General principles
Learners with ASD may fall at any point on the spectrum.
Those at the low functioning end will exist in a world of their own, while those at the more able end of the spectrum live in our world but on their own terms.
In either case, the task facing adults working with these learners is to create an environment which takes account of their characteristics, and which minimise the conditions (antecedent events) which might give rise to difficulty. Rather than responding reactively to challenging behaviour which has arisen from these conditions, the skilled practitioner will minimise the likelihood of these occurring in the first place by creating an ‘ASD friendly’ environment.
The concept of the triad of impairments has already been introduced, and these impact upon:
- Verbal and non-verbal communication
- Social interaction including empathising with another individual’s point of view
- Being flexible and adapting to change
An awareness of these needs to inform all aspects of planning in school for this group of learners.
