How did you go about schooling for high school?
Or does anyone have any siblings or family who went through high school with Austism or Aspergers Syndrome.
My brother is in year 5, and is an Aspy, my mums not sure how to come about high school for him.
Answers:
I have aspergers although I didn't know about it when I was in high school. HS was rough to say the least. Freshman year was the worst and the most people picked on me. Or at least I thought they did. Now that I know I have aspergers, I'm not so sure any more.
Anyhow, its imperative that he receive the proper 'special' asperger training and counseling in addition to regular school. Aspies are smart, so don't send him to a retard school or anything.
Your brother should have an individual education plan which the educators and your mom work out together, to make sure that your brother is educated in ways that work for him based on his own specific abilities. This plan is evaluated and updated every year, with new testing done--to determine your brother's current educational levels--at least every three years, more often if necessary. By the time your brother is ready for high school, it is likely that the IEP will be focusing on independent living skills, in addition to academics.
While entitlement to public education ends at age 18, the IDEA requires that transition planning begins at age 14 and becomes a formal part of the student's Individualized Education Plan (IEP). This transition planning should include the student with AS, parents and members of the IEP team who work together to help the individual make decisions about his/her next steps. An Individualized Transition Plan (ITP) is developed that outlines transition services that may include education or vocational training, employment, living arrangements and community participation, to name a few.
The first step in transition planning should be to take a look at the individual's interests, abilities, and needs. For example, what type of educational needs must be met? College, vocational training, adult education? Where can the young adult find employment and training services? What types of living arrangements are best?
More about education:
During the elementary years, behavioral issues and immaturity may be a problem but academically, these children frequently do quite well. The ability to memorize information, do calculations and focus intensively serves them well. But as they move through the school system, difficulties with social skills, language and obsessive behaviors become more problematic and may leave them vulnerable to teasing from classmates.
Getting special education services may be difficult because children with AS have normal or above normal intelligence and appear capable. However, every child with disabilities is guaranteed a free, appropriate public education through the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA). Keep in mind that IDEA establishes that an appropriate educational program must be provided, not necessarily an "ideal" program or the one you feel is best for your child. The law specifies that educational placement should be determined individually for each child, based on that child's specific needs, not solely on the diagnosis or category. No one program or amount of services is appropriate for all children with disabilities. It is important that you work with the school to obtain the educational support and services that your child needs. The first step should be a comprehensive needs assessment that will become the blueprint for your child's educational plan. Then, in collaboration with your child's school and teachers, develop a well-defined and thorough Individualized Education Plan (IEP). The IEP is a written document that outlines the child's individual educational program, tailored to his or her needs. A program appropriate for one child with Asperger's Disorder may not be appropriate for another.
While many children with Asperger's Disorder may participate in mainstream society, they still need support services. Teachers need to be informed that these children are not simply acting up or being difficult.
Counselors can provide emotional support and assist with social skills, helping children with AS to learn how to react to social cues and situations. Children with Asperger's Disorder may use a "buddy" who serves as a role model for social situations and may facilitate interactions with others by explaining appropriate behavior.
Speech and language therapists may help in the use of appropriate language and occupational therapists can deal with delays in motor development.
Dr. Stephen Bauer, a developmental pediatrician at the Pediatric Development Center of Unity Health in Rochester, New York, suggests that the most important step in helping children with Asperger's Disorder is for schools to recognize that the child has "an inherent developmental disorder which causes him/her to behave and respond in a different way from other students." Because children with Asperger's Disorder respond best to a regular, organized routine, Bauer recommends the use of charts and pictures to help the child visualize the day and to prepare him or her for any changes in advance. Bauer also emphasizes the need to avoid power struggles since children with Asperger's Disorder will become more rigid and stubborn if confronted or forced.
Check out Autism Society, they cover Educational Issues, Adults with Asperger Disorder, Post-secondary Education, Employment, and Adult Living Arrangements all under the Asperger's Link (under about autism link).
IChildren with Autism and Asperger's can learn much more than previously believed. However, there is a large range of abilities and needs. If the label is Aspergers syndrome, then the IQ is at least in the normal range, and sometimes, may be above, or even at the "gifted" level, so chances of academic success are good. Specific answers may vary greatly, depending on where you live. In PA, all children have the right to an education until they are 21. Since you use the phrase "in year 5", instead of in fifth grade, I believe that you may not be living in the United States, so the regulations and rights in your country may be very different.
I would suggest that your brother receive evaluation, education, and support in the area of Social Skills, since that is usually a big deficit. I would also suggest specific tests for reading comprehension, since even kids with good decoding skills often have difficulty with comprehension, and may benefit from specific instructional methods such as the SRA Comprehension strand, etc. Google Carol Gray (Social Stories), and Michelle Garcia Winner for more info about resources for social skills development. A company called Future Horizons also sells books, CDs, etc. by a wide variety of authors on lots of topics of interest to those who have family members with ASD, or for teacher, etc. Good luck! My son is now 18, and there are so many more services and information available than there were when he was in 5th grade!
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