Choosing an educational program for a child diagnosed with an autism spectrum disorder can be a challenging decision to make. Many factors must be considered before this decision can be made with confidence. The biggest obstacle for many parents to overcome is to figure out whether they should send their child to a special needs school, where they will be surrounded by other students who are diagnosed with the same or similar disorders, or whether they should send their child to a regular schooling system, which educates all kids. Some parents feel more comfortable knowing that their child is surrounded with children who are dealing with the same disorder, while others feel that their child could benefit from being surrounded by and learning from the general population of children in a regular schooling system.

The Department of Education in each state will provide you with information and details about each of the state schools as well as information about how the transition process between grades works for each school. It is in the best interest of the whole family that you get in contact with the Department of Education office at least six to nine months prior to your child starting school. The following chart describes the advantages and disadvantages of the two choices by highlighting the pros and cons of sending a child to a regular schooling system:

                       PROS                                                                             CONS

   - Child is surrounded by students who                                             

      have well developed social and                                                       

     communication abilities; child                                                       

     will be able to benefit socially from being                          

      around these other students. (Child will feel

      more inclined to use appropriate social and                                   

      school population.)                                                        -  Few, but some parents worry  

                                                                                that having a special needs child 

   - Child will be able to get a tremendous                                in their child’s class will affect their

     amount of help and guidance from the many                       child’s learning process and

     students that will be willing to reach out and                       because of that may not want 

      help them with their developmental process.                     children with autism present.

     (A high majority of students are willing to help.)           

                                                                                          -  Parents may be concerned and 

                                                                                            disappointed  by  seeing

   -  Higher expectations for child’s behavior                              their child surrounded by students

       and education will be demanded, which                             who are developing faster

       will allow for further development of child                            than their child is.

  -  In the end, a parent wants their child to be                                               

     able to be independent and be able to func-                     -  Parents may have worries that their

     tion alone in society. So the earlier a child                          child may not be accepted by the

     get this experience, the sooner they can de-                       other children.

     velop the skills necessary to do so.   

Trying to figure out which teacher is appropriate for a child can also be challenging. Every child is different, so it is difficult to provide a universal description of an ideal teacher. When searching for a teacher, don’t hesitate to look at all the options very carefully, and observe each teacher before making a decision. Here are a few guidelines to consider when looking for the best teacher for your child:

            THE TEACHER SHOULD….

·    show excitement and an accepting attitude about having the child in their class

·    be willing to prepare the child ahead of time for lessons and events

·    have a good relationship and interaction with the students in the class

·    have a firm control of the classroom’s behavior

·    use both hearing and visual techniques in their teachings in order for different learners to grasp the material

·    often use motivational techniques to encourage learning of classroom material

·    be comfortable and able to individualize instructions for children who need special instruction

·    be willing to work alongside the parent in providing special services and programs for the child

·    use positive techniques instead of punishment to better classroom behavior

·    implement appropriate educational teachings

It is necessary that a child with autism gets a classroom experience similar to that of the other students. Many teachers may go easier on a child who is diagnosed with autism and will not require the child to participate in more sophisticated or difficult class work. However, this is not the best approach, and there are a number of ways for every teacher to get even the difficult information across to their students:

Most importantly it is necessary for a teacher to prepare a child with ASD before beginning a new topic. Before going into lecture or handing out an assignment, the teacher should take time to briefly go over the material with the child with ASD, so that the autistic-diagnosed child can get an initial grasp of the subject before the teacher formally explains it to the entire class.

Children with autism tend to get a little anxious and uneasy when they are faced with an unexpected event. This discomfort may not only affect their focus on learning, but may cause the child to misbehave in protest. Thus, it is a good idea for a teacher to provide some type of calendar or schedule of events for the child to keep on his desk so that he will be prepared for what’s ahead. Those who are diagnosed with ASD are often very visual individuals, so a picture-based schedule would probably be the best option for the child.

If a particular subject of study is too difficult for a child to get the hang of, it can always be altered so that the child is still learning the same concept while working with a simpler setup. For example, if a child is having trouble developing the concept of multiplication, it can be written as an addition problem instead

(3 x 3 = 9) can easily be written as (3 + 3 + 3 = 9)

Many children with ASD have the tendency to overlook the details and specifics of assignments. For example, they may mistakenly read a multiplication sign as a division sign, and thus perform the opposite of what they are supposed to do. One way to avoid this is for the teacher to heighten the visibility of these indicators by increasing their size or highlighting them so that the child will have an easier time noticing them.

If your child does have an understanding of the subject, but has trouble completing entire assignments correctly, the teacher should shorten the assignment for your child’s needs. This way the child still gets the general training of the lesson, does not become frustrated or overly anxious with the large amount of work at hand, and can appreciate the feeling of accomplishment of completing their assignment.

In the end, as a parent, you know your child better than anybody else does, and because of that you are the one who should feel most confident about choosing which schools and which teachers fit your child the best. Use the guidelines above as direction, but be sure to follow your own knowledge and intuitions. Note: One of the most efficient ways to educate a child diagnosed with autism is through an Individualized Education Program or I.E.P.

[Koegel, Lynn Kern Ph.D. and Lazebnik, Claire. Overcoming Autism. New York: Penguin Books, 2004. pp. 210, 214, 217-221]