How general education teachers can support students with ASD
By Autism Speaks
One in 36 children in the United States is diagnosed with autism. Increasingly, more are enrolled in general education classrooms in school.
The good news: inclusion has universal benefits. It has been known to improve educational outcomes for all students, overall attitudes towards diversity and even school attendance rates.
The bad news: most general education teachers lack sufficient autism-related instruction. Many teacher-education programs require just one overview class about students with disabilities. On-the-job professional development specific to autism is nearly non-existent and rarely mandatory.
As a result, even the best teachers can be unsure how to properly support their autistic students. Some even struggle to understand autism. Ethan Hirschberg experienced this in high school. The autistic teen was having a hard time keeping up in a well-respected teacher’s class. Frustrated, the teacher asked, “What are you, autistic?” A heartbroken, embarrassed Ethan responded, “yes.”
