Autism Acceptance Month

Published on April. 16, 2024

By Kim Phan

Opinions Editor

April is Autism Awareness Month. Many misconceptions about autism run rampant. So in schools where students may dub it as their second home, there should be a responsibility to make learning more accessible. Despite the stigma and derogatory language that is targeted towards disabilities, autism is more common than people think. An estimated 1 in 36 children in the US have autism while 1 in 45 adults are estimated to have autism.

That doesn’t mean there has been progress in including individuals with autism in education environments already. However, there is always progress to be made. 

Some may argue that there’s no need to compensate for others and that the condition can be cured. That is simply not the case. It’s not a disease, despite the common misconception. It’s a communication disorder and mainly affects communication and how other people’s words are interpreted. It’s less like a disease and more similar to being a part of someone’s identity. So being more explicit and literal can help when it comes to peers who have classmates with autism or are neurodivergent. Sometimes the need for this can be looked down upon by others who may not share the same experiences. This is why they must first understand that people will communicate differently and there’s nothing wrong with that. 

To gain a better understanding of autism and neurodivergence, we got to interview a teacher who has AuDHD. AuDHD is a term coined by the neurodivergent community to represent the coexistence of symptoms overlapping between ADHD and Autism. Science teacher Danielle Miles has a lot to share when it comes to making classroom settings better for accommodating individuals who experience difficulties with autism. She has advice geared towards teachers such as more resources and transitions geared toward neurodivergent people. 

Miles suggests, “Many people with autism like routine and predictability so it will be helpful to give transition warnings to help them adjust.” 

Things such as a sensory classroom and implementing a variety of workspaces for students to apply themselves can also be helpful toward their educational development. 

Some people like to think that autistic people are “suffering from autism,” but this is a misconception and is not always the case. 

“You can’t suffer from autism specifically but you can suffer from misunderstanding and confusion when communicating with others,” Miles said. 

Being aware of what can give people overstimulation and understimulation can be better in making classroom spaces inclusive of everyone involved. 

The first step to awareness and acknowledgment is encouraging neurodiversity. Neurodiversity is simply recognizing that individuals have different ways in which their brains work and there is no single correct way. 

Welcoming neurodivergent people in spaces can make us even stronger as a school. To make progress toward a better world, we must be sure to celebrate all the differences and similarities between everyone. Because we all may be more similar than we thought.