Autism Education
The number of children diagnosed with autism has risen to about one out of every 166 children born today. Ten years ago is was one of every 10,000 and the growing number of diagnosed cases increases the need for autism education.
Children with autism do not learn as typical children do. Learning by observing others is not available to them so they must learn how to learn, as they grow older. As a result, autism education needs follow a strict and intense highly structured and specialized plan.
According to Individuals with Disabilities Education Act, each of the current 6.5 million people with disabilities are entitled to the same educational opportunities as typical children which is a free, appropriate public education. This involves meeting the child’s unique needs and help the child learn the same information and skills as other children.
This requires parental, as well as professional involvement. Each child with autism has individualized strengths and weaknesses and these must be understood before any autism education plan can be developed before it can be deemed appropriate. Understanding the child’s needs can only be achieved by knowing the child’s weaknesses, according to the Autism Education Network.
Another aspect of autism education that is often overlooked is educating the child’s peers with typical learning abilities. Being among children also afflicted with autism while in special classes helps them grow and learn as well as expend on their strengths. If an autistic child is allowed to be teased by unthinking children, they could repress their weaknesses instead of trying to build on them.