Education for Students with Autism
What education looks like for students with Autism
Most special education programs are designed for students with typical social development but have difficulties with academics. However, students diagnosed with Autism Spectrum Disorder often have the opposite experience: they may struggle with social skills but have strong academic skills. Because of this, special education programs for children with Autism may look a bit different. Autism can be perplexing, challenging, and manifests in unique ways for each individual. One thing remains consistent: any child with Autism will learn better in an educational setting where their needs are supported.
That’s where we come in
The Academy for Autism (AFA) at Children’s Home is a non-public special education program designed to meet the needs of students whose emotional, behavioral, and educational challenges require more resources than what’s available in a public school setting. Students referred to AFA by their public school district often have complex sensory and communication needs that have significantly impacted their ability to make educational progress.
Before students with Autism can begin to master basic reading and math skills, specialized instruction to learn basic self-care, how to manage and/or express their emotions, and how to communicate has to come first.
We help create an environment for students with Autism to thrive
Although a core set of interventions is used with all students, education and support are tailored to meet their needs using a mixture of developmental and instructional approaches.
All students who attend AFA are engaged in the evidenced-based STAR Autism Program that targets expressive, receptive, and spontaneous language, functional routines, pre-academic concepts, and play and social interaction skills. The STAR Autism Program we utilize closes the gap for students who are unable to access traditional general and special education curricula.
Together, our combined services give each classroom and each student the opportunity to thrive, succeed, and excel.
