What is the ‘right’ school for a child with autism?

by Shamika Kulasingham

If you or someone you know has a child with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD), after many different appointments with specialists and therapists, one of the biggest questions one is plagued with is 'what kind of education should such a child receive'?

Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) includes different developmental challenges in social, language and learning skills. Due to the nature of ASD, some developmental delays can be observed as early as 18 months. Due to the developmental challenges that children with ASD experience, standardized education and the typical classroom environment would not only be unhelpful for the child but will prove to be a challenge for the teachers and peers. Many countries, including Sri Lanka, adopt an inclusive education policy, which means that all children are given an equal opportunity to education, in a format that will maximize their learning experience, language acquisition and personal development. There are many different approaches to education that are believed to affect a child with special needs’ socialization and language acquisition, and this decision can get quite overwhelming . This post will briefly discuss the three main approaches: inclusion approach (general school), segregated approach (special school), and an integrated approach (general school with special class), before discussing an ideal approach for a child with ASD.

Mainstreaming or the inclusion approach is when children are included in the classroom of typically developing children and follow the same routine and activities. There are quite a few pre-schools in Sri Lanka that admit children with ASD into their general school curriculum and although they might have certain support features in place such as a shadow teacher, in general, the expectations are similar to a typically developing child. Therefore, this approach might not be suitable for children who are finding it difficult in social situations or are non-verbal, as they might need to be taught at the pace necessary to improve their development.

Although only a handful of pre-schools in Sri Lanka adopt this approach, this approach designs its curriculum solely for children with varied needs. Therefore the children would interact only with others who have other developmental delays and the activities and teaching would cater to their varied needs. This classroom setting could prove to be beneficial for children with ASD, as they are not viewed as outcasts and will not be teased, allowing them to develop their social skills. However, as the peers are also struggling in a particular developmental area, the child will have no typical interaction or partake in typical activities.

This is the most common approach to education that is utilized in Sri Lanka and is a hybrid of the above-mentioned approaches as there are resource rooms or special classes in a general school. Children with ASD follow the typical curriculum but move into a separate varied needs class during limited slots for specific purposes. This approach allows the children to interact with typical peers as well as receive specialized attention and support. However, if the child is sensitive to a constant change of environment or would constantly need specialized support, this approach might not be the best for them.

First and foremost, it is important to recognize that ASD is a spectrum and each child’s developmental challenge is different to another child with ASD. So therefore it is really difficult to predict what works best for each child. This is why it's of utmost importance that you consult a therapist. However, although there has been a lot of prominence given to the importance of choosing the correct approach of education for your child, research has proven that no significant changes were seen in language acquisition and social development from the different educational settings (see Lal,2005 and Panerai et al., 2009). Therefore the child’s development does not seem to depend entirely on the educational approach.

The crucial aspect lies in the skills and resources teachers and administrators are equipped with in order to facilitate a conducive learning environment for the children. Research shows that regardless of the educational setting, children with ASD develop their language skills if they are provided with the required instructional, environmental and infrastructural support. Therefore, another concern for parents when considering their child’s education is the techniques of teaching used and the support that is provided. It is of utmost importance that the school has trained teachers, a pleasant and accepting environment, and a curriculum that is individualized and inclusive for children with ASD. The TEACCH program is considered to be quite an effective program to help children with ASD develop their verbal, cognitive, and other skills.

Helpful Sources :

https://www.highspeedtraining.co.uk/hub/how-to-support-a-child-with-autism-in-the-classroom/

https://learningportal.iiep.unesco.org/en/issue-briefs/improve-learning/disability-inclusive-education-and-learning https://www.readingrockets.org/article/supporting-students-autism-10-ideas-inclusive-classrooms