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Supporting Students on the Autism Spectrum in Higher Education
The continuing rise in prevalence of autism, now at 1 in 88 (Center for Disease Control, 2012), has engendered greater awareness of the condition, followed by increased research, and improved interventions and strategies for individuals with Asperger Syndrome (AS) and High Functioning Autism (HFA)....
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Teaching the Teachers: Creating New Opportunities and Outcomes in Educating Students with Special Needs
Educating students with special needs is an inherently challenging task due to the individualized and shifting needs of each student. Different schools of thought emerge when contemplating this issue: inclusion, a variety of special education services, modifications/accommodations, community based...
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Traditional Education May Be the Biggest Barrier to a Meaningful Education
Unlike many disorders that are treatable with a pill or procedure, the most important form of treatment for an autism spectrum disorders (ASD) is education. However, the traditional special education model, notwithstanding the great advances made in public education, individualized programing and...
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What You Need to Know Before Your Child Transitions to School
Although it is common knowledge that transitions are hard for most children with special needs, transitions can also be difficult for their parents, especially the transition from services in the home to services in the school. Under the age of three years, children are cocooned in their own...
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Key Elements of Social Skills Groups in Schools
Autism Spectrum Disorders (ASDs) are characterized by impairments in the domains of social interaction, communication and behavior. For many individuals with ASDs, especially those with Asperger’s Disorder and high functioning autism, social interaction and communication difficulties can have the...
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Executive Functioning Enhancement for High School Students with ASD
Educators have made great strides in integrating students with autism spectrum disorders (ASD) into general education over the past several decades; however, at the secondary school level, these students still often experience serious difficulties. A major obstacle to success for adolescents on the...
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Transition from Middle School to High School – Valuable Advice from a High School Senior with Asperger Syndrome
The hallways are crowded. Lockers are lined with chatty students and the cafeteria is serving what may or may not be food. Where will you fit in? The homework is demanding. Your teachers have high expectations and you may be unsure about how to meet them. Would they understand? As you’ve heard,...
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How to Effectively Advocate for Your Child’s Transition with Your School District
Parents of children diagnosed on the autism spectrum are often concerned about their child’s transition from the structured environment of a school-based program to the post-secondary world and all of the hurdles that transition entails. A student’s Individualized Education Plan (IEP) is the...
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Learning Style Preferences of Students with Autism and How They Align or Differ from Their Typical Peers
Developing successful educational opportunities for students with autism has long been a challenge for educators. This challenge may well be due to the fact that students with autism have unusual intellectual and academic skills profiles making it difficult for teachers to accurately assess...
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Do Parents and Teachers Get Children with AS/HFA? These Children Lack the Insight or Social Skills to Explain Themselves
Many teachers and parents miss the connection between the diagnosis of children with Asperger’s Syndrome (AS) or high functioning autism (HFA) (and nonverbal learning disabilities) and the behaviors of the child in day-to-day life. When adults don’t get this connection, they can’t communicate...
