Does anyone who knows about Aspergers agree that inclusion is not necessarily the best for the child?

Question

The state of the art for instruction for Asperger's kids is one on one for four hours a day for five days. Have any of you been able to achieve that for your child? If so, could you give me some arguing points?

Thanks for that first answer. I know what you say is how it happens. What I want to know and I guess didn't ask well is, what happens to the children who have trouble in school, like the children with Asperger's who get absolutely nothing out of school?

Thanks for answer #2. All that you suggest I have done more than once or twice or three times. I really have and the education professionals have not always been right in their decisions - and they have admitted they were wrong. But this is not meant to be adversarial. I want all the energy focused on what can be done for my child. What I would really like to know is what parents before me may have done in the same situation; what other settings or programs or groups or whatever have been tried when the 'regular' plans have hit a snag. One of the options I have recently read on a site named Autism Vox does not propose inclusion as necessarily the right thing. I'm asking if anyone who reads this has experience changing from inclusion to a more structured setting and if so, how did it work?

How wonderful to have a precious young daughter love you and to live the moments time stops when she says it. I've not heard about the 2x2 and I will. My child has been through elementary and middle school and is now in high school. She and your daughter sound very much alike in their articulate speech. Thank you for your answer. I agree with everything you say and I wish I didn't have to be concerned about my child's situation now.

I would like to know the school district for the 10 year old boy in the 6th answer. Sounds ideal. The one on one hours I said were the state of the art (from professional literature) sounds less comprehensive than what your son gets. And I do know about the need for socialization. In addition to the activities you list, horseback riding is an excellent therapy. Karate didn't work because of some motor delays - no ridicule, but chagrin just the same.

Thanks for the latest answer from the special ed teacher who knows where I stand as far as the school's opinion of me!!! My child is starting to fail assignments and even whole semester classes and I can't just leave it alone. There is something happening that is causing her trouble and she needs help to stop the fall.

Answer 1

I have been working with autistic kids for 15 years. This past year, I recently began supporting kids with autism and Asperger's syndrome in the inclusive setting. It has been quite a switch for me. I'm used to working with an autistic support team. Working primarily with regular education has truly been a learning process.

I do agree with you. Inclusion is not for everyone. Don't get me wrong....I see it work very well for some kids but it should not always been the only option offered for Asperger kids because their academics are on "grade level" or above.

I have some examples of kids going from inclusion to self-contained classrooms. One instance was with an autistic boy. His family was adament that inclusion was the only option. Then his academics faltered. We determined he learned math and reading best in a small group so he began going to resource room for those subjects. His behavior in the special ed. classroom was great. No whining, no crying, basically he was doing well. Then he would return to his regular ed. classroom and would whine, cry, remove his clothing, etc. We begged the parents to let us try a more restrictive classroom. End result....he is happy. His parents are happy. They even agreed the IEP team was correct.

Second instance. A 4th grade boy with Asperger's syndrome. He struggled with all academics and had very poor social skills. His parents placed him in regular public school in 2nd grade. Prior to that he was in a Montesori program. The parents fought the teachers when they suggested testing. They didn't understand that we couldn't help him appropriately if we didn't have a evaluation that told us exactly what he needed. They reluctantly agreed and he was placed in part-time learning support with inclusion for special subject areas. He began making nice academic progress but his social skills were poor. He fought all the time with peers and never had any friends or invitations to birthday parties. His teacher suggested the family look at an autistic support program in the district. The parents agreed to try it and he was transitioned to autistic support in 5th grade. I have to admit...I didn't like the idea of transitioning a child for their last year of elementary school, but I was new to the district and let the team who knew the child best make the decision. Now he is getting the support he needs socially. He has play dates and love working with his autistic support friends who need help (he loves tutoring lower funcitoning children and has become quite an advocate for their needs on the playground!!). I was at an IEP meeting and his mother said...they were so afraid of pigeon holing him with a diagnosis....but now they see all he could have received in autistic support and regret not getting him diagnosed earlier.

Those are two success stories. Transitioning from inclusion to a more restrictive program worked for these kids. Just as inclusion is not for everyone, either is self-contained or full-time programs.

The main point of argument....how does the school know what is best if all options haven't been explored. Remember IDEA 2004 and No Child left behind are really pushing for inclusion programming to meet the needs of all. My state (PA) fines districts for having too many kids in "programs" instead of inclusion or part-time classes. I quite often have to beg for one to one support for my kids in school.

Ask your district for a trial period. It might be hard on your child....so please think long and hard before doing it. Best points to argue: how much progress is he making?, does he have friends?, is his behavior disruptive?, is he having all of his needs met appropriately in an inclusive setting?

Good luck to you!

Answer 2

You have some great answers. I don't think I can improve on it. As someone who has worked with quite a few kids on the autism spectrum (and more kids with Asperger's than most) I just wanted to say that full-day inclusion can be overwhelming for LOTS of kids with disabilities, no matter how academically sound they may be. You've already heard the public school perspective, so you know that the ideal (if indeed 4 hours 1-1 is ideal for your particular child) is probably not going to happen. I hope you do get a good amount of 1-1 time for your child, though. I also hope you won't dismiss the benefits of keeping your child in with a social group of age-peers for part of the day. (From your edits it does sound like you haven't dismissed that, and I think it's important enough to emphasize here.)

As a special ed teacher who generally had very good rapport with parents--even parents generally considered "difficult" by the school (as you have no doubt been labeled by now) ;) --I have to say that the best outcomes for kids came when a parent was vocal and educated, yet able to listen to my neutral perspective. Equally important was the fact that I listened to the parent also. By the time your special needs kid gets to high school, you have probably been ignored and railroaded a lot. It may be with the best of intentions, but it's still not the ideal situation. I wish you the best with your child and I hope you can find a special ed teacher who is not too burned out to listen to you! :)

Answer 3

For Asperger's, as with all disabilities, there will be a gap between what is ideal and what is practical. I haven't personally heard it recommended that a child receive one-on-one instruction for 4 hours a day for Asperger's syndrome, but it's reasonable to assume that any child would benefit from such an arrangement (with or without disabilities).

However, what you have to keep in mind is that federal law grants students access to a "free, appropriate public education." Appropriate is the key word here- it does not say "ideal." So, the school is legally required to ensure that your child is learning and his needs are reasonably met within his or her placement. This does not mean that the child might learn more in another placement- which leaves everyone in a nasty gray area. After all, what you see as appropriate and what the school sees as appropriate may be two different things.

As far as inclusion, students with Asperger's vary widely in thier abilities and characteristics. If the school says that your child should be in inclusion simply because he has Asperger's, then it's time to consult another professional in your area. (Talk to other special education parents in your school to find out more- someone will know who to contact.)

However, if the school has considered your child's characteristics and feels that he or she is socially and emotionally capable of handling an inclusion classroom and he or she is progressing with the basic grade-level curriculum, then that means they have done what they need to do. If you still disagree, talk to your child's teacher/principal/special education coordinator to find out what you can do next. Good luck.

Answer 4

I'm now not aware of Asperger's Syndrome, however I feel I get your query. I am perplexed, nevertheless, approximately the best way you hyperlink disbelief of ID to damnation. Has anyone informed you that is precise? I'm now not a theologian, however I've studied sufficient to grasp that there are no less than 3 classes of perception: a million) Required for salvation two) Required for orthodoxy three) Not required in any respect ID, as good as such a lot of what is within the Bible, falls into class two) or three) relying in your denomination. The best class a million) bits that investigate damnation--or lack thereof--must do with perception in Jesus Christ. The "unpardonable sin" isn't believing in him as Lord and Savior. If the youngster in query refuses to feel in Jesus because of his or her situation, I feel that God will take that into consideration on judgment day. The Bible may be very transparent that each and every people shall be held to a flawlessly simply regular that's proportional to how so much we knew and what we did with that competencies. Would *I* condemn that youngster or anybody else for now not accepting ID? Absolutely now not.

Answer 5

My son has Aspergers. He was in an inclusion program for several years, however there was no way the school district could meet all of his needs. He is very smart, but his social, organizational and motor skills were very poor. We were so frustrated by our public school experience that we decided to homeschool when my son entered high school. It was the best solution for meeting my sons needs.

He had the one on one instruction that he needed. He recently began college with no modifications for his disability and has been receiving A's and B's. He also has his drivers license (pray for me!).

Think about homeschooling. It might be an option for you.

BTW: My son had Spanish all through high school and is continuing it in college. The structured conversations that go along with foreign language instruction are perfect for teaching kids with autism spectrum disorders how a conversation should flow, without making them feel stupid by practicing conversations in English. I think my son's processing delay shrunk as a result of learning another language.

Answer 6

You will find it difficult to find a public school that has the resources to provided one on one instruction for one child for four hours a day. That means the school would basically have to hire a teacher just for your child.

Depending on how severe the child's Aspergers is, I think inclusion can be successful or a failure. It depends on the child. I've had autistic students and students with Aspergers who absolutely got nothing out of school. I've had others who became successful academically and improved socially enough that they were completely mainstreamed by middle school.

In most cases, your child will get pulled out for small-group instruction with maybe 3 or 4 other kids for about 2 hours a day for extra help with special needs. But 4 hours a day one-on-one for an inclusion kid is unheard of.

Answer 7

I think that it's important to socialize every child, to a certain degree. But for some kids, inclusion may not be the answer. My 10 year old son has Aspeger's Syndrome, and inclusion has worked out great for him. However, he always has access to the resource teacher, and her classroom in case he needs a quiet place to work. Our school district has great a great Autism team that trains the teachers to work with him. He is above level, but doesn't always do all of his work. The teachers have been great at modifying the work, to make it not so overwhelming to him. (Such as cutting the busy work, and make sure he is always intellectually stimulated.) The teachers also have been taught to recognize signs of frustration. By being prepared, they have managed to avoid any discipline problems. They know that they need to let him know about any change of routine, give him a quiet place to work, and minimize all distractions. It has also been good for the other children in the class. They recognize that he is really smart, but not social. I was afraid by this age, 5th grade, we would have to deal with some peer teasing. But the kids are all very accepting and protective of him. The school district also provides a program in the summer called "Circle of Friends." They take him and 3 or 4 other boys his age on outings throughout the summer to encourage friendship. My son hasn't actually made friends from it. But that's not because of the other kids. They enjoy his company, and always try to interact with him.

So, inclusion has not helped my son necessarily become more "social" but it has helped him to be able to cope in a social world. To me, that's very important. I don't want him to be intimidated by the inevitable world he will have to deal with all of his life.

But...I also want him to develop to his full potential intellectually. If I felt for any reason, he was not learning all that he could, I would definitely opt for a one on one atmosphere. Fortunately for us, that hasn't been necessary. But each parent knows their child better than anyone else. So the parent needs to do whatever they feel is right for thier child. Work with professionals, and stay involved to make sure your child is CONSTANTLY having their needs met. There is no one answer. Even with one child...what works today may not work tomorrow, so you have to stay on top of things.

As for socialization, if inclusion in the classroom is not working for a child, get socialization somewhere else. Try church programs, art classes, karate, small play groups, ....anything your child will enjoy. My son has great friends from outside school. Make socialization fun...not intimidating!

Answer 8

HI well idont know how educated my comment maybe , but i attended a lecture by Dr. Temple Grandin, she her self suffered from autism. She gave some advice to the parents at the college lecture regarding schooling for children with autism and aspergers. I remember she mentioned that sometimes its easier for children with theses conditions to skip high school and attend Community college. she mentioned that sometimes the children of high school age have a difficulty coping with their classmates, since they can be cruel. Perhaps you should read some of Dr. Temple Grandin's books one is "thinking in pictures: my life with autism". ALthough i understand your daughterhas Aspergers, but dr. grandin seems to know what she's talking about, she her self is a Professor at an University. Perhaps her books will be helpful, i thinkif you google her you might find her website and ask her for advice. :)

p.s. here's her page and places she will be presenting her self and conventions http://www.templegrandin.com/templegrandinconf.html

Answer 9

Restricting your child from non-disabled peers is simply setting your child up for failure, in my opinion. Inclusion to some point is necessary for all children with disabilities. They need to learn social skills and have peer to peer interaction, as well as group and one on one instruction. My child has Asperger's, and I would never ask, nor want, for my child to be secluded from the rest of the children for 4 hours a day. We've had absolutely wonderful success integrating a 2x2x2 plan. My child is in a regular classroom setting for 2 total hours daily, in a class with children who have various disabilities for 2 total hours daily, and receives personalized instruction in a one on one setting for 2 total hours daily. The schedule is actually 1 hour inclusion, 30 minutes one on one, 1 hour disabled classroom, 30 minutes one on one, and then the pattern is repeated again.

This schedule was developed when my child turned 8. At first, we had some difficulty with changing settings so frequently, but that was something she adjusted to after about a month. She is sooo happy when she's in her general education classroom. She actually giggles. For the longest time, I didn't think she'd ever giggle. I'll never let that sound out of my mind now...it's pure joy. Seeing her run to the aid of another child who fell last week on the way to the media center was even more gratifying! She wasn't able to really help, but she gently patted the little girl on the back.

She's come so far these past 2 years that I wouldn't change one detail about her education. We've seen nothing but success, especially in a social aspect. One night last year, after climbing into bed, she said "Madre, come hither." I giggled quietly for a moment because of her choice of words, but then she put both hands on either side of my face, pulled me close, looked into my eyes, and whispered "My Madre." I kissed her forehead, and that is now our nightly routine.

When I first found out she had Aspergers, she could add, multiply, subtract, divide, huge numbers in her head, but she couldn't write her alphabet...she never said "I love you." She didn't seem to care if we said it or not. She wouldn't share, but also wouldn't care if someone took a toy away. She cared about nothing. She probably showed her first symptoms of the disorder around age 1 when she only made small verbal noises and didn't use one word of the English language. Her first understandable word was spoken at age 4, and that was the word "probability."

I'm a firm believer that the quality of life for an Asperger's child is more important that the knowledge they acquire from class instruction. It's human nature to want to have friends, even with Asperger's children, and my daughter now has friends. She talks to them on the phone at night. She types to them on AIM. She brings home a cell phone full of pics she took during lunch at school.

She has a long way to go. She still feels uncomfortable if everyone around her is laughing. She only looks directly into my eyes for any length of time. She never cries, but does show concern when other's do. She gets angry at times if she cannot find enough information on a particular topic. The most recent topic was dance. She was asking the same questions over and over again, and I didn't know the answer, so she asked her teachers, her friends, her father, and we tried helping her find it online...but no luck. So, I enrolled her in a ballet class. She's excelling beyond what I ever thought she would, and now she's more focused on the physical aspects of dance than the informational. But honestly, she's learning math, science, writing, english, etc, and a promising rate, and the only downfall she consistently has to overcome is her social skills. The only way anyone could ever tell that she has Asperger's at this point is that she lacks some social grace, and doesn't understand or perceive other's actions in the same sense that most children would. But with the inclusionary time, she's making progress in huge strides.

At the same time, even though this is what works for my daughter and the other 2 children with Asperger's in the same school, it doesn't mean it will work for every single child with Aspergers. I'm sure you agree that no two children with Asperger's possess identical symptoms.

Find out what works for your child. If you want to try one on one instruction, maybe hiring someone to do that at home will give you an idea if it will work. Good luck, and I wish you and your child the best.

Answer 10

yes. the best way of handle this and all handicaped people that is intellectual handicap is to provide them with a comfortable home in the country where they will be taken care of.
the home should have both sound and visual camera's in every room and the recordings should not be availible to anyone who works there nor to the board of directors but instead to a secret group of people who volonteer to review the recordings and have the authority to fire on the spot any staff or director or member of a board of directors if any abuse is seen on the tapes.
then we can rest assured that we have done what we can to help in a senisbile way all the people with intellectual problems have a nice comfortable life.