Education and Autism

Emily Daw

Table of Contents

Addressing Autism Slides 3-5

Technology Aids Autistic Students Slides 6-8

Educating Past Autism Slides 9-11

Conclusion Slide 12

Works Cited Slide 13

Addressing Autism Autism is a developmental

disorder and is usually the result of a neurological illness that affects the areas communication and interaction abilities (Perrault, 2009).

Autism affects individuals in different ways; therefore educational programs must be modified and customized.

This article further explains why autistic students must be

addressed with special concerns.

(Perrault, 2009)

Addressing Autism Autism affects 1 in 150

students in the U.S. According to the California

Department of Education, it costs an average of $36,000 to teach autistic students, while just $8,600 is spent on mainstream students.

Quality programs for students with autism require excellent teachers and large amount of money.

(Perrault, 2009).

Addressing Autism This article really draws

attention to the fact that autism is a serious issue that must be addressed in the early developmental years at school.

Programs that are specialized and adapted to meet the needs of autistic students allow children the opportunity to play, learn, grow, and function in the real world, and I agree that it is important that each student has a fighting chance.

Technology Aids Autistic Students

At the NHS Human Services Autism School in Pennsylvania, students benefit from tools such as lights, inflatable objects, and bubbles that stimulate their senses- something many autistic children cannot do on their own.

The school officially opened a new high-

tech “sensory room” in October 2009.

(Reeger, 2009)

Technology Aids Autistic Students The room has a “space”

theme where children can play on a rocket ship (platform swing in the center of the room), and gaze at stars projected onto a wall.

Multicolored, blinking lights encourage sensory skills; a climbing wall promotes hand-eye coordination, and a vibrating inflatable body pillow calms them.(Reeger, 2009)

Technology Aids Autistic Students

I think the idea of a “sensory room” is extremely innovative and important for other schools to consider.

Autistic students should have the same opportunities and resources that average students have in order to excel and learn comfortably.

Educating Past Autism According to Carol McGraw of

Colorado Springs’ The Gazette, “14 years ago, only one in 10,000 children was thought to have it (autism). In Colorado, the number jumped from 246 students in 1998 to 2,416 in 2008.”

Faced with little money and very few qualified teachers, schools are struggling to create specialized environments for the increasing number of autistic students.

(McGraw, 2009)

Some of the most extreme cases of autism require training of even the most basic tasks- toilet training and eating.

This is no easy task; resources are limited, specialized teachers are scarce, and the amount of students with autism is drastically increasing.

Educating Past Autism

(McGraw, 2009)

Carol McGraw appropriately brings a vast amount of awareness to the topic of autism in schools.

Her article thoroughly focuses on the need for more qualified teachers and specialized programs, and I completely agree with these ideas.

Educating Past Autism

Conclusion Based on my findings, I have

come to realize the intensity of the difficulties autistic children and their parents face while obtaining education. I firmly believe that budgets should concentrate more on special-need students, and college students should be encouraged and open to exploring the option of becoming a specialized teacher. I know that now I will definitely consider the possibility of focusing on a special education degree.

References

CAROL MCGRAW.  (2009, September 6). SPECIALIZING IN SPECIAL: EDUCATING PAST AUTISM. The Gazette,A.1.  Retrieved December 2, 2009, from ProQuest Central. (Document ID: 1858966751).

Jennifer Reeger.  (29  October). Technology aids autistic students at NHS Human Services Autism School in Unity. McClatchy - Tribune Business News,  Retrieved December 2, 2009, from ProQuest Central. (Document ID: 1888608181).

MICHAEL PERRAULT.  (2009, September 28). Addressing autism. The Press - Enterprise,A.1.  Retrieved December 2, 2009, from ProQuest Central. (Document ID: 1889718941).

*All images taken from google.com