The Autism Society Event and Education Recordings Archive

This session will discuss how autistic spectrum disorders (ASDs) can be re-conceptualized as an autistic learning disabilities (ALDs) and autistic learning styles (ALSs). Children with autism experience alterations in how they are able to receive, process and respond to sensory, social and cognitive inputs. Each diagnostic symptom of the autistic spectrum can be analyzed with respect to how difficulties with attention, processing speed, memory, saliency or motivation may alter ‘knowing’ for the child with autism.  Cumulatively, these autism-specific learning differences define how and where a child is likely to learn, and what strategic accommodations may be needed. For example, lack of interest in peers relates to a lack of motivation to learn imitatively in group settings—the most common early educational setting that is tried.  An absence of awareness of others' states is usually part of an overall lack of a desire to please, which in turn tends to increase behavior viewed as ‘non-compliant,’ especially for a child who is not reinforced by the praise and attention of others. Perseverative behaviors can be viewed as maladaptive educationally--as ‘mental downtime.’  A symptom such as echolalia may be viewed as good auditory memory used to compensate for poor auditory processing. One aspect of the ALD approach is to simultaneously identify natural (compensatory) ‘autistic learning styles’ (ALSs) and follow treatments that can capitalize on directions the child may automatically take to increase his understanding—such as being alert to visual cues and using good procedural as well as auditory memory. 

Each symptom of autism will be systematically reviewed in the way it can be re-defined as a specific ‘autistic learning disability.’ Then, ALDs will be used as a framework for defining individual treatment needs.  Since autism is a spectrum disorder, each individual can be viewed as having a unique profile of ALDs and ALSs. In addition, each individual begins treatment at a different place with respect to needed skills, both in terms of ALD severity/ALS strength and developmental level. Special emphasis will be placed on accommodations to curriculum that promote motivation to participate in curriculum for pupils with ASDs.  Compensatory instructional strategies that allow pupils with specific ALSs will be reviewed. Specific methodologies commonly used to treat autism will be reviewed with respect to efficacy in addressing each autistic learning disability—allowing the attendees to think about how aspects of familiar methods can be selectively drawn upon to create an individualized treatment plan specific to an individual’s learning profile (ALDs plus ALSs). This session will be geared to educators, including special education directors, autism program specialists and other special educators involved in the development and individualization of educational plans for pupils with autism. 

To date, very limited research on individual responder characteristics to different autism treatments has been reported. This has led to substantial controversy about which methods are best used on which pupils.  There is agreement about the need for evidence-based practice, but less agreement about what constitutes a valid definition for an evidence basis, resulting in wide variation in how and when different methodologies are employed by different educational authorities. The ALD approach addresses that controversy by offering a way to fit different, unique treatment plans to children who are necessarily different from one another because of different symptoms, severities and levels of development. This approach is intended to be helpful both to parents and teachers/therapists as it provides a systematic framework for targeted use of resources available to children with autism.  Integrated into this analysis will be strategies for increasing social interest, awareness and motivation; for processing of auditory information and using visual augmentation methods; and for increasing learning through play and exploration. Across methods for treating autism, there will be discussion about how to assure that curriculum content is  modeled on patterns of learning in typical development. The session will be based on the presenter’s work over the last several years, including Helping Children with Autism Learn:Treatment Approaches for Parents and Professionals (Oxford Univ. Press, 2003), Getting the Best for Your Child with Autism (Guilford Press, 2008) and ‘Treatment of Pervasive Developmental Disorders,’ in Gabbard’s Treatment of Psychiatric Disorders, APA Press (2008).