Because autism is a spectrum
disorder, it encompasses a wide continuum of behavior and symptoms
range from mild to severe. Asberger’s syndrome is a mild form of autism.
Impairments in social interactions and communication can include
inability to sustain conversations, difficulty making friends in age ap -
propriate peers, lack of empathy, reduced eye contact, and language that
develops slowly or not at all (Dunlap & Bunton-Pierce, 1999). As a result
of deficits in communication and language development, students with
autism may rely predominantly on visual input as a way to acquire new
knowledge. This is contrary to typical modes of instruction in regular
education classrooms that utilize lectures and class discussions as the
Shannon Simonelli Ph.D.
Center on Disability Studies
UHM, (808) 956-8710
simonell@hawaii.edu
Judy Nagasako
Resource Teacher –
Character Education,
(808)735-8250 x349
judy_nagasako@notes.
k12.hi.us
Autism in a nutshell
primary mode of instruction (Scott, Clark, & Brady, 2000).