Autism (Part 1): An Overview for Educators
Wrap Up
Because most students with autism spend a significant amount of time in the general education classroom, all educators must be familiar with facts about the disability as well as common characteristics of autistic students and how to effectively support these students. Autism, a neurodevelopmental disability, is characterized by:
- Differences in social communication and social interaction
- Restricted or repetitive patterns of behavior, interests, or activities
The presence of these characteristics varies for each autistic student, resulting in a unique profile that manifests through different combinations and intensities, thus requiring different types and levels of support. With these characteristics as the basis for diagnosis and eligibility, an individual might:
- Receive a medical diagnosis of autism spectrum disorder (ASD)
- Be found eligible for early intervention or special education services under the category of autism
Because a medical diagnosis and special education eligibility are based on different criteria and provide access to different services and supports, an individual could benefit from both.
For those who are eligible for special education services, a multidisciplinary team develops either an individualized family service plan (IFSP) for children from birth to three years old or an individualized education program (IEP) for students ages three through 21. Central to this process is family engagement, which can be enhanced by seeking to understand families, supporting them, and valuing their contributions.
Within the classroom, educators can create a learning environment that fosters a sense of security and facilitates engagement; this is especially important for autistic students. The table below highlights proactive environmental considerations for doing so.
| Environmental Consideration | Examples |
| Create structure and predictability |
|
| Adjust the sensory environment |
|
| Provide visual supports |
|
Additionally, educators should implement instructional practices that facilitate each autistic learner’s access to the curriculum, skill development, and ability to thrive within the school community. These include:
- Offering individualized adaptations
- Providing instruction in functional skill areas
- Integrating students’ interests into instruction
- Creating social opportunities
- Interpreting behavior as a form of communication
- Using evidence-based practices and data-based decision making
By harnessing these strategies and cultivating strong relationships with students and their families, educators can meaningfully support students with autism and therefore enhance their learning experiences.
In this interview, meet Alex, a 22-year-old student in an inclusive postsecondary education (IPSE) program. First, he describes his autistic characteristics, including both strengths and challenges. Next, he explains what a typical school week looks like for him in his IPSE program. Finally, Alex shares what he wants educators to understand to better support students with autism. Note: Alex refers to autism as “it” in this interview.
inclusive postsecondary education (IPSE)
glossary
Transcript: Alex
I’m creative and I have a great memory. I think it makes it easy for me to remember things. As an example, my family doesn’t remember what happened 10 years ago, but I do. And I’m good at counting the years. I enjoy writing stories so I can express my creativity. I enjoy hanging out with children. When I’m hanging out with kids, I sometimes play tag or hide-and-seek and then I read books to them in the classroom.
It makes me struggle with schoolwork and make me have a hard time understanding people’s feelings and face expressions. When I was a kid, I had some adults that I call “helper teachers” who were guiding me. When I was younger, I usually see my speech therapist, but now I don’t anymore. When I see a speech therapist, they taught me how to say the words correctly in a nice way. When I used to see an OT, they helped me to hold a pencil. I don’t see an OT anymore because I was able to handle it. I went to see a behavioral therapist so I can learn how to control my emotions. But I found ways to help me out still. I learned how to control these emotions are taking a walk, take deep breaths, watch movies, or drink a soda. I don’t see the behavioral therapist anymore.
On school days, I wake up early so I can eat breakfast, take the dogs out, and brush my teeth. On Mondays, I go to archeology and astronomy. We listen to history about what happened to the archeology people from the past. In astronomy, we learn stuff in space. Tuesdays, I only have tutors. Wednesdays, I have archeology, astronomy, self-advocacy, and job career. In job career class, I learn about different types of jobs.
I would like for teachers to understand that it’s hard for us to understand and we need the steps breaking through on the visual task that needs to be completed and to be mindful that our brain process and understands information a different way. I would like for teachers to know that sometimes the sensory overload affects the way I learn to concentrate, such as the smells of different foods, perfume sometimes are smells that a typical person might not even smell, but in my case, I’m really sensitive to smells.
Revisiting Initial Thoughts
Think back to your initial responses to the following questions. After working through the resources in this module, do you agree with your Initial Thoughts? If not, what aspects of your answers would you change?
What is autism and what are the characteristics associated with it?
What should educators consider when working with students with autism?
When you are ready, proceed to the Assessment section.
