Synthesis 3 – Low-Incidence Disabilities

It has been several years since I have had a student in my classroom with a Low-Incidence Disability. Autism Spectrum Disorders (ASD) are defined in our text as “a spectrum of complex developmental disorders that results in problems communicating or interacting with others” (National Research Council, 2001). My student had Asperger’s Syndrome and although he was extremely intelligent, his interaction with others was limited due to his persistence in repeating the same activities over and over again. This repetitive behavior is a prominent characteristic of students with this syndrome. The young man was a Star Wars fanatic and everything he did outside of school revolved around this obsession. Due to his disability, I individualized his instruction for part of the year, but as he became involved in the class activities, his focus/interaction with his peers changed around the end of the second nine weeks. I believe he responded positively to the structure of the classroom, the one on one direction for each day, and the guidance in directing him in proper social behaviors. By the time I taught him again in his senior year, he was an academic force to be reckoned with and a tremendous asset in the classroom. His focus had changed to a fascination with Dante’s Inferno. Since I was teaching this material in his 12^th grade honors class, he became a vital source of information.  

Reflecting on the time this student was in my classroom, I now realize that I needed guidance from an expert. Low- Incidence Disabilities are rare and educators tend to deal with these situations as they arise. The accommodations I made for this student were limited because he was so highly intelligent. My primary focus was helping him strive to correct social behaviors which were unacceptable and often caused rejection from the general education students. I should have offered ways for him to communicate that were not verbal or written. A computer in the classroom for his personal use would have been a major step in assisting him with his reading and writing skills. His writing responses were on point and short, but encouraging the use of technology in conjunction with speaking skills may have been beneficial to him. I have definitely lived and learned from this experience.

Incorporating the material from this text would have been extremely beneficial to me during the time I taught this student. If I am blessed with this opportunity in the future, I will be more prepared. Today, I would have him distribute materials to the other students to encourage interaction among his peers. I may suggest that he do a project on his primary interest, Star Wars, and present the information to the class. Small group projects and instruction would have enabled him to be successful without the threat of the entire classroom observing and perhaps commenting on his mistakes and behaviors. I also love the idea of “Social stories.” If I had been versed on this type of interaction, I would have accomplished even more with this student.