Expert: Dr. Sharon A. Mitchell - 5/30/2007

Question
Should my child be attending a special needs school or is it feasible to try to "mainstream" him? He has such a hard time in large groups that I wonder if it is wise to keep him in a public school with a large classroom.

Answer
Yes, it's definitely possible for a child with Asperger's to be mainstreamed in school. In fact, there are many reasons why it could be a good thing.

Some parents choose this route; others prefer the more sheltered setting of a special school and still others homeschool. There are pros and cons of each choice.

To make the decision, try to think of where you'd like your son to be in five, then ten and fifteen years down the road. Try to be realistic about his strengths, weaknesses, skills, abilities and interests.

If he has a diagnosis of Asperger's, then his cognitive ability must be in the average range or above. That would imply that he's capable of completing a normal grade 12 and likely attending a university or college.

If post-secondary education is in his future, then where do you think he'll get the best training to help get him there and more importantly, to help him succeed there? By this I don't mean in which setting will he get the highest marks, but which setting will best enable him to acquire the skills that are necessary to successfully complete a degree or hold down the kind of job you think he'd like.

There are many very bright people who finish high school in grand style, then flop miserably when they attempt post-secondary school or the world of work. Some of these young people may be victims of "overhelping" - where they were sheltered from real world situations by the caring, concerned adults around them. While understanding and a degree of accommodations are good, some capable students are overhelped by caring schools who keep assistants glued to the student's side, who advocate for the student (rather than teaching him to advocate for himself), and so shelter the student that when he has to tackle college on his own, he does not possess the needed independence skills.

For most people with Asperger's and any autism spectrum disorder, large groups and socialization are some of the most difficult things they have to go through.

But, like it or not, life is a group affair.

In the long run, it won't matter if your son is a straight "A" student if he is unable to handle being around groups of peers as well as people older and younger than he.

At the same time, you don't want to drive your child crazy with demands that he can't handle. No matter which setting he's in, the responsible adults around him will need to understand his strengths and weak areas and work together with you on a plan to help him learn coping strategies and the skills that will allow him to participate in group activities.

Some parents choose to homeschool their child with Asperger's feeling that they understand their child and can best provide for his growth in his special interests, taking into account his attention span, his time preferences and his pattern of strengths and weaknesses. It's quite true that at home, a child's idiosycrasies can be accommodated far more readily than in a classroom that must run on a routine geared to the group needs. In a homeschooling program, parents would need to make extra efforts to ensure that their child has adequate contact with his age peers so as to put into practice social skills he's learning at home. Group activities would need to be arranged so that the student has the experience of fitting into with others, where his needs and interests are not paramount.

Special class or school placements often have smaller enrollments than those of mainstream schools. Smaller numbers can mean more individualized attention, which is a plus. Does your son require the additional attention to grasp academic concepts? For many kids with Asperger's though, academics are not the issue.

An advantage of smaller groups is that just with fewer bodies in the room, there is less background noise. Most kids with Asperger's have difficulties with auditory processing. Even though their hearing may be just fine, taking in what they hear, making sense of it, remembering it and acting on it can be weak areas. Auditory processing weaknesses are under more stress in noisy or confusing situations.

In large classrooms, gymnasiums, etc. sound field systems or auditory trainers can alleviate some of this problem. With these systems, a teacher wears a head or lapel microphone. The sound of the teacher's voice is then projected to a receiver either in the ceiling or from speakers around the room. What it does is make the teacher's voice the most prominent thing in the room, easily heard over any classroom noise.

When thinking about setting, consider some of the tenets of mainstreaming - that kids benefit from rubbing shoulders with other kids in a heterogenous group. They have typical peers as role models. They learn that they can do some things better than other kids and that some kids are more able than they in certain areas. They learn that sometime kids are kind and the odd time they are mean. They learn how to handle both.

Consider what some of the articulate adults with autism and Asperger's say about their schooling experiences and see if that will help guide you in looking at your son's educational plan. A few to consider reading are:

Jerry Newport (http://www.amazon.com/Your-Life-Not-Label-Aspergers/dp/1885477775/ref=pd_bbs_sr_...)

Liane Holliday Willie (http://www.amazon.com/Pretending-Normal-Living-Aspergers-Syndrome/dp/1853027499/...)

Luke Jackson (http://www.amazon.com/Freaks-Geeks-Asperger-Syndrome-Adolescence/dp/1843100983/r...)

Here's a few books you might find helpful:

Aspergers - What Does it Mean to Me? (http://www.amazon.com/Aspergers-What-Does-Mean-Me/dp/1885477597/ref=sr_1_17/002-...)

A Parent's Guide to Asperger Syndrome and High-Functioning Autism: How to Meet the Challenges and Help Your Child Thrive (http://www.amazon.com/Parents-Asperger-Syndrome-High-Functioning-Autism/dp/15723...)

Asperger Syndrome and the Elementary School Experience: Practical Solutions for Academic & Social Difficulties (http://www.amazon.com/Asperger-Syndrome-Elementary-School-Experience/dp/19312821...)

Navigating the Social World: A Curriculum for Individuals with Asperger's Syndrome, High Functioning Autism and Related Disorders (http://www.amazon.com/Navigating-Social-World-Individuals-Functioning/dp/1885477...)

There's no real right or wrong way to educate a child with Asperger's. As a mom, it's hard not to think with your heart as your protective mode kicks into gear. But try to step back and look objectively. Talk to your school about options in your district. Try to make your decision not based just on how you and child are feeling right now. Instead, take a look down the road on where you want your son to be, how you want him to be and which route is most likely to take you there.

Sharon A. Mitchell
www.autismsite.ca