the needs of school-aged children (Abumiya n.d.).

Table 1.

Characteristics of the participants.

Participants	Child's Gender	School Grade	Developmental quotient	Class	Family Member
A (Fa), B (Mo)	Male	2	DQ = 92	regular class	Fa・Mo
C (Fa), D (Mo)	Male	2	DQ = 103	regular class	Fa・Mo・Sis
E (Mo)	Male	2	DQ = 104	regular class + resource room	Fa・Mo
F (Mo)	Male	3	DQ = 106	regular class + resource room	Fa・Mo
G (Mo)	Male	3	DQ = 46	regular class → special needs education class	Fa・Mo・Bro

Note: Developmental quotient (DQ) was measured using the Kyoto Scales of Psychological Development 2001.

All the participants’ children were male and had been diagnosed with ASD in early childhood. Two children received special needs education in resource rooms in addition to their regular class. In these situations, children would be instructed once or twice a week, depending on their level of disability, with ‘activities to promote independence’ and ‘complementary instruction of subjects’. Participant G's child had an intellectual disability, but his parents wanted him to attend a local elementary school and he was enrolled in a regular class during his first year of primary school.

Study design

We conducted a focus group interview, which was intended to be a qualitative survey method aimed at exploring the complexity of the phenomenon of school transition to gain insight into parents’ shared understandings and experiences of school transition. The focus group approach has been proven to be advantageous when gathering information at the end of a program concerning outcomes and impacts (Robinson 1999). Furthermore, it helps participants feel empowered and develop diverse perspectives, because they become an active part of the reflective process as opposed to an individual interview in which participant and interviewer face each other one-on-one.

Ethical considerations

The study was conducted with the ethical approval of the ethics review subcommittee of the Keio University Research Ethics Committee (No. 140260107). The participants were informed that their participation was voluntary, and that they could withdraw from the study at any time. The data obtained in this study were stored in a double-locked vault after erasing personal information and adding ID. All research data will be promptly disposed of after 10 years have passed (i.e. the required period for data retention). Prior to the interview, verbal and written informed consent were obtained from all participants. In addition, the researchers assured the participants that their personal information would be protected, and any information that could be used to identify individuals would not be made public when the results were published.

Data collection

The focus group interview was conducted in August 2018, by two trained moderators who were certified clinical psychologists. The focus group interview lasted for 90 min and was recorded using an IC recorder. This study focused on the experiences of children with ASD and their parents due to the school transition program and on the interactions among children, parents, and teachers in the school setting. Participants were encouraged to respond freely to semi-structured questions, such as: ‘How is your child performing after entering elementary school;’ ‘What were you worried about when your child entered elementary school;’ ‘What was the most useful thing before entering elementary school;’ and ’What comprises good support in elementary school?’ The moderator asked additional questions or clarified questions when required.

Data analysis

The interview was recorded using an IC recorder and later transcribed verbatim. Data were analyzed using inductive content analysis (Elo and Kyngäs 2008). All of the verbatim interview transcripts were imported into the open code software NVivo and read and re-read many times independently by the first and second authors ensuring that portions of the data related to school transition were extracted. In this study, all participants’ comments on school transition experienced by children and their parents (the participants themselves) were analyzed. Inductive content analysis directly derived coding categories from raw transcription data, and linked themes were organized into a hierarchical structure of areas, themes, and sub-themes; the final checking of overlapped categories merged or divided them into sub-themes (Moretti et al. 2011). After the first author conducted the data analysis, the other four co-authors examined the similarities among the sub-themes and the clarity of the wording before consolidating them into themes. Emerging themes were discussed among all authors to reach a consensus. Validity was maintained through repeated discussions and analytical operations.

Findings

Six overarching themes regarding the impact of the school transition support program on children with ASD and their parents, and on establishing communication between school and home during this transition, were generated (Figure 1): (1) acquisition of prerequisite skills, (2) adjustment in dealing with children with ASD, (3) communication between school and home, (4) communication between children with ASD and their peers, (5) collaboration with special needs education teachers, and (6) principal’s understanding of special needs education. The school transition support program helped the children acquire prerequisite skills for elementary school, and parents adjusted their own relationships with their children accordingly. In addition, the results suggest that to establish communication between home and school after the child starts school, collaboration with special education specialists is the key to a successful school transition. Parents also mentioned that in elementary schools, warm relationships with classmates play an important role in school adjustment, and the principal's understanding of special needs education influences the school’s inclusive atmosphere.

Figure 1.

Concept map.

Acquisition of prerequisite skills

In general, once children enter elementary school in Japan, they are taught to listen carefully to the teacher while being seated and to write down what is written on the blackboard. This implies that students are expected to regulate their own behavior in accordance with the class. Activities performed while seated in a classroom-simulated environment before entering school not only helped children practice studying at a desk but also allowed parents to understand their children’s ability to exercise self-control prior to enrollment. Parents commented that they shared information with teachers about their children's behavior based on the school transition program.

I think it was valuable because he [the child] got to experience the habit of sitting for a while, before entering school. – Parent G

We understood in advance that our child would have difficulty in being seated for long periods through the school transition program, and we could share [that with the teacher at the elementary school]. – Parent D

Additionally, the timetables of kindergartens and elementary schools differ in Japan. In kindergartens, the focus is on activities with a high degree of freedom and flexibility within the general framework, such as craft time, lunch time, and playing outdoors. When entering elementary schools, classes start with homeroom, which is a short activity period in the morning, after which 45-minute classes progress regularly with short recesses. Parents claimed that the experience of new timetables and words specific to school in the simulated elementary school environment allowed their children to predict what would occur in a real-life school setting.

I feel that the time being separated [for each activity] was effective. – Parent F

I think my child was able to accept the activities easily because he was taught something new during the school transition program that he had never heard of before, like ‘gakkatsu’ [class activity; actions/activities that help a class community getting established]. – Parent B

Parents commented that by observing how to teach and give instructions, they were able to acquire knowledge regarding how to deal with their children accordingly at home. Expressly, it seems that the school transition program had not only direct effects on the children but also indirect effects on the parents.

It helped me to understand how to simplify questions like in a quiz, or that my child would understand if I wrote it down. I think it was good for me to know how to teach my child by writing instructions, when there was a problem. – Parent E

Adjustment in dealing with children with ASD

Parents described how they tried to reduce their children’s anxiety and kept pace with the children at home. Even if something negative happens at school, the warm and supportive involvement of parents at home may help children rebuild their confidence.

I always thought that ‘That’s the way he is’. I mean, I did not scold him too hard, and I did not try to correct him. Thus, he was able to enter elementary school as a child who could quickly trust adults. – Parent F

I have not been strict with him, but I see he is growing now. So, I am sure that's okay. – Parent D

Parents mentioned that teachers understanding the children's traits and having appropriate responses were also essential for a successful transition to school. Parents felt that the classroom teacher's consideration of how to give instructions to children with ASD facilitated their adjustment in the regular classroom.

I saw that he often made careless expressions and left his seat suddenly on the parent visitation day, but his teacher did not pay attention to this behavior on purpose. I was a little hurt when I witnessed this behavior, but I think that the teacher’s response was a good response. – Parent E

When he missed the teacher’s instruction, his teacher casually tried to draw his attention by simply saying, ‘Show me your textbook. Look at this part’. – Parent A

Communication between school and home

Many participants believed that frequent communication between school and home was important in facilitating a successful transition. Generally, classroom teachers are responsible for each classroom and teach all subjects in elementary schools in Japan. Frequent communication between classroom teachers and parents fosters good working relationships. Close communication with the teacher allowed parents to feel grateful, as they realized the teacher’s efforts in dealing with their child.

Parents particularly emphasized that a communication notebook was essential for cooperation during the transition period. The notebook is primarily used to inform parents about homework and items that children should bring, or report absences to the classroom teacher. However, parents also utilized it to share information and communicate with classroom teachers.

My son’s teacher tried to communicate with me every day through the communication notebook. My son still forgets a lot of things, including his pencil box, and I found the teacher wrote ‘Please ask him to be careful about belongings’ in the communication notebook. We can’t see how he behaves at school, so I think the communication notebook is really important. – Parent G

Well, for the resource room classes, I must write something in my child’s communication notebook about what happened during the week. Therefore, I wrote all the little things. Based on this, the resource room teacher spoke to the classroom teacher. Therefore, I was grateful for the cooperation demonstrated in this way. – Parent E

However, some parents were confused about how to communicate with the classroom teacher due to the absence of a proactive approach from the school. Parents were reluctant to share their views with teachers and did not know how and to what extent reasonable accommodations could be provided in elementary schools.

My son has not written down what he needs to bring the next day in his communication notebook. I want the teacher to deal with this, but I do not know what to say. I do not know what comprises reasonable accommodation and how to tell the teacher about it. I am worried about this. – Parent B

Communication between children with ASD and their peers

An inclusive and warm atmosphere in the classroom fosters a positive relationship between children with ASD and their peers. Parents highlighted that classroom teachers casually providing appropriate guidance and necessary support to children with ASD resulted in a supportive classroom climate where peers naturally helped their classmates with ASD.

Classmates were good friends with him and took care of him quite a bit. However, he has not been able to join a play circle of friends. Nonetheless, so far, he has not been bullied, and I feel at peace. – Parent C

It's a little hard for him to play with boys, but I heard a girl in his class helped and took care of him. – Parent A

However, there can be a qualitative change in friendships as children age. In the beginning, parents felt that there was an atmosphere of acceptance of children with ASD in the classroom, even if their children watched other classmates instead of joining the play circle. However, as the school year progressed, parents found that students began to form social groups and tease children with ASD.

Peers treated my children equally, and I feel that his communication skills have developed since he entered elementary school. However, as they grew up, I noticed that peers started to compare ranks with each other. Since then, my child seems to be constantly teased because there are so many things that he is not good at. He promises to play with peers almost every day, but I feel conflicted. – Parent F

In the second year, some children, who are somewhat excluded from the whole class, form groups. In addition, I saw that boys had many quarrels and disputes. As he grows up, relationships with friends become increasingly difficult, don't they? – Parent G

Collaboration with special needs education teachers

All the children of the participants in this study studied in regular classrooms during the first grade, and two of them also used a resource room, a space in which special education programs can be delivered to students with disorders and learning difficulties. The content of the instruction varied in each resource room, but often included small-group social skills training, individualized supplemental subjects, or physical education. The resource room served as a safe place for each child with ASD. Parents commented that if they were worried about their child’s behavior at school, the resource room teacher acted as a bridge between parents and the classroom teacher and shared information about the child. One parent described the resource room as a place in which her child felt secure when he was facing difficulties in his regular classroom.

In the communication notebook, two of the resource room teachers and the classroom teacher wrote about my son's behavior. In addition, there is a column in which parents can write about their child’s home life. Since communication is generated once a week through the communication notebook, I realized that the communication notebook has been a very useful and fine tool after joining the resource room. – Parent E

He did not build a relationship with his first-grade classroom teacher, but he got along better with the resource room teacher. This teacher dealt with him seriously in a face-to-face setting. I am sure he felt comfortable because he realized that not all elementary school teachers were scary. – Parent F

Additionally, Parent G, who had provided direct support in the classroom until the second grade, felt limited in supporting her child in the regular classroom and decided to transfer him to a special needs class. In the special needs class, Parent G felt that she was able to cooperate with the teacher, making use of the communication notebook.

I communicate with the teacher (of the special needs class) through the communication notebook every day. I feel that the communication notebook is even more important because I don't see how he is doing at school. – Parent G

Principal’s understanding of special needs education

In Japan, public elementary school teachers and principals are transferred across municipalities every few years. As a result, even if teachers with expertise regarding special needs education become regular classroom teachers, they can be transferred after several years and the classroom atmosphere may change drastically. Similarly, when a principal who understands special needs education and shows leadership is transferred to a new school, the whole atmosphere of that school becomes more accepting and inclusive, and children with ASD may start to better adjust to school.

As soon as the new principal, who had plenty of knowledge about ASD, came to the school, the classroom teacher's behavior changed. It is strange how a principal can change a school’s climate, isn’t it? Well, I do not really care about that because my child has settled down now. – Parent F

The principal during the first grade was very strict and called me into his office and told me a lot of things, for about an hour. The principal kept saying, ‘Why doesn't he move to the special needs class?’ However, the principal changed in the second grade and was a friendlier person. The classroom teacher had always been supportive since the first grade, but he became much more friendly and helpful after the principal changed. It seems that teachers must follow the principal’s policies. – Parent D

Additionally, some school principals require parents to support their children directly, due to the lack of assistant teachers in the classroom. While it is concerning that parents may feel apologetic about and burdened by their children’s behavior, parents indicated that it was easy to observe their children’s relationships with their peers and discuss issues with classroom teachers directly.

I still drop my son off at elementary school and pick him up, so I have a fair amount of time to talk to the teacher. – Parent D　

When he was in first and second grade, I supported his behavior in his class, so I was able to see directly the relationships between my son and his classmates. – Parent G

Discussion

The purpose of the current study was to (a) evaluate the effectiveness of a school transition program; (b) obtain information on how it affected the lives of children with ASD in elementary schools; and (c) to examine factors of successful school transition, which children with ASD and their parents experienced, using qualitative inductive analysis. It was found that the school transition program, which helped children with ASD acquire prerequisite skills for elementary school, contributed to a smooth start to their school life. However, due to changes in the quality of friendships as the child progresses through school, regular communication between home and school and early support from teachers with knowledge of special education was found to be necessary for the children’s long-term school adjustment.

The results indicate that children's mastery of classroom readiness behaviors during the transition to elementary school, when environmental and interpersonal changes are significant, can help children imagine daily school life. In particular, parents mentioned that supporting children's on-task behaviors during the transition to school and extending the time they spent seated were effective for increasing classroom readiness behaviors. In Japanese elementary schools, there are approximately 35 students per first grade classroom, and children spend a lot of time sitting in class. Forming sitting habits during the school transition period may lead to appropriate on-task behavior and improve children’s ability to listen to and follow the teacher’s directions as they enter elementary school, regardless of whether or not they have ASD (Dojo and Matsumi 2007). Furthermore, understanding how long children can remain seated in a simulated school environment before the children actually start school could lead to parents’ early recognition of children’s behaviors and promote parents to share information about their children’s traits with school personnel. While previous studies related to school readiness focused on skill acquisition in children with ASD (Fleury et al. 2015), a program that supports appropriate classroom behavior during school transition may help prepare children and their parents for elementary school. However, this study did not focus on the preferences or sensory and sensitivity issues of children with ASD. Since these issues are related to their comfort and performance in school (Kirby et al. 2015), additional research would need to be conducted to better understand the children’s experiences.

For children to sufficiently demonstrate the classroom readiness behaviors that they have acquired, collaboration between parents and the school is essential. Close communication between classroom teachers and parents appears to enable a successful school transition. In addition to accommodations, informing the school in advance of the unique interests and communication styles of children with ASD would help them gain acceptance from their classmates and improve their well-being in the future (Lam et al. 2020). Participants pointed out the importance of parents’ active involvement and communication during the school transition process. In Japanese elementary schools, there are few opportunities to meet with classroom teachers during the school transition period; accordingly, parents communicate with teachers through communication notebooks and keep track of what is going on at their children’s school. However, some parents were hesitant to share their opinions regarding the support or reasonable accommodations they would prefer from the classroom teacher. Lack of communication between parents and classroom teachers may be one major barrier to a successful school transition in children with ASD (Connolly and Gersch 2016, Fontil and Petrakos 2015). According to a survey conducted in Australia, treatment and support professionals strongly recognize the importance of sharing information with elementary schools and planning for the transition to school (Beamish et al. 2014). The topic of collaboration among supporters before entering school, which was mentioned in previous studies (Nuske et al. 2019), did not come up in this study, suggesting that parents may require support during the school transition period in Japan. One reason for this is that elementary schools in Japan do not have an adequate system for information sharing and collaboration with stakeholders, such as early intervention providers, due to teachers’ busy schedules, varying views of education, and inadequate school systems (Kato 2008). The school transition support program (Ishikawa et al. 2018) focused on supporting children; therefore, although it taught parents how to use communication notebooks, it did not include specific sessions to empower parents and share information with schools. It is, therefore, considered that the school did not sufficiently comprehend the child’s information and was not ready to receive the child. Based on the findings of the present study, an effective transition support program to elementary school not only teaches the individual the typical behaviors required at school, but also cooperates with parents and school personnel to create an environment in which children with ASD can freely demonstrate their individuality at an early stage. This might lead to the prevention of burnout and improved well-being (Mantzalas et al. 2022). Further research should be conducted to clarify what stakeholders in Japan recognize and practice during the school transition period. Moreover, school transition support programs for parents, such as information sharing and reasonable accommodations, should be developed in parallel with child support programs, to encourage schools and parents to actively collaborate.

In terms of early collaboration with special educational specialists in elementary schools, the use of resource rooms is another option. Under the Japanese system, there are resource rooms in which children who are enrolled in regular classes receive individualized instruction according to their disorders. Generally, children who have been diagnosed with developmental disabilities and have been granted permission by the education board or the school can use resource rooms 1–3 days a week. In this study, participants highlighted that resource rooms help not only children but also parents feel secure. Furthermore, in regular classrooms, unless parents actively encourage classroom teachers to report their children’s behavior at school, there is almost no frequent sharing of information, while resource room teachers will write about and report in detail children’s behavior using a communication notebook. Moreover, the early inclusion of a resource room teacher as a member of the team led to the promotion of reasonable accommodations in the regular classroom. Thus, resource room teachers not only enable children to receive appropriate support according to their specific characteristics but also function as intermediaries in sharing information about the children with their classroom teachers and parents.

However, the deployment of specialists in special needs education is scarce in regular classrooms. Parents indicated that a support team could be organized if children used the resource room during the school transition period; parents were sometimes required to enter the classroom to provide behavioral support if their children did not receive sufficient support from specialists. In Japan, resource rooms are often not available for children with intellectual disabilities who are enrolled in regular classes. In such cases, the principal may ask parents for support directly, which might place a heavy burden on families. In 1,300 of Japan's elementary schools, parents join the classroom to provide behavioral support, including assistance with daily living and learning (MEXT 2017a). Although the appointment of special needs education coordinators in regular schools has been promoted, most elementary schools have only one coordinator. Furthermore, they often work as a classroom teacher as well as a coordinator (MEXT 2017b), clearly making it difficult to provide appropriate support for children in regular classrooms. Some coordinators lack experience and expertise in special needs education and feel unable to adequately support children (Hasebe et al. 2012). Consideration needs to be given to establishing a system of cooperation between parents of children with disabilities and schools and to improving the training system for coordinators.

The findings indicated that having school personnel with sufficient knowledge improved children’s school adjustment. However, the promotion of special needs education in schools depends largely on the principal’s leadership. In line with the findings of Shelden et al. (2010), we found that the principal's initiative and open attitude towards special needs education influenced the interaction between teachers and parents, and this positive relationship helped parents feel secure. Teachers and parents can establish a relationship to provide support for children with ASD if the principal takes the lead in developing a support system for children with special needs. Conversely, if principals have conventional ideas and attitudes towards developmental disorders, and do not have a clear policy or perspective on inclusive education, elementary school teachers become worn out from working with children with ASD, and parents become suspicious of the school. Stuart et al. (2006) posited that parents considered school climate and communication with teachers to be the most important aspects of a successful transition. Similarly, the inclusive attitude of principals towards special needs education affects not only the relationships between teachers and children with special needs but also the relationships between children and their peers. The principal’s understanding of and leadership in special education is essential in promoting inclusive education (Brotherson et al. 2001), and an inclusive and accepting school climate can protect children with ASD from the harmful effects of bullying (Zablotsky et al. 2012).

Conclusions

In this study, parents noted that even if their children had supportive and warm relationships with peers during the period of school transition, the quality of those relationships could change as the school year progressed. Preventing positive peer relationships from developing into bullying is related to the inclusivity demonstrated by teachers and principals toward special needs education and a positive school climate that is influenced by this inclusivity.

The findings of this study provide several important and novel implications for early intervention providers, parents, and school personnel in facilitating a successful transition to school for children with ASD. First, it is necessary to provide opportunities for children to learn about school life in advance, with early intervention providers in kindergartens. Children could then learn what school will be like and what they will study. In particular, inculcating the habit of sitting down to work and staying on a task during the school transition period may promote on-task behavior in elementary schools, which may be related to school adjustment.

Second, to enable parents and children to collaborate with school professionals from an early stage, local municipalities should provide information on support to parents and children during the period of school transition. Providing frequent information about the school could help parents become more knowledgeable about reasonable accommodations and prevent adversarial communication between the school and parents.

Third, there is a need to assign special needs education specialists who can provide support within regular classrooms. Classroom teachers in Japan are extremely busy (MEXT 2017c); thus, they generally do not have enough time to acquire expertise in special needs education through training. For example, by making the coordinator of special needs education a full-time position, it will be possible to observe the behavior of children with ASD in detail and provide support during the school transition.

Finally, it is necessary to foster an open attitude towards special needs education among school principals. The present study showed that the active involvement of school principals in special needs education leads to a sense of security among children and their parents. Since leadership in decision-making and environmental arrangements for students with developmental disorders are necessary for a successful transition to school (Shelden et al. 2010), it is necessary to consider developmental programs organized by the school principal. Additionally, up-skilling workshops specifically for principals would help create an inclusive school system.

This study also has some limitations. First, given the small sample size of this study, the conclusions cannot be generalized and applied to other non-equivalent contexts, as is the case in most qualitative research studies (Patton 2002). Another limitation is that we did not reach theoretical saturation because we worked with a single focus group. However, no previous studies have tracked the participants of school transition support programs and examined their long-term effects after entering school. Thus, this study provides suggestions regarding the success of a school transition support program from the perspective of the program participants’ parents. Since most of our participants were living in Tokyo or surrounding areas, the educational system in urban areas may have influenced the results. Future studies comparing experimental and control groups (e.g. non-participation in school transition programs) and with large groups are needed to identify a wider range of indicators for school adaptation factors. Additionally, the triangulation of parents and teachers’ perceptions with those of the children themselves in the school transition process is equally important for describing and understanding all its dimensions (Stoner et al. 2007). Future research should clarify the impacts of these variables. We believe that some aspects of this study can be applied to other countries and regions in which school and educational psychologists are not adequately staffed or classroom teachers are the main providers of transitional support.

Funding Statement

This work was supported by the Japan Society for the Promotion of Science, Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research (B) No.17H02719 and Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research (C) No.21K02692.

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the authors.

Data availability statement

The data of this study are available from the corresponding author upon request.