Learning is a task that each and every one of us take on. Haven’t there been instances when you have noticed that learning is not always an easy thing and that each of us learn and comprehend information and in our own unique ways? It can especially be difficult to learn and retain information for those who have a developmental disability such as autism, a lifelong developmental disability. Scientific research has been conducted about the understanding and proficiency in children with Autism Spectrum Disorder, especially focusing on reading and writing skills. Overall, learning about the importance of certain skills in those with autism is crucial for further development and community awareness about the topic.

First, let's begin with some background information about Autism itself. According to the Center for Disease Control and Prevention, 

Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is a developmental disability that can cause significant social, communication and behavioral challenges. There is often nothing about how people with ASD look that sets them apart from other people, but people with ASD may communicate, interact, behave, and learn in ways that are different from most other people. The learning, thinking, and problem-solving abilities of people with ASD can range from gifted to severely challenged. Some people with ASD need a lot of help in their daily lives; others need less” (CDC). 

It is important to shed light on the fact that there is a difference between each and every person and their learning abilities. Just because someone is diagnosed with ASD, or any developmental disorder for that matter, does not define who they are. It is important for scientists to investigate the details and specific facts about the significant capabilities and also the struggles of those with autism in order to better understand how to correctly teach and help those who may need it the most. 

The overall study, published by US National Library of Medicine National Institutes of Health, first presents reading difficulties in adolescents with ASD. There are two main components when it comes to reading… decoding and comprehension. Decoding focuses on the conversion between the actual words we read and the patterns and sounds formed by those words, whereas comprehension is the cognitive process that allows us to process information and material that we read or have seen. 

It is specified that previous studies have recorded significant success in decoding skills in individuals with autism, specifically word recognition and identification skills. “To determine the factors moderating reading comprehension performance in students with ASD, Brown et al. (2013) conducted a meta-analysis of 36 studies comparing ASD and control groups. The strongest individual predictors of reading comprehension were semantic knowledge and decoding skills. The study results highlight the contribution of oral language to reading comprehension, as well as the content of the texts, because individuals with ASD were significantly worse at comprehending highly social texts than less social texts” (US National Library). The information above displays the reading difficulty in individuals with autism. Students with autism tend to have great success in sorting out and deciphering between sounds and identification of words.

The second half of the study focuses on writing difficulties. There is often a gap of confusion between understanding material and being able to convey your words on paper. The US National Library of Medicine specifies that 60% of individuals with autism have some particular problem, or difficulty with writing. “Research on writing difficulties in ASD hasmainly focused on the planning and translation processes. A meta-analysis found significantly worse performance of ASD students on several components of writing, related to the translation process (length, legibility, size, speed, and spelling) and to some indicators of the planning process, such as text structure (Finnegan and Accardo, 2018)” (US National Library). Personally, I think everyone can agree and can find it difficult to sometimes convey our own thoughts and words onto paper. Therefore, cognitive delays in those with autism can make it extra challenging to always succeed in writing and organizing their thoughts and responses onto paper.

After seeing and learning about the results of these studies, it is very sad to know that special purpose schools are very needed in America. A perfect example of this is from my very own mom who works at a special purpose private school and teaches kids with autism and other disorders. Her school location is the only one within almost a 200-300 mile radius, making it very challenging for those families who do not have ability to enroll their child, or children, into a near program that will help them with learning, comprehension, reading, writing, and everything that they need to help them be successful. This is a sad, but very true example of the dire need for special education programs in our areas.

In summary, autism and other disorders are very important for the everyday public, and especially schools to be informed about. These needs are very important to be able to understand and get the proper educational assistance for. The Center for Disease Control and Prevention also states, “There is currently no cure for ASD. However, research shows that early intervention treatment services can improve a child’s development. Early intervention services help children from birth to 3 years old (36 months) learn important skills. Services can include therapy to help the child talk, walk, and interact with others. Therefore, it is important to talk to your child’s doctor as soon as possible if you think your child has ASD or other developmental problem” (CDC). Those with autism and other disorders may very well need more assistance when it comes to learning in the classroom. It is important for schools to know the facts and to provide the proper assistance to those who are in need.