Students with high functioning autism struggle to apply pragmatic language skills in authentic social situations. In other words, when participating in a social skills class, students with autism can recite back the concepts they have been taught about reciprocity in conversation, the importance of body language, and remedial strategies to read nonverbal cues. However, when they are on the playground, they are unable to to apply this information, and they still cannot make friends. They do not have enough supported social experiences to practice these new and foreign concepts to the point of mastery.
A neighboring school district offers a special program to address these important needs. It is called a communication class. The program is aimed at children who function at or above grade level academically, but who struggle with social communication deficits. Pragmatic language skills are taught systematically, and children are given supported inclusion time during which they can practice these skills. Inclusion time is expanded as skills are acquired. The goal is, of course, to move students back into full inclusion in their neighborhood schools when they are ready.
The school district is having a lot of success with this approach. Students are making progress, and they are not experiencing the rejection and the social isolation that my son experiences in a full inclusion setting. Unfortunately, this type of model is rare. Parents are not offered alternatives for their children who are not successful in the mainstream.
I have already decided that my son is not ready for inclusion. This is not the least restrictive environment for him. He needs more support. I feel as if his childhood is ticking away, and he still is not learning social communication skills on even the most basic and functional level. And he is so lonely. See Not Received
I asked him if he would be lonely learning at home again. He said that he is already lonely when he is at school, but he would miss his teacher. (Sweet sweet boy… I want so much to fix this for you.)
At his yearly IEP meeting, we got to the placement page on his Individual Education Plan. The special education teacher wanted to know if we would like specialized instruction delivered in the classroom or in the resource room. These are our only options. There is no alternative placement for my son. Clearly, he does not belong in a life skills classroom, but he is not learning what he needs to learn where he is. Is he receiving a free and appropriate education that he is entitled to according to IDEA 2004?
Filed under: Apergers, Education Tagged: | Aspergers, Education
Look into a global organization called Best Buddies