Accommodations in the Classroom for Students With ASD
What is autism spectrum disorder?
Autism Spectrum disorder (ASD) refers to a range of conditions that can affect one or more aspects of a person’s cognitive functioning – including learning abilities, social skills, behavior, and perceptive skills. Although the definition of ASD has changed over time, it has been listed in the DSM (Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders) since 1980. ASD encompasses Asperger’s syndrome, pervasive developmental disorder not otherwise specified (PDD-NOS), autistic disorder, and childhood disintegrative disorder. People diagnosed with ASD experience differing symptom presentation and severity. Symptoms of ASD can present in a child as young as twelve months old, though official diagnoses tend to happen later on, between two and four years old. It is possible, but not common, for ASD diagnoses to occur later in teenage or adult years. Today, there are various avenues of support for people with ASD. Simple searches for specialists in an area – for example, ‘autism care center Los Angeles’ or ‘autism therapy Los Angeles’ will yield helpful resources.
What are educational accommodations?
Accommodations in an educational setting refer to changes in how a student participates in their education. Accommodations can be made through instructional methods, test support, or environmental changes. It is important to distinguish between accommodations and modifications. While accommodations change how a student learns the material (how), modifications change what the student learns. For example, given the task of a written essay, one student may be accommodated by having an extended deadline. For another student, a different topic may be given for the essay, or a different format of presentation of the response accepted – this would be a modification.
Common symptoms of ASD and associated classroom difficulties and accommodations that could be implemented:
Sensory processing: A common symptom experienced by people with ASD is challenges with processing sensory information. This may be experienced as hypersensitivity (over-stimulation) or hyposensitivity (under-stimulation). Students hypersensitive to certain stimuli might struggle with bright lights, loud noises, or too much noise in a classroom environment. An example of accommodations in this case would be installing dimmer lights in the classroom (if this is not possible, the student could make use of tinted glasses or move to an area of the classroom with dimmed lighting). Noise-cancelling headphones can help a student who is sensitive to sound. Conversely, students who are hypersensitive to external stimuli may constantly seek physical stimulation. This can be seen in repetitive actions like tapping or rocking or lack of physical boundaries with other people. People with this hyposensitivity may be attracted to loud noises, bright lights, and vivid colors or images. Additionally, they may not be sensitive to impulses like hunger or pain, which can be dangerous if not carefully managed. Typical accommodations in a classroom for a student who is hypersensitive to their environment may include the provision of sensory toys or objects that the student can use for stimulation and that do not disrupt other students. A teacher might allow the student to walk outside the classroom (or go to a different part of the classroom) for a few minutes at certain intervals to enjoy an activity that is stimulating for them – such as playing with a sensory board that has different tactile features or playing with an object that creates sound.
Behavioral challenges: Some symptoms of ASD may present as poor or challenging behavior in a classroom environment. Examples may include yelling or unpredictable loud noises, self-stimulating behavior, self-injurious behavior, or behavior that may appear destructive, such as taking apart or breaking objects. Accommodations for behavioral challenges like these may include visual aids (for help with consistency and predictability) or lists of coping strategies for when a situation becomes overwhelming and can result in extreme behavior. Specific therapy strategies such as ABA (Applied Behavior Analysis) successfully encourage positive behaviors and decrease harmful behaviors in educational settings. Students struggling with behavior at school can attend autism therapy in Los Angeles (for example), or guardians can get resources from an autism care center in Los Angeles (or preferred location).
Conclusion:
Accommodations can be easily implemented in educational settings for students with ASD who are struggling with certain aspects of their schooling. These accommodations do not change what the student is learning but rather change how the student accesses their education. Accommodations help students with ASD to participate meaningfully in the classroom.
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