As outlined by the IDEA government website, autism is classified as developmental disability which significantly affects “verbal and nonverbal communication and social interaction.” There are other qualifying traits that children with autism including obsessive-type behaviors, resistance to change in routines and schedules, and repetitive behavior. There has been more recognition that autism can affect children to different degrees which has led to the terminology Autism Spectrum Disorder. Students affected with autism can require several accommodations in the classroom to ensure success and it can be difficult to implement effectively. There are a ton of resources available on the internet aimed to help you teach your students. One I would recommend would be http://www.autism-society.org/. Creating a membership on this site grants a teacher access to the longest-running national conferences on autism spectrum disorders. In addition to this, membership keeps you updated on the lasted autism research, provides the latest classroom and home resources.
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