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4.2 Assessment Item 2: Case Study and Modified Lesson Plans
Activity 2: Research
Autism
Autism is a complex social disorder, which affects ones social behaviour and communication skills.
It is part of a diverse group of disorders known as Autism Spectrum Disorders. While there is a wide
range of differences among children with an ASD, they share common impairments in the ability to;
interact socially and appropriately; understand and use language; communicate and think
imaginatively and enjoy and participate in a range of activities; often shown in repetitive and
restricted behaviour patterns. Many people with Autism also have unusual ways of learning, paying
attention, or reacting to sensations.

Some behaviour that a student with ASD would typically show in the classroom is:
- difficulty with the social aspects, for example, turn-taking and timing;
- impairment of social communication. Pupils often interact in socially inappropriate ways
such as shouting out in class, interrupting adult conversations or constantly asking
questions;
- an inability to read or understand the significance of gestures, facial expression, vocal
intonation or body language;
- an inability to empathise with others.
- a literal understanding of language.
This behaviour has a negative impact on students learning as the student can be seen as
uncooperative and rude.

Safran (2002) indicates many of the characteristics of Autism can be "masked" by "average to above
average IQ scores. This can result in the Autism being misunderstood by teachers. Safran (2002)
explains that teachers often presume the student is capable of more than is being produced which
thus affects the students assessment.
A child with Autism might find a social setting overwhelming and distracting. If children are placed in
a small group for project work this might predominantly become a social setting to an Autistic
student. It is possible the student would be so over stimulated by the social aspect, that it would be
extremely challenging to focus on the task. Bashe and Kirby (2001) report, "if asked to design an
environment specifically geared to stress a person with Autism, you would probably come up with
something that looked a lot like a school. You would want an overwhelming number of peers;
periods of tightly structured time alternating with periods lacking any structure; regular helpings of
irritating noise from bells, schoolmates, alarms, crowded spaces, countless distractions, a dozen or
so daily transitions with a few surprises thrown in now and then; and finally, what can only be
described as socialisation hell (a.k.a. recess, lunch, and the bus ride to and from school). It's a
wonder that so many children with Autism manage to do so well."
According to Williams (2001), minimizing the stress and worry Autistic students face is crucial to
education. The researcher offers the notion of minimizing transitions and insuring the environment
is predictable to the student. When there are changes in the routine, it is recommended the student
be prepped ahead of time so excessive anxiety will not arise.
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References
Bashe, P. & Kirby, B. (2001). The OASIS Guide to Asperger Syndrome. New York, New York: Crown
Publishers.
Safran, J. (2002). Supporting Students with Asperger's Syndrome in General Education. TEACHING
Exceptional Children
Williams, K. (2001). Understanding the Student with Asperger Syndrome: Guidelines for Teachers.
Intervention in School & Clinic






















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Vision Impairment
Categories of visual impairments reflect more than just visual acuity. Students ability to use vision,
as well as how much they use other senses for learning, are all aspects of each category (Bishop,
1996; Turnbull, Turnbull, Shank, Smith, & Leal, 2002). The terms low vision, functionally blind, and
blind are often used to describe and categorize levels of vision. Each category is considered in terms
of the degree of acuity and its implications for students learning.

Generally, students with low vision are able to learn using their visual sense; however, they may
need to have print magnified, contrast enhanced, or type font or size changed (Turnbull et al., 2002).
Students in this category characteristically work more slowly and experience difficulty working with
details (Barraga & Erin, 1992).

People with functional blindness typically use a combination of modalities to function within their
surroundings (Turnbull et al., 2002). Students in this category generally read and write using Braille.
Some functionally blind individuals have sufficient vision to allow them to move around the
classroom safely. Others, however, may require considerable accommodations to do so.

Near blindness and total blindness are both included in the blind category. Near blindness occurs
when visual acuity is reduced so greatly that learning takes place using data from other senses most
of the time (Barraga & Erin, 1992). Students with total blindness depend entirely on input from other
senses.

Students with visual impairments lack opportunities for incidental learning that occur for their
sighted peers almost constantly (Hatlen & Curry, 1987). Without such opportunities, associating
words with elements of the environment is difficult. Thus, it is important that such associations be
supplemented with input from other senses and through alternative activities. If this does not
happen it has several implications on a students learning like the absence of or reduced visual cues,
such as a schedule written on the board or seeing the clock, which can prevent these students from
following classroom procedures or anticipating coming events.

Students need opportunities to become acquainted with their classmates. Because students with
visual impairments may not associate names and faces through incidental classroom experiences,
teachers need to design appropriate experiences to help build relationships among all students in a
class. Physical orientation of students to classroom routines or other events that take place during
the day is important and must occur as soon as possible once the student is assigned to the
classroom.

Orientation and mobility skills help people know where they are in relation to their surroundings and
how to safely navigate within their environment (Turnbull et al., 2002). Students with visual
impairments should be able to move around the classroom or other areas of the school just as their
sighted peers do. Free movement around school is an essential part of successful school
experiences. Orientation and mobility training helps students accomplish this goal. Koenig (1996)
stated that such training promotes safe, efficient, graceful, and independent movement through
any environment, indoor and outdoor, familiar and unfamiliar.

Relevant skills for the school setting include knowing where landmarks are throughout the school
setting; being familiar with the layout of classrooms and common areas such as the library and
knowing where exits, toilets, the main office, and other relevant areas are. Students need training in
the schools emergency procedures, such as fire drills.

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References
Barraga, N. C., & Erin, J. N. (1992). Visual handicaps and learning.

Bishop, V. E. (1996). Teaching visually impaired children (2nd ed.)

Hatlen, P. H., & Curry, S. A. (1987). In support of specialized programs for blind and visually impaired
children: The impact of vision loss on learning. Journal of Visual Impairment and Blindness.

Koenig, A. J. (1996). Growing into literacy. In M. C. Holbrook (Ed.), Children with visual impairments:
A parents guide.

Turnbull, A., Turnbull, R., Shank, M., Smith, S., & Leal, D. (2002). Exceptional lives: Special education
in todays schools.