In a mainstream classroom, school success generally requires that students be able to interact positively not only with their peers but also with teachers and other administration and support staff. While it is acknowledged that children on the autism spectrum may have widely varying classroom presentation and experience significant variability in difficulties experienced, it remains that in the very situation that requires the greatest need to understand subtle social communications and protocols their social deficits will be, paradoxically, at their worst (Hinton, Sofronoff & Sheffield, 2008). The rationale for conducting a social-emotional skills program in mainstream classrooms is that this is the ideal context in which to learn and to practice these skills for children on the autism spectrum or for those with other social-emotional difficulties. An expected additional outcome is that a positive portrayal of individual differences will lead not only to skill developmental but also to greater understanding and tolerance of diversity in all of the children involved in the program.

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