The number of
children in our public schools diagnosed with autism is increasing
significantly. These kids are no longer
just being served in self-contained classes hidden away from the mainstream. Our children with autism are now
participating in inclusion classes with their general ed. peers. Some participate for only part of the day,
while others may be participating for the entire school day. I have seen the stress on the general ed. and
special ed. teacher’s faces. Remember,
Autism is a truly unique disability and it takes a certain level of
understanding and comfort to work with these children. Understanding and comfort, that even I had to
learn when I first jumped, feet first into my Autism Classroom. However, it can be done!
Awareness:
Educate the Educators. In all of my years of teaching, I have
never seen a professional development opportunity designated to our Autism
population. Sometimes, by simply providing
some basic information and resources to the general ed. teacher, you can build
their self-confidence and comfort level enough to make a significant
difference! I have found some great
resources online. You can take free
online courses offered by reputable institutions. Here are links to VCU and Yale both of which
offer FREE online courses). Most
recently, I signed up for a Foundations of Autism Course for FREE, as kind of a
dry run for my schooling in the fall.
I’ll let you all know how it goesJ
Now, despite whatever
the interfering behavior may be, I would make sure these basic practices were
in place.
Visuals: Look for opportunities to utilize visual supports in the
regular ed. classroom. Even if the
student is high functioning visual supports are a MUST! The student should have a visual schedule so
he or she has a clear understanding of where they should be, when they should
be there, and what they are supposed to do when they get there. You can link back to my post on Visual
Schedules here.
Reinforcement: I
would also suggest a reinforcement schedule based on the students need. If the student is getting up out of her seat at
all times of the day, you would provide reinforcement when she stayed in her
seat. Based on her schedule, the student
can be conditioned to remain her seat for extended times. Reinforcement
Schedules as an evidenced based practice can get pretty detailed and
intense. That would require a post all
it’s own. Look for that next timeJ. In
the meantime, you can look at incorporating token boards and reinforcement
here.
Sensory Breaks: The
student with Autism has definite sensory needs.
You will want to consult with your Occupational Therapist about
developing a sensory diet. By scheduling
these breaks strategically, you can often prevent disruptive outbursts caused
by sensory overload or sensory seeking behaviors.
When we provide
educational opportunities to raise autism awareness in our schools, we break
down some of the stereotypes that may prevent our students from being fully accepted
in the general education environment.
Everyone from teachers to administrators should first presume the
student is able and competent. Then, make
sure that the necessary supports are in place in order to reduce the
possibility of a negative experience and increase the likelihood of success.
