For most children and teenagers, K-12 education is the most valuable and influential part of their lives, providing them with many experiences, new knowledge, close friends, and basic social skills. Unfortunately, this sometimes may not be the case for schoolers with autism spectrum disorder (ASD). Even though the overall situation is much better, and more people nowadays have a positive and supportive attitude towards kids with special needs, there are still many issues that prevent autistic learners from getting quantity education. Therefore, the purpose of this research paper is to explore the topic and review the existing literature about accessibility for students with autism in education in K-12. The overall situation, particular problems, and the importance of positive student-teacher relationships will be thoroughly discussed.
Educational Model for Students with ASD
Before 1975, children and teenagers with autism spectrum disorder did not have any accessibility to education. Most of them had to study in specialized schools or at home, where they were completely separated from their peers without disabilities (Partlo, 2018). Fortunately, the Education for All Handicapped Children Act of 1975 first introduced the idea of a right to public education for disabled students and “required schools to provide individualized special education for students with certain disabilities” (Partlo, 2018, p. 12). Since then, schoolers with autism have gained an opportunity to take part in general education classrooms together with other children without disabilities, which significantly influenced their socialization and academic performance.
The process of including learners with special needs in the general education setting was defined as mainstreaming disabled students. In the 1980s, the number of such children getting involved in ordinary schools increased (Partlo, 2018). Further, in 2004, special procedures were established in order to make sure that children and teenagers with autism spectrum disorder are taught in the least restrictive environment (LRE) (Bolourian et al., 2018). After that, the situation becomes better every year. Modern teachers are more aware of the skills they need to have and methods they should use to help schoolers with special needs and make their education more comfortable.
General Situation with ASD Students’ Accessibility in Education
As mentioned above, the current situation with accessibility in education for schoolers with special needs is much better than it used to be. To begin with, there is an increased involvement and participation of the government that sponsors various programs and makes sure that all families with autistic children may provide them with proper K-12 education (Denning & Moody, 2013). Further, teachers also feel the support of the government and find the modern ways of helping and teaching disabled schoolers easier and more understandable (Deschaine, 2018). Overall, children with ASD nowadays feel more accepted and involved at every level of K-12 education.
Whole School Approach
There is a specific practice that allows making the learning environment as friendly, tolerant, and supportive for both disabled and typically developing children as possible. This method is defined as the whole school approach and based on the idea that the entire school community has to work together in order to make the education process comfortable for autistic learners (Denning & Moody, 2013). There is a number of steps schools need to make to achieve this goal.
First of all, any educational facility should have an inclusive culture where all members cultivate equity, respect, and entirely positive recognition of and attitude to any differences. Second, teachers and other staff need to have up-to-date and relevant knowledge about autism spectrum disorder (Wei et al., 2015). This is an exclusively significant condition because educators’ incompetence may negatively influence autistic children’s experiences. Third, all students’ interests, strengths, and weaknesses must be taken into consideration when planning the curriculum (Denning & Moody, 2013). Then, there should be collaboration and communication between all school staff who work with autistic learners. This is essential since educators may get crucial information from school counselors or social workers about a particular student with ASD and consider it when teaching them (Partlo, 2018). Last but not least, making sure that autistic schoolers are provided with an opportunity to participate in and contribute to their local community while not being judged or bullied is also crucial.
Issues with ASD Students’ Accessibility in Education
Unfortunately, despite substantial improvements, there are still certain problems that make it more challenging for some autistic kids to go through every level of K-12 education successfully. Some of them are related to teachers’ general incompetence in communicating with autistic kids or their unwillingness to make sure that they indeed contribute to such children’s academic success and increase the level of positive experiences (Bolourian et al., 2018). What is more, it may happen that some teachers are simply not prepared to appropriately meeting the needs of learners with special needs. Thus, it becomes more difficult for educators, autistic kids, and their classmates to be properly and beneficially engaged in the schooling process (Wei et al., 2015). Deschaine (2018) also notices that “the issues related to providing thoughtful and quality online and blended services and programs for students with disabilities might at first be viewed as a challenging task by most educators” (para. 7).
Further, sometimes it is challenging for families to get access to proper education for their children with ASD, so they have to fight for this right, which requires much time (Denning & Moody, 2013). Additionally, some issues are related to disabled schoolers themselves as their autistic spectrum disorder occasionally does not allow them to successfully and quickly integrate into the school community (Bolourian et al., 2018). Finally, it is typical for children with autism to develop poor and distrusting relationships with their educators, which is proved by high conflict and low closeness.
How General Education Teachers May Effectively Facilitate Learning
Certainly, it is possible for educators to positively influence the schooling experiences of children with an autism spectrum disorder. To begin with, teachers should try to find a balance between providing help, support, and participation and showing pity and extra attention, which may be negatively perceived by both children with autism and their typically developing peers (Denning & Moody, 2013). Next, it is important for educators to adopt strategies that will reduce autistic students’ anxiety and promote their interest in learning. Providing such schoolers with special space for sensory reactions to the environment will contribute to their increased attention to the class materials (Marsh et al., 2017).
Further, it is vital to take into consideration the unique features of this disorder when making a lesson plan. For instance, a teacher may want to break big tasks into smaller ones that are more manageable for autistic kids (Deschaine, 2018). It will also allow such students to gradually complete their assignments and be happy and more engaged due to the successful completion of the previous parts of the task. Visual timetables will make sure that autistic students are aware of and ready for the new work (Bolourian et al., 2018). Finally, ensuring a positive environment in the classroom, providing support, and helping with being socialized are also the steps that a teacher may and should make to facilitate the learning of ASD schoolers.
The Importance of Positive Student-Teacher Relationships (STRs)
Unfortunately, transition to early schooling may be especially difficult and even frightening for young children with autistic spectrum disorder (Marsh et al., 2017). That is why, according to Bolourian et al. (2018), “the quality of the student-teacher relationship (STR) is seen as crucial to successful academic outcomes and a strong predictor of long-term behaviors” (para. 5). It is believed that supportive, trusting, and close relationships between autistic learners and their educators may greatly contribute to the development of stronger social skills and increased likelihood of peer acceptance (Bolourian et al., 2018).
Conclusion
To draw a conclusion, one may say that the general picture of accessibility for students with autism in education in K-12 appears to be rather optimistic. Most teachers nowadays do their best to support learners with special needs, increase their good experiences, and help them adapt to the educational environment. Various programs and practices aimed at making the school community more engaged in supporting students with autism spectrum disorder are of significant help. What is more, the fact that teachers now have increased access to different materials, refresher courses, and competent information on the education of children with special needs plays an essential role in providing such schoolers with proper K-12 education. Though substantial modifications and improvements are still required, it is possible to say that the process of engaging autistic children and teenagers in general education classrooms that started in 1975 and continues to this day is successful.
References
Bolourian, Y., Stavropoulos, K. K. M., & Blacher, J. (2018). Autism in the classroom: Educational issues across the lifespan. In M. Fitzgerald (Ed.), Autism spectrum disorders: Advances at the end of the second decade of the 21st century. IntechOpen.
Denning, C. B., & Moody, A. K. (2013). Supporting students with autism spectrum disorders in inclusive settings: Rethinking instruction and design. Electronic Journal for Inclusive Education, 3(1), 1-21.
Deschaine, M. (2018). Supporting students with disabilities in K-12 online and blended learning. Michigan Virtual University.
Marsh, A., Spagnol, V., Grove, R., & Eapen, V. (2017). Transition to school for children with autism spectrum disorder: A systematic review. World Journal of Psychiatry, 7(3), 184–196.
Partlo, S. (2018). Meeting learning needs of children with autism spectrum disorder in elementary education (Publication No. 5952) [Doctoral study, Walden University]. Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies.
Wei, X., Wagner, M., Christiano, E. R., Shattuck, P., & Yu, J. W. (2015). Special education services received by students with autism spectrum disorders from preschool through high school. Journal of Special Education, 48(3), 167-179.