The first picture is the example of a communication board which is a type of assistive technology that may be used in a classroom for a student that has Austism (p 273). The second picture is of a chart that shows the development of two sample students with Autism (p 262).
Autism is a developmental disability that significantly affects verbal and nonverbal communication and social interaction, generally evident before age 3, and that adversely affects a child's educational performance.
A list of characteristics of the particular condition/disability
One characteristic of children with autism is the lack of theory of mind, or the ability of human beings to understand the thinking and feelings of other people. These students are unable to shape the behavior of other people and see things from any other perspective but their own due to their theory of mind. Children with autism often suffer from hypersensitivity to sound or noises in their environment. Autistic children have a more extreme reaction to sounds then a typical child or person. Another characteristic of an autistic student deals with their motor skills. They have difficulties with gross and fine motor skills, these include, running, jumping, and being able to properly control and move ones body. Their height and weight can appear to be typical but their academic skills can appear to be at a first or second grade level while they should be performing at a fifth or sixth grade level. Children with autism can also suffer socially; they have difficulties with making friends and understanding the typical student in their classroom. This goes along with their lack of theory of mind. Dealing with another type of autism, students can be extremely intelligent and excel in their academics while they lack any type of social skills. They have very socially unaware and have no “people skills.”
A review of how students with the condition/ disability commonly differ from typical human growth and developmental patterns
Children with autism differ from typical children their age because they receive an enormous amount of extra support dealing with academics, social and personal skill. They have a normal appearance but have difficulties with bodily movement and motor skills. They tend to have social difficulties and they are very unaware of their surroundings.
Instructional Strategies
Students with autism require accomidations to allow them to learn to their best ability. The ways of doing this differ from age to age. One way to modify the classroom for students with ASD is using the RTI model. Tier one states that the teacher must be sensitized to the needs of children with autism. This includes necessary backup and help with specific students. The second tier says that, small group and individual lessons can help with social skills and still be directed at invidual needs. Tier three uses intensive work, and is the most severe case for students with autism. In this tier students will see specialist and recieve help inside and outside of school. Like most other disabilities students will need specialized instruction and one on one help. Students will work with a multidiciplinary team to develope an appropriate plan for their education. Students with autism can learn through assistive technology that may be common for all students such as computers, touch screens a computer mouse and a communication board.
Federal Laws
The federal law that applies to students with autism is the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1992. This act says that the rights of disabled americans are equal no matter race, age, national origin, religion, and gender. This says that all children with disabilities have equal access to educational resources without discrimination.
A descriptor of a community, state, or national organization or agency that provides assistance to individuals with the particular condition/disability and their families
An agency I found that provides information and assistance to individuals with autism and their families is the Autism Society of America. This organization provides information about living with autism, research done on the disability, programs that people can join to help out, and various things done throughout the community to try and better understand autism. The website looks very informative and will be beneficial to students, parents and teachers.
Anastasiow, N., Coleman, MR., Gallagher, J., & Kirk, S. (2009). Educating Exceptional Children: Twelfth Edition. Boston: Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
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