Meeting the Needs of Students with Autism
It's estimated that one out of every 100 children in the United States has some form of autism, and that number is escalating at a frightening pace. The federal government says autism is increasing at a rate of 10 percent to 17 percent each year and could affect some 4 million Americans in the next decade, placing an enormous strain on school systems charged with educating students diagnosed with the disorder.
Given the growing nature of this national challenge, experts warn that school leaders should begin thinking about how they can ramp up the capacity to deal with autistic children in their schools. With the generous support of Virtual Expert Clinics Inc., we've assembled this collection of stories from the eSchool News archives, as well as resources from around the web, to help you do just that.
--The Editors
eSchool News articles
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Experts: Prepare now for autism's rising flood
As the number of school-age children diagnosed with autism continues to rise at an alarming rate, parents and special-education teachers are trying desperately to make school leaders aware of the often-overlooked education needs and costs associated with the condition.[ Read More ] -
A 21st-century approach to teaching autistic students
In the United States, a child is diagnosed with autism every 21 minutes--a rate that is growing faster than that of any other developmental disorder, according to Virtual Expert Clinics Inc. In response to this trend, Virtual Expert Clinics has developed a 21st-century response to educating students with autism, called AutismPro.[ Read More ] -
Alternative keyboard helps autistic kids communicate
Autism can build a wall of poor communication between those struggling with the condition and their families. While a personal computer can help bridge the divide, the distraction and complexity of a keyboard can be an insurmountable obstacle. Now, using a unique keyboard with only two "keys" and a novel curriculum, teachers with an initiative called Project Blue Skies are giving autistic children the ability to communicate and also explore the online world. [ Read More ] -
Schools, families clash over autism service dogs
Like seeing-eye dogs for the blind, trained dogs are now being used to help autistic children deal with their disabilities. But some schools want to keep the animals out--and families are fighting back. [ Read More ] -
Friendship 'boot camp' helps autistic teens socialize
A new 14-week "boot camp" is helping autistic teens recognize the social cues most of us take for granted every day, enabling them to make new friends and socialize at a reasonably functional level. [ Read More ] -
DVD teaches autistic kids what a smile means
It wasn't until Jude met Jenny that the 3-year-old autistic boy understood what happy people look like. Jenny, a green trolley car with a human face, had a furrowed brow when her wheel buckled and she got stuck on a track. But after being rescued by friends, she smiled broadly--and that's when something clicked for little Jude Baines. [ Read More ] -
Brain waves are a window into autism language woes
Unique brain wave patterns, spotted for the first time in autistic children, could help explain why they have so much trouble communicating, a new study suggests. [ Read More ] -
Study shows families' financial strain from autism
More than half a million U.S. children have autism, with costly health care needs that often put an unprecedented financial strain on their families, national data show. [ Read More ] -
Free web browser meant for autistic children
A Las Vegas software developer has created a free web browser designed specifically for use by autistic children. [ Read More ]
Other Resources
Autism Society of America
http://www.autism-society.org
Autism Speaks
http://www.autismspeaks.org
UCLA Center for Autism Research and Treatment (CART)
http://www.autism.ucla.edu/index2.php
West Virginia Autism Training Center at Marshall University
http://www.marshall.edu/coe/atc
Autism Research Institute
http://www.autism.com
Yale Developmental Disabilities Clinic
http://info.med.yale.edu/chldstdy/autism