1.) The diagnostic category of pervasive developmental disorders (PDD) refers to a group of disorders characterized by delays in the development of socialization and communication skills. "Autistic" means a pervasive developmental disability which significantly impacts verbal and nonverbal communication and social interaction that adversely affects a student's educational performance. Onset is generally evident before age three. Other characteristics often associated with autism are engagement in repetitive activities and stereotyped movements, resistance to environmental change or change in daily routine, unusual responses to sensory experiences and lack of responsiveness to others. The term does not apply if the student's adverse educational performance is due to emotional disturbance as defined in (c)5 below. A child who manifests the characteristics of autism after age three may be classified as autistic if the criteria in this paragraph are met. An assessment by a certified speech-language specialist and an assessment by a physician trained in neurodevelopmental assessment are required. Asperger’s Syndrome, in particular, is a relatively new disability, first recognized in the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual, Fourth Edition in 1994 (although actually discovered much earlier, in the 1940s). It is a form of autism that developmentally affects a person’s communication, socialization, emotions and behaviors.
2.) Persons with Asperger’s Syndrome (AS) display a number of developmental characteristics in social, cognitive, emotional, and physical areas. Socially, people with this disorder tend to appear awkward or like a loner, as many times they cannot pick up the skills that teach one how to act in any number of situations. They have a tendency to overanalyze smaller details, losing the grasp of an overall situation. Their individuality tends to stem from their preference to work alone without realizing that they are missing out on companionships and age appropriate interactions. When someone who has Asperger’s gains awareness of their lack of friendships they can become aggravated with themselves, and then desire the relationships they are without that they had not realized previously. Cognitively these individuals are for the most part not too far behind, if at all, the appropriate level for their age. However, they tend to interpret things in a very literal fashion, making any metaphors, comparisons, or references difficult to comprehend. It is common for people with Asperger’s Syndrome to be efficient readers, but equally common for them to have difficulty understanding all the information they take in from a text – a condition known as hyperlexia. This coincides with the way in which they have a desire to complete tasks without being concerned about the significance of the steps involved. Communicatively, people with this disorder may display some speech setbacks. For people with Asperger’s, many times it is difficult to interpret different gestures and body language. In many instances they maintain a strong interest in a limited number of topics, like transportation for example. As a result of this specific concentration they may tend to converse strongly and in an extended fashion on this one topic alone. They may acquire a limited number of phrases that they like and it is common for them to apply them when the chance arises, although many times it is out of context. Physically, people with AS are not really delayed in the functional criteria. However, there are several physical things to which they are more sensitive such as: taste, sound, smell, textures, and sight. Many of these people prefer routines within their daily lifestyle, as their inflexibility is a challenge for them.
3.) As a teacher in a general education classroom, there are many things one should be knowledgeable of so he or she could then incorporate that awareness into the teaching strategies to support a child with this disability. A way to make these children feel comfortable in the classroom is to make a routine and try and resist flexibility. Many children with this disorder can restate information given to them without a full comprehension of it. Instead of asking questions where the answer is readily available and not requiring a thought process, or even asking yes or no questions, it is better to pose questions where a child really must know a concept and be able to apply it in order to answer correctly. It is difficult for children with Asperger’s syndrome to follow problems or assignments involving complex steps or directions. To make it easier for them to participate, the teacher should make tasks with simple and few steps. It would also be beneficial to go over the importance of each step in achieving a whole, finished result. The speech used to talk to the class should also be quite direct, with limited difficulty. The simpler the speech the easier it will be for them to comprehend it; this includes speaking literally. Many times children with this disorder will mistake sarcasm for its literal meaning. In written tests, leave up to three possible choices only because more can cause additional confusion for the child. These children have difficulty picking up on typical social cues; a good way of teaching them would be to go over differing emotions in alternating situations, and explaining why each emotion pertains to a certain action (i.e. If someone invites you to sit next to them at lunch, it is a good feeling, as opposed to feeling bad if someone does not let you play catch with them at recess.) In a situation where the child acts socially appropriate, the teacher should acknowledge the behavior and tell them they are proud of them. For a child to learn to abide by social and classroom rules, one must carry out any promises or threats made. This will again reinstate the inflexibility they prefer, as well as showing that the way in which they act will have consequences (whether they are good or bad) In disciplining an effective thing to do is let time pass for the child’s feelings to subside so they can talk about the incident less defensively. Children with Asperger’s may face a lot of stress, so including physical activities is also a great way for the children to have fun and distress.
4.) Special Support Assistants (SSA) is also a wonderful resource for teachers with students who have disabilities. This would entail a specialist of the disorder to come in for a number of hours each week based on the child’s needs. The time with the student would be put towards extra help in developmental and social areas. The assistant is also there to inform the teacher and school itself on effective ways of teaching this student. MAAP services for the Autism Spectrum is a nonprofit organization dedicated to supporting people and families of those with Asperger’s Syndrome and other forms of Autism. They publish up to date newsletters four times a year as well as holding a national conference annually. This group is also very active in research and advocacy. The Asperger Association of New England (AANE) is an organization that provides support for families, friends, teachers, and people with Asperger’s themselves. It gives up dates to any changes made regarding the disorder, and has become a leader in education, support, and advocacy. A Statement of Special Educational Needs should be drawn up from the various input supplied by you and the specialists. O.A.S.I.S. is an online organization that provides information about Asperger’s Syndrome. It is short for Online Asperger Information and Support. It can be a resourceful cite for anyone looking for information on Asperger’s Syndrome, what it is, and helpful ways to get through any challenges. Another website on Asperger’s Syndrome is Autism Society of America: Asperger’s. Because of the confusion that many people have between Autism and Asperger’s, this cite is exceptionally educational because it has pages describing just the differences between the two. ASPEN, or Asperger Syndrome Education Network is an informative website with an incredible amount of information of Asperger’s Syndrome. Broken up into different categories, it lists characteristics of the disorder, events in the news regarding it, definitions and explanations. It also provides further reading suggestions to find more information.
How is your disability defined by the federal and state laws? (Consider federal education laws such as IDEA & NJ spec ed code.)
Asperger’s Syndrome is generally understood as a high-level, functional form of autism. In medical terms, Asperger’s Syndrome is a “neurological disorder” that interrupts social development and the ability to engage in social interaction (What is Asperger's 1). Because more and more people are being diagnosed with the disorder, provisions are being made to cater to them—especially to the “school-age[d]” community (What is Asperger's 1). Children with Asperger’s Syndrome have trouble “adapt[ing] to the classroom…and may be evaluated” by the terms expressed by the “Federal special education law” and the “Individual with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) of 1997” (What is Asperger's 1).
Because of the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act, the way in which “behavioral support” is “conceptualized and delivered” to students has greatly changed (Pratt 1). For instance, the act asserts that districts must carry out “functional behavioral assessments” when the behavioral symptoms of Asperger’s begins to affect the learning “environment” (Pratt 1).
What are the developmental characteristics of persons with this disability? (cognitive, social, emotional, physical, and levels of functioning.)
Those diagnosed with Asperger’s Syndrome suffer from a range of atypical developmental characteristics. The first area in which they experience difficulties is in social settings. Because individuals have a hard time reading “nonverbal social cues” and “appear to lack empathy or understanding”, they appear to be socially inept or “awkward [and] self-centered” (Introduction 1). Because they are perceived in that way, those with Asperger’s Syndrome experience “social withdrawal (Introduction 1).
Contributing to their social awkwardness, people with Asperger’s have problems understanding “figurative language” and have tendencies to “demonstrate abnormal communication” (Introduction 1).
Cognitively, individuals with Asperger’s have normal to above normal intelligence, however their “narrow and obsessive interests” hinder their ability to study “other areas” (Introduction 1).
Additionally, people with Asperger’s are overly sensitive to sensory stimuli and have shown negative reaction to sensory overload (Introduction 1). Lastly, they tend to have lower than average “motor coordination and balance” (Introduction 1).
If you were a teacher in a general education classroom, what information and strategies would help you best support a child with this disability? This would include academic and social support.
To best support a child with Asperger’s Syndrome as a teacher in a general education classroom, one must take into consideration the developmental issues they face. Because these students have poor organizational skills, the teacher and student could together create a visual reminder (pictures or lists) of things students need to have in class or to do at home for homework. Since they have problems understanding abstract ideas and concepts, “visual cues” are helpful when these ideas are unavoidable. If possible, a teacher should be as “concrete as possible” (Moreno 1). Furthermore, negative behaviors are usually signs of increased stressed, so a teacher could act to serve as a “safe-person” or a mentor to help the student distress (Moreno 1).
What resources would help you as a teacher to serve this child? (websites, agencies, people within your school, curriculum materials: 2 or 3 line description for each resource is required.)
As a teacher, there are many resources to help aid in your efforts to teach a child with Asperger’s Syndrome. For example, the Kid’s Health website has an outline for teachers that will “develop a plan that will help [the] child succeed in school” (Individualized 1). This plan is called the Individualized Education Plan (IEP) and it lists the goals established by the parents and teachers for the child, in addition to special provisions required to achieve the goals Individualized 1).
The Wright’s Law website is a site created for parents and educators seeking “accurate [and] reliable information about special education law, education law, and advocacy for children with disabilities (Autism 1). The site has a listing of links to various sources that deal with specific issues regarding autism and Asperger’s. For instance, the Wright’s Law website list a link to a free “Online Course from the Autism Society of America” (Autism 1). The course begins with an introduction to “Autism Spectrum Disorder (Asperger’s falls under the spectrum), various treatments and treatment “assistance” (Autism 1). Also, the site lists the “Guide for Educators on ASD: The Puzzle of Autism” (Autism 1). The Puzzle of Autism is a thirty-eight page guide describing the characteristics associated with autism and other spectrum disorders and suggests “effective classroom strategies for improving communication, sensory, social and behavioral skills” (Autism 1).
The second disability category I learned about from the blog post is different/similar from my original category in the following ways: a. Definition: Aspergers syndrome has a very detailed definition of the characteristics that it entails. Aspergers is a form of Autism, which is described as a neurological disorder. The definition of Asperges and Autism is very different than that of a learning disability. Due to the range of learning disabilities and the varying causes, the definition of a learning disability is much more open ended. b. Developmental characteristics: Students with Aspergers syndrome suffer much higher difficulty with the social aspect of life than student with learning disabilities. Students with Aspergers have been described as “socially awkward” as apposed to a student with a learning disability that may not suffer from social issues. There is a similarity between the two disabilities; both have students who struggle understanding figurative language. A student with a learning disability in reading will demonstrate this deficit due to comprehension issues. A student with Aspergers demonstrates the deficit because of neurological problems. c. Classroom strategies, needs, strengths: students with Aspergers benefit from having an IEP which helps not only the student academically, but also the teacher. An IEP aids the teacher in knowing exactly what is expected during the school year. Also there are many aides and resources available for a child with Aspergers. Due to the prevalence of Autism, there seems to be many more resources and guides to working with student struggling with this disorder. The same can not be said for learning disabilities. These students cover such a broad spectrum which makes it difficult to get aid when working with these children.
The second category I learned about was Asperger’s Syndrome. It was a completely different aspect of disabilities than that one I was assigned to research. Because I had some background knowledge on Asperger’s and autism after completing my first-person reading assignment and through other various means, I knew the disability categories would be dissimilar. I did not anticipate some of the similarities, however, and I was surprised to see how similar teaching techniques can be used to address the needs of both children. The definition of the category states Asperger’s is a form of autism that affects the way a person communicates, socializes, behaves, and shows emotion. It is a pervasive development disorder. This differs from my category of Learning Disabilities. These are defined as a disorder in one or more of the basic psychological processes involved in understanding or in using language, spoken or written, that may manifest itself in an imperfect ability to listen, think, speak, read, write, spell, or do mathematical calculations, including conditions such as perceptual disabilities, brain injury, minimal brain dysfunction, dyslexia, and developmental aphasia. Both do revolve around an internal disability that probably will not be apparent when looking at a person. The developmental characteristics are also considerably different. For Asperger’s Syndrome these include, the inability to know how to act in certain situations, awkwardness around other people, literal interpretations in learning, and hyperlexia. Yet, they are not far behind in learning for physical development. With organizational learning disabilities, on the other hand, people find it hard to plan ahead, group similar things, get easily frustrated, and have a hard time expressing their unorganized ideas to others. People with learning disabilities that lack organizational skills are similar to people with Asperger’s in the sense that they both have difficulty communicating their idea to others. However, while People with Asperger’s effortlessly group information into metaphors, comparisons, and references, people with learning disabilities have difficult managing a lot of information at a given time and do not handle clutter well. Some classroom strategies that would help students with Asperger’s are somewhat similar to students with learning disabilities. An example of this is keeping a daily routine and giving as few directions at one time as possible; this benefits both students. However, students with Asperger’s need to learn particular social cues because that is what they have trouble deciphering. Conversely, students with organizational learning disabilities need concentration on sorting particular things such as notebooks and prioritizing through written lists. This method helps children group similar things together, a technique that children with Asperger’s have already mastered. Teachers can employ the methods that generally assist the majority of the classroom, and incorporate specific lessons to accommodate the special needs of children with Asperger’s or learning disabilities, for example.
This blog is designed as a resource tool for teacher candidates learning about special education and students with special needs. Pairs within the class will create their own blogs about specific students with special needs, such as children with ADHD, and then link that blog to this central site.Each blog will contain information about the federal and state definition of the disability group, the general physical, social, cognitive, and emotional developments, as well as useful resources for teachers.
4 comments:
1.) The diagnostic category of pervasive developmental disorders (PDD) refers to a group of disorders characterized by delays in the development of socialization and communication skills.
"Autistic" means a pervasive developmental disability which significantly impacts verbal and nonverbal communication and social interaction that adversely affects a student's educational performance. Onset is generally evident before age three. Other characteristics often associated with autism are engagement in repetitive activities and stereotyped movements, resistance to environmental change or change in daily routine, unusual responses to sensory experiences and lack of responsiveness to others. The term does not apply if the student's adverse educational performance is due to emotional disturbance as defined in (c)5 below. A child who manifests the characteristics of autism after age three may be classified as autistic if the criteria in this paragraph are met. An assessment by a certified speech-language specialist and an assessment by a physician trained in neurodevelopmental assessment are required.
Asperger’s Syndrome, in particular, is a relatively new disability, first recognized in the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual, Fourth Edition in 1994 (although actually discovered much earlier, in the 1940s). It is a form of autism that developmentally affects a person’s communication, socialization, emotions and behaviors.
2.) Persons with Asperger’s Syndrome (AS) display a number of developmental characteristics in social, cognitive, emotional, and physical areas. Socially, people with this disorder tend to appear awkward or like a loner, as many times they cannot pick up the skills that teach one how to act in any number of situations. They have a tendency to overanalyze smaller details, losing the grasp of an overall situation. Their individuality tends to stem from their preference to work alone without realizing that they are missing out on companionships and age appropriate interactions. When someone who has Asperger’s gains awareness of their lack of friendships they can become aggravated with themselves, and then desire the relationships they are without that they had not realized previously.
Cognitively these individuals are for the most part not too far behind, if at all, the appropriate level for their age. However, they tend to interpret things in a very literal fashion, making any metaphors, comparisons, or references difficult to comprehend. It is common for people with Asperger’s Syndrome to be efficient readers, but equally common for them to have difficulty understanding all the information they take in from a text – a condition known as hyperlexia. This coincides with the way in which they have a desire to complete tasks without being concerned about the significance of the steps involved.
Communicatively, people with this disorder may display some speech setbacks. For people with Asperger’s, many times it is difficult to interpret different gestures and body language. In many instances they maintain a strong interest in a limited number of topics, like transportation for example. As a result of this specific concentration they may tend to converse strongly and in an extended fashion on this one topic alone. They may acquire a limited number of phrases that they like and it is common for them to apply them when the chance arises, although many times it is out of context.
Physically, people with AS are not really delayed in the functional criteria. However, there are several physical things to which they are more sensitive such as: taste, sound, smell, textures, and sight. Many of these people prefer routines within their daily lifestyle, as their inflexibility is a challenge for them.
3.) As a teacher in a general education classroom, there are many things one should be knowledgeable of so he or she could then incorporate that awareness into the teaching strategies to support a child with this disability. A way to make these children feel comfortable in the classroom is to make a routine and try and resist flexibility. Many children with this disorder can restate information given to them without a full comprehension of it. Instead of asking questions where the answer is readily available and not requiring a thought process, or even asking yes or no questions, it is better to pose questions where a child really must know a concept and be able to apply it in order to answer correctly.
It is difficult for children with Asperger’s syndrome to follow problems or assignments involving complex steps or directions. To make it easier for them to participate, the teacher should make tasks with simple and few steps. It would also be beneficial to go over the importance of each step in achieving a whole, finished result. The speech used to talk to the class should also be quite direct, with limited difficulty. The simpler the speech the easier it will be for them to comprehend it; this includes speaking literally. Many times children with this disorder will mistake sarcasm for its literal meaning. In written tests, leave up to three possible choices only because more can cause additional confusion for the child.
These children have difficulty picking up on typical social cues; a good way of teaching them would be to go over differing emotions in alternating situations, and explaining why each emotion pertains to a certain action (i.e. If someone invites you to sit next to them at lunch, it is a good feeling, as opposed to feeling bad if someone does not let you play catch with them at recess.) In a situation where the child acts socially appropriate, the teacher should acknowledge the behavior and tell them they are proud of them.
For a child to learn to abide by social and classroom rules, one must carry out any promises or threats made. This will again reinstate the inflexibility they prefer, as well as showing that the way in which they act will have consequences (whether they are good or bad) In disciplining an effective thing to do is let time pass for the child’s feelings to subside so they can talk about the incident less defensively. Children with Asperger’s may face a lot of stress, so including physical activities is also a great way for the children to have fun and distress.
4.) Special Support Assistants (SSA) is also a wonderful resource for teachers with students who have disabilities. This would entail a specialist of the disorder to come in for a number of hours each week based on the child’s needs. The time with the student would be put towards extra help in developmental and social areas. The assistant is also there to inform the teacher and school itself on effective ways of teaching this student.
MAAP services for the Autism Spectrum is a nonprofit organization dedicated to supporting people and families of those with Asperger’s Syndrome and other forms of Autism. They publish up to date newsletters four times a year as well as holding a national conference annually. This group is also very active in research and advocacy.
The Asperger Association of New England (AANE) is an organization that provides support for families, friends, teachers, and people with Asperger’s themselves. It gives up dates to any changes made regarding the disorder, and has become a leader in education, support, and advocacy.
A Statement of Special Educational Needs should be drawn up from the various input supplied by you and the specialists.
O.A.S.I.S. is an online organization that provides information about Asperger’s Syndrome. It is short for Online Asperger Information and Support. It can be a resourceful cite for anyone looking for information on Asperger’s Syndrome, what it is, and helpful ways to get through any challenges.
Another website on Asperger’s Syndrome is Autism Society of America: Asperger’s. Because of the confusion that many people have between Autism and Asperger’s, this cite is exceptionally educational because it has pages describing just the differences between the two.
ASPEN, or Asperger Syndrome Education Network is an informative website with an incredible amount of information of Asperger’s Syndrome. Broken up into different categories, it lists characteristics of the disorder, events in the news regarding it, definitions and explanations. It also provides further reading suggestions to find more information.
How is your disability defined by the federal and state laws? (Consider federal education laws such as IDEA & NJ spec ed code.)
Asperger’s Syndrome is generally understood as a high-level, functional form of autism. In medical terms, Asperger’s Syndrome is a “neurological disorder” that interrupts social development and the ability to engage in social interaction (What is Asperger's 1). Because more and more people are being diagnosed with the disorder, provisions are being made to cater to them—especially to the “school-age[d]” community (What is Asperger's 1). Children with Asperger’s Syndrome have trouble “adapt[ing] to the classroom…and may be evaluated” by the terms expressed by the “Federal special education law” and the “Individual with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) of 1997” (What is Asperger's 1).
Because of the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act, the way in which “behavioral support” is “conceptualized and delivered” to students has greatly changed (Pratt 1). For instance, the act asserts that districts must carry out “functional behavioral assessments” when the behavioral symptoms of Asperger’s begins to affect the learning “environment” (Pratt 1).
What are the developmental characteristics of persons with this disability? (cognitive, social, emotional, physical, and levels of functioning.)
Those diagnosed with Asperger’s Syndrome suffer from a range of atypical developmental characteristics. The first area in which they experience difficulties is in social settings. Because individuals have a hard time reading “nonverbal social cues” and “appear to lack empathy or understanding”, they appear to be socially inept or “awkward [and] self-centered” (Introduction 1). Because they are perceived in that way, those with Asperger’s Syndrome experience “social withdrawal (Introduction 1).
Contributing to their social awkwardness, people with Asperger’s have problems understanding “figurative language” and have tendencies to “demonstrate abnormal communication” (Introduction 1).
Cognitively, individuals with Asperger’s have normal to above normal intelligence, however their “narrow and obsessive interests” hinder their ability to study “other areas” (Introduction 1).
Additionally, people with Asperger’s are overly sensitive to sensory stimuli and have shown negative reaction to sensory overload (Introduction 1). Lastly, they tend to have lower than average “motor coordination and balance” (Introduction 1).
If you were a teacher in a general education classroom, what information and strategies would help you best support a child with this disability? This would include academic and social support.
To best support a child with Asperger’s Syndrome as a teacher in a general education classroom, one must take into consideration the developmental issues they face. Because these students have poor organizational skills, the teacher and student could together create a visual reminder (pictures or lists) of things students need to have in class or to do at home for homework. Since they have problems understanding abstract ideas and concepts, “visual cues” are helpful when these ideas are unavoidable. If possible, a teacher should be as “concrete as possible” (Moreno 1). Furthermore, negative behaviors are usually signs of increased stressed, so a teacher could act to serve as a “safe-person” or a mentor to help the student distress (Moreno 1).
What resources would help you as a teacher to serve this child? (websites, agencies, people within your school, curriculum materials: 2 or 3 line description for each resource is required.)
As a teacher, there are many resources to help aid in your efforts to teach a child with Asperger’s Syndrome. For example, the Kid’s Health website has an outline for teachers that will “develop a plan that will help [the] child succeed in school” (Individualized 1). This plan is called the Individualized Education Plan (IEP) and it lists the goals established by the parents and teachers for the child, in addition to special provisions required to achieve the goals Individualized 1).
The Wright’s Law website is a site created for parents and educators seeking “accurate [and] reliable information about special education law, education law, and advocacy for children with disabilities (Autism 1). The site has a listing of links to various sources that deal with specific issues regarding autism and Asperger’s. For instance, the Wright’s Law website list a link to a free “Online Course from the Autism Society of America” (Autism 1). The course begins with an introduction to “Autism Spectrum Disorder (Asperger’s falls under the spectrum), various treatments and treatment “assistance” (Autism 1). Also, the site lists the “Guide for Educators on ASD: The Puzzle of Autism” (Autism 1). The Puzzle of Autism is a thirty-eight page guide describing the characteristics associated with autism and other spectrum disorders and suggests “effective classroom strategies for improving communication, sensory, social and behavioral skills” (Autism 1).
The second disability category I learned about from the blog post is different/similar from my original category in the following ways:
a. Definition: Aspergers syndrome has a very detailed definition of the characteristics that it entails. Aspergers is a form of Autism, which is described as a neurological disorder. The definition of Asperges and Autism is very different than that of a learning disability. Due to the range of learning disabilities and the varying causes, the definition of a learning disability is much more open ended.
b. Developmental characteristics: Students with Aspergers syndrome suffer much higher difficulty with the social aspect of life than student with learning disabilities. Students with Aspergers have been described as “socially awkward” as apposed to a student with a learning disability that may not suffer from social issues. There is a similarity between the two disabilities; both have students who struggle understanding figurative language. A student with a learning disability in reading will demonstrate this deficit due to comprehension issues. A student with Aspergers demonstrates the deficit because of neurological problems.
c. Classroom strategies, needs, strengths: students with Aspergers benefit from having an IEP which helps not only the student academically, but also the teacher. An IEP aids the teacher in knowing exactly what is expected during the school year. Also there are many aides and resources available for a child with Aspergers. Due to the prevalence of Autism, there seems to be many more resources and guides to working with student struggling with this disorder. The same can not be said for learning disabilities. These students cover such a broad spectrum which makes it difficult to get aid when working with these children.
The second category I learned about was Asperger’s Syndrome. It was a completely different aspect of disabilities than that one I was assigned to research. Because I had some background knowledge on Asperger’s and autism after completing my first-person reading assignment and through other various means, I knew the disability categories would be dissimilar. I did not anticipate some of the similarities, however, and I was surprised to see how similar teaching techniques can be used to address the needs of both children.
The definition of the category states Asperger’s is a form of autism that affects the way a person communicates, socializes, behaves, and shows emotion. It is a pervasive development disorder. This differs from my category of Learning Disabilities. These are defined as a disorder in one or more of the basic psychological processes involved in understanding or in using language, spoken or written, that may manifest itself in an imperfect ability to listen, think, speak, read, write, spell, or do mathematical calculations, including conditions such as perceptual disabilities, brain injury, minimal brain dysfunction, dyslexia, and developmental aphasia. Both do revolve around an internal disability that probably will not be apparent when looking at a person.
The developmental characteristics are also considerably different. For Asperger’s Syndrome these include, the inability to know how to act in certain situations, awkwardness around other people, literal interpretations in learning, and hyperlexia. Yet, they are not far behind in learning for physical development. With organizational learning disabilities, on the other hand, people find it hard to plan ahead, group similar things, get easily frustrated, and have a hard time expressing their unorganized ideas to others. People with learning disabilities that lack organizational skills are similar to people with Asperger’s in the sense that they both have difficulty communicating their idea to others. However, while People with Asperger’s effortlessly group information into metaphors, comparisons, and references, people with learning disabilities have difficult managing a lot of information at a given time and do not handle clutter well.
Some classroom strategies that would help students with Asperger’s are somewhat similar to students with learning disabilities. An example of this is keeping a daily routine and giving as few directions at one time as possible; this benefits both students. However, students with Asperger’s need to learn particular social cues because that is what they have trouble deciphering. Conversely, students with organizational learning disabilities need concentration on sorting particular things such as notebooks and prioritizing through written lists. This method helps children group similar things together, a technique that children with Asperger’s have already mastered. Teachers can employ the methods that generally assist the majority of the classroom, and incorporate specific lessons to accommodate the special needs of children with Asperger’s or learning disabilities, for example.
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