Learning+Implications+for+Students+with+Autism+and+Aspergers

For many children with autism, continued attention and visually-based reasoning skills often surpass the ability to alter attention and employ verbal reasoning tasks. Delayed language development (verbal and non-verbal), limited social interactions and “sensory overload” are characteristics of children with autism; these domains of functioning do not improve in children with autism as quickly as it does in children with other developmental disabilities. Autism is known as a “spectrum disorder,” in that Autism can affect individuals differently, and symptoms may or may not be similar in every case. Some symptoms of individuals with Autism may include:  Communication problems may include: Social Interactions: Response to sensory information: Play: Behaviors: *Information from the Google Health website at [] Today, nearly one out of 150 children are diagnosed with Autism. According to Autism Speaks.org, that is more than childhood cancers, pediatric AIDS and juvenile diabetes, combined. With the number of children being diagnosed with Autism on the rise, it is evident that as teachers we find ways to create equity within our classrooms to provide a rigorous education to students with Autism. ( [])
 * Be overly sensitive in sight, hearing, touch, smell, or taste (for example, they may refuse to wear "itchy" clothes and become distressed if they are forced to wear the clothes)
 * Can have unusual distress when routines are changed
 * May perform repeated body movements
 * May show unusual attachments to familiar objects
 * Cannot start or maintain a social conversation
 * Communicates with gestures instead of words
 * Develops language slowly or not at all
 * Does not adjust gaze to look at objects that others are looking at
 * Does not refer to self correctly (for example, says "you want water" when the child means "I want water")
 * Does not point to direct others' attention to objects (occurs in the first 14 months of life)
 * <span style="font-family: 'Comic Sans MS',cursive; font-size: 110%;">Repeats words or memorized passages, such as commercials
 * <span style="font-family: 'Comic Sans MS',cursive; font-size: 110%;">Uses nonsense rhyming
 * <span style="font-family: 'Comic Sans MS',cursive; font-size: 110%;">Doesn't interact with or make friends
 * <span style="font-family: 'Comic Sans MS',cursive; font-size: 110%;">Doesn't play interactive games
 * <span style="font-family: 'Comic Sans MS',cursive; font-size: 110%;">Usually is withdrawn
 * <span style="font-family: 'Comic Sans MS',cursive; font-size: 110%;">Limited response to eye contact or smiles, or avoids eye contact
 * <span style="font-family: 'Comic Sans MS',cursive; font-size: 110%;">Can treat others as if they are objects
 * <span style="font-family: 'Comic Sans MS',cursive; font-size: 110%;">Prefers to be alone, rather than with others
 * <span style="font-family: 'Comic Sans MS',cursive; font-size: 110%;">Shows little empathy
 * <span style="font-family: 'Comic Sans MS',cursive; font-size: 110%;">Isn't startled at loud noises
 * <span style="font-family: 'Comic Sans MS',cursive; font-size: 110%;">Can have heightened or lowered senses
 * <span style="font-family: 'Comic Sans MS',cursive; font-size: 110%;">May find normal noises painful and will hold hands over ears
 * <span style="font-family: 'Comic Sans MS',cursive; font-size: 110%;">Can withdraw from physical contact because it is overstimulating or overwhelming
 * <span style="font-family: 'Comic Sans MS',cursive; font-size: 110%;">Rubs surfaces or licks objects
 * <span style="font-family: 'Comic Sans MS',cursive; font-size: 110%;">Seems to have a heightened or lowered responses to pain
 * <span style="font-family: 'Comic Sans MS',cursive; font-size: 110%;">Doesn't imitate the actions of others
 * <span style="font-family: 'Comic Sans MS',cursive; font-size: 110%;">Prefers solitary or ritualistic play
 * <span style="font-family: 'Comic Sans MS',cursive; font-size: 110%;">Shows little pretend or imaginative play
 * <span style="font-family: 'Comic Sans MS',cursive;">May have intense tantrums
 * <span style="font-family: 'Comic Sans MS',cursive;">Often gets stuck on a single topic
 * <span style="font-family: 'Comic Sans MS',cursive;">Can have a short attention span with certain activities
 * <span style="font-family: 'Comic Sans MS',cursive;">Generally can have very narrow interests
 * <span style="font-family: 'Comic Sans MS',cursive;">Individual can be overactive or very passive
 * <span style="font-family: 'Comic Sans MS',cursive;">Individual can show mild to severe aggression to others or self
 * <span style="font-family: 'Comic Sans MS',cursive;">Needs consistency with daily activities or routine
 * <span style="font-family: 'Comic Sans MS',cursive;">Often times uses repetitive body movements