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OVERVIEW – CASE STUDY “SAM”

Sam is a 16-year old student with high-functioning autism spectrum disorder (ASD).

Indicators of Sam’s ASD diagnosis included fixation on alphabet charts, being rigid and

insistent on sameness, being echolalic and difficulty attaining appropriate peer interactions.

Sam’s indicators correlate with the potential indicators noted for ASD in “Challenging

behaviours of students with exceptionalities and other diverse learners” (Gargiulo & Metcalf,

2015) and the set of behaviours signifying “autism” (Carrington, Macarthur, 2012).

ASD is defined as a developmental disability significantly affecting verbal and nonverbal

communication and social interactions (Federal Register, 2006 p.12-14) and is considered to

be a low-intrusive disability (Gargiulo & Metcalf, 2015).

Sam’s strengths

Sam’s strengths include an incredible rote memory; thriving on routine and an eye for detail.

He has specific interests which include football and animals and is proficient in the use of

technology and decodes words well.

Preferences

Sam prefers direct instruction, visual frameworks, and multiple practice opportunities. He

thrives on a consistent routine and experiences difficulty with unexpected changes. Noise

and large groups can overwhelm him.

Differences

The differences Sam faces being a learner with ASD are mainly situated around his social

development and communication skills. Sam tends to take things quite literally which makes

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him often behave inappropriately, misinterpret conversations and directions. Sam struggles

with understand inferences and generalisations.

Specific educational needs of Sam in an inclusive environment.

Sam’s greatest needs are his social and communication skills especially in dealing with new

people, followed by help required with his comprehension.

Building social skills instruction into the curriculum including teaching techniques such as the

use of role plays, power cards, communicating through pictures, symbols and technology,

direct instruction and mapping social behaviour would greatly benefit Sam. (Gargiulo &

Metcalf, 2015) By incorporating these strategies Sam can enhance his social skills to work

more effectively with others.

Other strategies to strengthen Sam’s comprehension skills include teaching techniques such

as visual cues and computerised instructions to make necessary connection to auditory

information. (Williams & Minshew, 2010). The use of emotional thermometers (shades of

colour to represent intensity of feelings) would further assist Sam’s ability to make meaning

from texts (Gately, 2008).

Although Sam does not have any physical impairments he self-manages his stress and

tiredness with rocking (and retreating into himself). To reduce these physical behaviours,

building awareness and minimalizing the environmental classroom factors that trigger Sam’s

stress and tiredness, such as lack of personal space, temperature, lighting and noise level can

help Sam to feel more comfortable within the classroom (Hundert, 2007).

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Given Sam’s preference for friendships with other students with ASD, a mentoring role to

younger students with ASD may also provide opportunities to enhance his social and

communication skills.

INCLUSIVE EDUCATION - DISABILITY POLICY FOR STUDENTS WITH DIVERSE NEEDS

In ensuring Sam reaches his full potential within the classroom context it is imperative that

his school offers inclusive education (through identification and removal of learning barriers

to ensure accessible learning for all students) (United Nations, 2016). Educational institutions

are required by law to ensure all students are provided with opportunities for success. The

following policies/Act detail these obligations:

Disability Discrimination Act 1992

This Act clearly states (Division 2, Section 22) that is unlawful for an educational institution to

discriminate against a person on the basis of the person’s disability, including the use of

curriculum content that excludes participation or is of detriment to a student due to their

disability.

Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities – General Comment No. 4

This documentation states “all persons with disabilities are now recognised under

international law as right-holders with a claim to the right to education without discrimination

and on the basis of equal opportunities”. This policy further requires educational institutions

to provide reasonable accommodation for individual students to enable access to education

on an equal basis with others. (Paragraph 2, Section C)

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Disability Standards for Education

The Disability Standards for Education’s exemplars suggests suitable adjustments for students

with ASD such as sensory activities and toys, visual charts and schedules, headphones to avoid

overstimulation, ongoing parental contact and partnership.

Reference List

Australian Government Department and Training. (2015). Disability Standards for Education:

Practice Exemplars. Retrieved from

https://docs.education.gov.au/system/files/doc/other/exemplars_2.pdf

Australian Government. (1992). Disability Discrimination Act. Retrieved from

https://www.legislation.gov.au/Details/C2016C00763

Carrington, S. & Macarthur, J. (2012). Teaching In Inclusive School Communities. Milton, QLD:

John Wiley & Sons Australia, Ltd

Federal Register. (2006). Assistance with States for the education of children with disabilities

71(2) 12-14

Gargiulo, R. & Metcalf, D. (2015). Teaching in Today’s Inclusive Classrooms – A Universal

Design for Learning Approach. (3rd Ed). Boston, USA: Centage Learning

Gately, S. E. (2008). Facilitating reading comprehension for students on the autism spectrum.

Teaching Exceptional Children. 40(3), 40-45.

Hundert, J. P. (2007). Training classroom and resource preschool teachers to develop inclusive

class interventions for children with disabilities: Generalization for new intervention

target. Journal of Positive Behaviour Interventions, 9, 159– 173.

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United Nations. (2016). Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities. Retrieved from

http://www.nichibenren.or.jp/library/ja/kokusai/humanrights_library/treaty/data/

shogaisha_ippan_en_4.pdf

Williams, D., & Minshew, N. (2010). How the brain things in autism: Implications for language

intervention. The ASHA Leader, 15, 8-11. doi:10.1044/leader.FTR1.15052010.8

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