Encounters with Autism

Yet another reflection on what I do, why I'm doing it, and what I think about it.


In any given year, what is the average number of students with an Autism Spectrum Disorder in your classroom?

It totally depends on the setting. If I'm working in mainstream classes, 0-1. If I'm working in Special Ed, it can be anywhere from a single student to the entire classroom (especially when I'm working for the district that has highly specialized programs for Autism). Over time, I've observed that often, there's at least one student in at least one of my classes that is somewhere on the spectrum.

For the current academic year, please indicate the total number of students with an Autism Spectrum Disorder in your classroom:

The vast majority of students in my classroom have ASDs.

What is the typical setting in which students with Autism Spectrum Disorders reside in your school?

It depends on the severity of the impact. Kids who are high-functioning (or Asperger's) mostly attend mainstream classes with some pull-out time to work with specialists. Moderate to severe kids tend to be in self-contained classrooms with partial mainstreaming where appropriate. The most profoundly affected students spend their entire day in self-contained classrooms.

Please indicate the frequency with which you consult with the following professionals in reference to your students with Autism Spectrum Disorders:

I mainly work with the speech & language pathologist, and occasionally the
occupational/physical therapist. Occasionally there's consulting visits with other personnel like social workers/case managers, or autism specialists from regional service providers.

Do you feel that you have the KNOWLEDGE BASE required to effectively teach a student with an Autism Spectrum Disorder?

For the most part, and I'm mainly referring to the higher end of the spectrum. I've got a lot of general experience working with students with ASDs which comes in handy much of the time. I would like more training in some of the specific interventions that are commonly used. The main thing about working with individuals with ASDs that I've learned is that there's a basic set of moves that works well with most kids, but a huge area where individual differences require a bit more "self-study" to figure out what will work best with a particular individual.

Do you feel that you have the TECHNICAL SKILLS required to effectively teach a student with an Autism Spectrum Disorder?

Not necessarily. I'd love more training in ABA methodologies and in the area of AACs.

OUTSIDE OF YOUR CURRENT OCCUPATION, do you have any personal experiences with autism, including previous employment, current part-time employment, or personal relationships?

Surprisingly I didn't have any personal experiences with Autism before I got into teaching, but I have worked with a couple of students on the spectrum before I completed my licensure program.


Have you received any FORMAL autism-specific education or training?

I've attended some trainings/seminars. Most of what I know is the result of self-study (when I'm searching for the answer to a specific problem or need).

Please indicate the instructional priorities for students with Autism Spectrum Disorders currently in your classroom:

It's totally driven by the student's IEP (his or her particular needs). Most of our students are working on a mix of academics, language/communication goals, social skills, functional/adaptive skills, behavioral interventions, and vocational skills. The student I work with most intensively has pre-vocational, functional living, and communications goals.

What are your TOP FIVE recommended treatments for students with an Autism Spectrum Disorder?

1. Communication options for minimally verbal or non-verbal students: Sign language, Picture Exchange Communication System (PECS), Augmentative communication, etc. (the inability to communicate drives a lot of the most difficult behaviors you see with ASDs).

2. Social skills: Video modeling, Social Stories (good for both social skills and literacy), Social skills groups (a way to "practice" learning and using new behaviors in a safe space).

3. Speech & language therapy: most kids with ASDs need this to some extent

4. Vocational training: even most higher functioning individuals will need help in this area.

5. The selection of a specific instructional program/method that is geared towards the needs of students with Autism (Intensive Behavioral Intervention, Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA), Discrete Trial Training (DTT)).

24. In terms of CLASSROOM SUPPORT, specific to your students with Autism Spectrum Disorders, what is your greatest need?

The two things I often want more of for myself is additional training (preferably offered outside of the regular school day so I don't have to take time off), and a bit of quality time with the autism specialist. Another item for my wish list is greater parent support of the strategies we teach and use at school. If the students were using the strategies at home or in community settings (as well as at school), the rate of progress would probably be unbelievable!

In terms of autism-specific EDUCATION AND TRAINING, which topic areas are of greatest interest?

1. Recommended educational treatments for students with Autism Spectrum Disorders
2. Hands-on behavior intervention techniques, management strategies for dealing with disruptive or maladaptive behaviors
3. Communicating more effectively with students with Autism Spectrum Disorders
4. Social skills - joint attention, imitation, initiation, self-management, perspective taking...

In some of these areas, I would prefer actual hands-on training. In others, access to high-quality reading material would probably suffice.

Please indicate the greatest difficulties in terms of the inclusion of students with Autism Spectrum Disorders in the mainstream/general education classroom:

1. The need for one-to-one instruction or management for certain students, and not really having the staffing levels to do this.

2. A mainstream classroom environment that accepts and facilitates the proactive management of disruptive or maladaptive behaviors (in other words, a room with a plan).

3. The students' cognitive issues/the degree of severity of the children’s Autism Spectrum Disorder, which can make it difficult for inclusion in a mainstream classroom.

4. A total lack of autism-specific knowledge and teaching strategies by the majority of mainstream educators. The biggest sin here is that most teachers talk way too much... Most students with ASDs can't take in tons of verbal information, but most teachers deliver their instruction this way, making it less likely that students with ASDs will be successful in the classroom.