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Autism, or autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is a term for a wide range of conditions that impairs affected individuals’ ability to communicate and interact with others. There are many subtypes of autism, and it is influenced by factors such as genetics as well as the environment.

Autism can be detected at 18 months or younger, and by age 2, a diagnosis is considered  reliable. Individuals with autism all have unique strengths, weaknesses, challenges that they face, and skills that they possess. While some may need a lot of help with daily tasks, other people with autism may need less. 

Because autism is a developmental disability, accommodations can be made for individuals with autism and incorporated into many spheres of society, ranging from schools to the places people work. Here are some accommodations that can help support the diverse needs of students in schools:

Minimizing distractions

Children with autism can struggle with focusing on tasks because they may be distracted by other things going on in the classroom, such as conversations that other students are having or any noises students may be making. 

Creating environments within the classroom space that allow students to isolate, focus, and tune out any possible distractions. 

This can also mean that students are prone to facing organizational difficulties and may struggle with losing or forgetting things. Encouraging students with autism to use tools such as checklists, color-coded and labeled folders, or graphic organizers can help them better organize their thoughts and tasks in a way that makes sense to them. 

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Schools can also help accommodate students with autism by personalizing seating charts. For example, if a student with autism struggles with getting distracted during class time, seating them closer to the teacher or in a quieter part of the room can help them better focus and keep track of what’s going on in the classroom. 

Another way to help create a more distraction-free environment is to provide students with fidgets, which are objects that children can hold, such as a stress ball or a string. These help students with paying attention, focusing, and minimizing distractions. Having a wide variety of fidgets and offering them when necessary can help accommodate students with autism.

Using inclusive teaching styles

Just as different teachers have different methods of teaching a class, students have different ways in which they learn. In order to accommodate students with diverse learning needs, it’s important that teachers provide options for students to learn content, rather than just sticking to one specific way of teaching. 

Extra time accommodations for children with autism can be included when it comes to taking tests and quizzes or finishing projects and assignments. If students struggle with paying attention to classes and taking notes at the same time, they can record the lecture to take notes on later, or explore different note-taking strategies to see which one works best. 

Students with autism may also need more frequent breaks between classes or subjects. Taking quick breaks, such as going for a brief walk or stepping out of the classroom can help refresh students’ engagement levels. 

Providing social opportunities

Social stories aim to enhance communication between parents, professionals, and people with autism. They describe a concept, skill or achievement and aim to describe situations as well as the context of them, expected events that will occur, and different perspectives. These can be created on electronic devices such as iPads or tablets, which can be more accessible and easier to understand for students. Social stories often include lots of imagery in order to communicate ideas to the student in a way that is easy to grasp.

Providing positive role models that demonstrate social skills can help students with autism grow in their social maturity. These can be adult role models or fellow peers that students can learn from. 

However, it is important to give students space and to not overwhelm them in a social context. Many children with autism may have a lower social battery than others, and may become drained more quickly. It’s important to be understanding of these different needs and personalize children’s experiences based on their needs and desires. 

How can we create communities that are inclusive of students’ diverse needs?

There is no “one size fits all” solution when it comes to shaping our communities. Individuals will always have different needs, desires, challenges that they face, and skills that they possess. Every student is unique, and the first step to creating inclusive communities is understanding that.

Although the majority of classroom environments do not accommodate students who may have special needs, there are simple steps that we can take to accommodate those with developmental disabilities such as autism, for example. 

Instead of isolating or shaming students with autism, or expecting them to be able to learn and process information exactly like their neurotypical classmates, it’s crucial that we shape our teaching strategies and methods based on students’ learning styles, rather than expecting them all to be able to learn one way. 

Incorporating these accommodations into the classroom can make classrooms more welcoming, inclusive spaces for students with autism, and this can make a major difference in their learning experience.