Students+with+Special+Needs

Special Needs-Autism/Asperger's Syndrome

What is it? Autism is a developmental disability that impacts the normal development of the brain in the areas of social interaction, communication skills, and cognitive function. Individuals with autism typically have difficulties in verbal and non verbal communication, social interactions and leisure activities. Most individuals also suffer from physical ailments such as allergies, asthma, digestive disorders, etc. 4x more common in boys than girls, however it is not affected by race, region, or socioeconomic status. Autism does not affect life expectancy, however currently there is no cure there are interventions and treatments that diverge symptoms.

Inclusion and Teaching Strategies:
 * Individuals with Disabilities Act (IDEA), provides that children be placed in the least restrictive environment possible for their education.
 * Necessary to understand the nature of the disorder before being able to accurately instruct spectrum children.
 * symptoms can be "masked" by an average IQ, which leads to misunderstanding of students by instructors.
 * often we assume that the student is capable of more than is being produced and we can become frustrated.
 * May be helpful to place the student in a small group because usually large social settings make the student uncomfortable.
 * Consider these three areas, academic, physical, and interpersonal which are all a challenge to the student.
 * Tightly structured schedule
 * Sounds play a huge role to success
 * Everyday sounds can affect the AS students as much as nails on a chalkboard affect non spectrum children.
 * May allow student to listen to soft music with a headset on
 * Minimize stress and worry of the student
 * Smooth transitions throughout the day as well from grade to grade

Personal Experiences: I worked at an camp last summer through Oakland University's OUCares program. This was a camp with about 15-20 children all on the spectrum, some cases were mild while others were very severe. Thinking and seeing these students through the mind of a future teacher I tried to think of strategies that I could use to include some of these students in my classroom, while having 20 other students to worry about. This posed a lot of stress and worry upon me. Just after a few days of getting to know these kids I already understand what they needed to do to enable themselves to progress throughout the day. Accepting and working with what hinders these students is the only way it is going to work. I went to a professional development conference a year or so ago and attended a session with a advocate for the Autism Jump Start program. Her job was to go around to different public schools that had a spectrum student, and create a learning plan to work with their disorder. A couple examples that stick out in my mind are so simple, but make the day go smoother for the class, student, as well as the teacher. The first example, was with a student who was obsessed with NASCAR. All he wanted to do was talk about NASCAR, watch it, or pretend to be a driver. They created system, where this student had 3-4 "pit stop" breaks throughout the day, where he could go to his spot that they decked out in NASCAR posters, and pictures in the corner of a classroom. There he could take a break for 5 minutes or so and watch NASCAR on a television. Now, this was a spectrum student so he loved to jump and hug his classmates, which scared most of them. Instead, of being afraid and not having anything to talk with this student about, they were given note cards with NASCAR facts on them and questions they could ask the student, to try to hold a conversation with him. This worked for this particular student and the following days after the plans were set and followed, were ironed out and went smoother for everyone.

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