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Asperger Syndrome

An Overview
Parent/Professional Organizations
Asperger Syndrome Education Network (ASPEN) www.aspennj.org Locate a chapter near you, subscribe to useful information, attend workshops and convferences. Parenting Aspergers Community www.parentingaspergerscommunit y.com Gain access to materials and resources to help children with Aspergers at home and in the classroom. Aspergers Meetup http://aspergers.meetup.com/ Type in your zip code and it will find a support group near you.

http://www.essentialkids.com.au/health/autism/children-of-the-rainbow-needsupport-20090115-7hl7.html

Characteristics and Prevalence


Many educators are familiar with Autism and its characteristics, but a common mistake that we have all made is to associate Aspergers Syndrome with autism. While they are similar, they are not to be considered the same, and as such interventions used for individuals with Autism should not be considered acceptable for students with Aspergers. In general, children with Aspergers syndrome do not exhibit a delay in language development, and have been argued to be considered high functioning Autistic (Hardman, Drew, & Egan, 2006). The following are characteristics laid out by Griffin, Griffin, Fitch, Albera, & Gingras (2006):
Severe social interaction deficits, including difficulty understanding and interpreting nonverbal cues Repetitive and restrictive stereotyped patterns of behavior, activities, and interests

Absence of a significant delay in language, as well as cognitive


development, self-help skills, curiosity about the environment, and adaptive behavior (p. 150, 155).

Dahle & Gargiulo (2004) add that individuals with Aspergers experience deficits in sensory, motoric, and academic/learning, and argue that these characteristics must be clustered in order for the teacher to refer the student for special education services. It is not known just yet how common Aspergers syndrome is, but Dahle & Gargiulo (2004) cite literature that suggests prevalence rates between .02% and 6%.

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Implications for Educators: In the Classroom


It is not considered new information that children with Aspergers syndrome may be a challenge in the classroom. The following table shows areas in which children with Aspergers syndrome will do well and areas where they may struggle in the classroom. Success Memory (often Photographic) strong ability to recall phrases and things they have seen Vocabulary often a large vocabulary and word recognition far beyond their peers Struggle Social skills

Problem solving
Problems with authority tend to see adults as peers Controlling the volume of their voice Sensory problems preference to a certain food or texture. Difficulties reading or writing Poor motor control cannot play games as well as their typically developing peers. (Adams, 2008; Griffin et al., 2006; Dahle & Gargiulo, 2004)

Intervention Strategies
Many strategies for intervention for these children are broken down into three segments: behavioral/social, cognitive/academic, and sensory/motor. The following have been compiled from Adams (2008), Griffin et al. (2006), Dahle & Gargiulo (2004), and Hardman et al. (2006), and the OASIS website. Behavioral/Social
Behavior management/regulation Practice communication and social skills Priming teaching ideas before teaching them to the class Keep schedule consistent Avoid surprises Limit time on one topic Use what they are interested in to attract playmates. Do not show own emotion be patient and let it pass.

Cognitive/Academic
Use graphic organizers Priming teaching ideas before teaching them to the class Allow time to complete assignments if necessary Visual structures to present abstract concepts Clear, concise directions Consistent schedules Time lines and Travel Cards

Sensory/Motor
Reduce sources of noise Warn them when you are approaching Discuss Aspergers with your class Promote health and fitness instead of competitive sports Provide an area where the child can go to de-stress called home base Priming, social stories, visual supports Pre-teach team sports to explain the rules of a game.

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Useful Sources: Articles, Texts, and Websites


Adams, L.W. (2008). Autism and Asperger syndrome: Busting the myths. San Diego, CA: Plural Publishing.
This text provides information on Autism as well as Asperger syndrome, focusing on the myths that surround the two disorders. It is a great book to provide a comparison of the two disorders side by side, as well as includes some intervention strategies for the behavioral component of Autism and Aspergers. Also included is a discussion on the assessment of the disorders.

Dahle, K.B., Gargiulo, R.M. (2004). Understanding Asperger disorder: A primer for early childhood educators. Early Childhood Education Journal, 32(3), p. 199-203.
This article very briefly explains and describes individuals with Asperger syndrome, and then proceeds to provide information on what an early childhood educator can do for students in their classroom that may have Aspergers. Included are helpful tables that lay out i ndicators and interventions that may be used as a quick reference guide for educators.

Griffin, H.C., Griffin, L.W., Fitch, C.W., Albera, V., Gingras, H. (2006). Educational interventions for individuals with Asperger syndrome. Intervention in school and clinic. 41(3), p. 150-155.
This article explores characteristics, behavioral patterns, and intervention strategies for individuals with Asperger syndrome. The researchers break intervention down into four areas of difficulty for these students: social, behavioral/emotional, academic/cognitive, and sensory motor.

Hardman, M.L., Drew, C.J., & Egan, M.W. (2006). Human exceptionality: School, community, and family. Boston, MA: Allyn and Bacon
This text provides a comprehensive overview of disability categories under IDEA 2004. Included are characteristics of each disability category, intervention strategies, causes, etc. Additionally, there are charts for each category that explains what parents, educators, and community members can do for an individual with the specific special need.

Online Asperger Syndrome Information and Support (OASIS): http://www.aspergersyndrome.org/


This online resource is full of information regarding help locally, nationally, and internationally, as well as information on Autism and Aspergers. In addition, there are news forums and articles that discuss recent issues regarding individuals with Autism and Aspergers and featured books that parents and educators may find helpful. 3

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