Autism Awareness
Advice and Strategies for Teaching Students with a Disability
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Autism Awareness Brochure PDF [150kb]
What are Autism Spectrum Disorders?
Autism Spectrum Disorders (commonly referred to as 'Autism') include:
- Autistic Disorder (also known as infantile or childhood autism)
- Asperger's Syndrome
- Atypical autism
Autism Spectrum Disorders are lifelong disabilities affecting more than half a per cent of the population. People with Autism (80% of whom are male) typically display significant impairments in three areas, known as the Triad of Impairments:
- social interaction
- communication
- behaviour (limited interests and repetitive behaviours)
Many people with an Autism Spectrum Disorder also have under or over sensitivity to sound, sight, taste, touch, smell, temperature and/or pain. The impairments can cause anxiety, confusion or frustration in dealing with the challenges of everyday life.
The Effects of an Autism Spectrum Disorder
There is no known cause of Autism Spectrum Disorders although damage to the brain, before, during or soon after birth, is suspected. There is no known cure. Students may reveal some of the following characteristics.
Psychosocial
- impaired social skills, such as difficulties with eye contact, trouble initiating or maintaining conversation
- communication difficulties in receptive and expressive language and non-verbal cues, such as social cues and body language (may have extensive vocabulary)
- some people have an unresponsive facial expression and vocal tone
- may appear to have impaired comprehension or poor listening skills, especially when there are other distractions
- repetition of heard words and phrases
- preference for routines
- highly specific and unusual preoccupations and attachments
Learning
Whereas the majority of people with an Autism Spectrum Disorder also have an intellectual disability, those with Asperger's Disorder may have above average intelligence, relatively intact communication skills, and a specific learning disability. These students are often creative, lateral thinkers and may have leadership skills.
Many people with Autism Spectrum Disorders have been bullied at school and have difficulty resolving conflict, preferring to withdraw. Some get angry in conflict situations and appear to be unable to appreciate the other person's point of view.
Remember, TAFE students with Autism are often highly intelligent, value intelligence highly, and expect a very high level of professional competence.
Teachers are advised to avoid verbal jokes, metaphorical explanations and irony. Assessment requirements need to be very specifically spelled out, and the non-negotiable aspect emphasised. A clear process of appeal or dispute resolution also needs to be given in writing. Rules and requirements should be dealt with in a direct way, logically and simply.
Humour
Sometimes those with an Autism Spectrum Disorder can say and do things that they find funny, that others consider outrageous or unacceptable for the occasion.
Positive interactions in the learning environment
The student may benefit from:
- reduced visual and noise distractions
- awareness of major need for personal space and privacy of thoughts
- appreciation that verbal communication is difficult
- little or no group work
- explicit, written expectations of outcomes and clear timelines for work completion and assessment
- appreciation of the difficulties of working to timelines, and assistance with this
- clear, small work goals rather than one big project or goal
- assistance in sequencing activities
- abstract thoughts presented in a more concrete manner
- memory aid and study strategies e.g. notebook, calendar and tape recorder
- appreciation of special talents and an opportunity to showcase them
- appreciation of difficulties in tolerating quickly paced changes
Other sources of support
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