Abstract

This study focuses on the perception of individuals with autism through the general public, educators, and their peers in modern society. The researcher includes a thorough literature review of articles pertaining to the subject of a world perspective, understanding of autism, and education curriculum.

The researcher chose to hold three focus groups using the qualitative data collection method. This approach allowed the researcher to conduct three discussions each with 4 individuals from a variety of backgrounds. First group consisted of educators who worked with students with autism. The second group consisted of female college students with a variety of majors, none being education. The third group consisted of mle college students, in which none had a variety of majors, none being education.

The researcher found that the educators were expectedly more understanding of what autism is and all having a positive connotation with it. In the second and third groups, none of the college students fully understood the condition of autism. The second and third groups also had similar experiences of remembering having classes with special needs students in elementary and middle school but not being directly taught about special needs. In conclusion to this study, the researcher found there is a silence and misunderstanding when it comes to special needs students in elementary and middle school. Teachers are not educating students about their special needs peers. Having this misunderstanding can greatly affect an individual's outlook on the special needs community as a whole.

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