Dive Brief:
- Because the autism spectrum is wide and fluid, with definitions and symptoms being constantly updated, the task of identifying and serving students with autism is a challenge.
- Before 18 months no clinical tests can decisively determine whether children are at risk for autism, writes John McLaughlin, director of the Research & Analytics unit of ChanceLight Behavioral Health and Education, for EdCircuit.
- A chasm of information exists around autism, according to McLaughlin, and developmental pediatricians still need training in what the signs of autism are.
Dive Insight:
Guiding autistic students in the classroom is an issue faced by many teachers and districts, as the overall number of students with autism rises. Some estimates put the number of U.S. children affected by the disorder as high as one in 68. Services provided vary, and some research shows that "social robots" can help engage autistic students and guide them towards the development of stronger social skills. That research, compiled by social robot developer RoboKind, is preliminary but showed that students with autism spectrum disorders participate more in autism therapy when they worked with a robot instead of a human being.
Anecdotal evidence also exists showing technology like multimedia presentations and interactivity can help students with autism to digest material. “What technology does is simplify interaction,” Andy Shih, the president of Autism Speaks, told the Hechinger Report last year. “Interaction with an app is always going to be the same. The expectation is always going to be consistent. Interaction with individuals is far more complex.”