What Are the Best Educational Supports for Autistic Students Today?

Schools provide essential education to children of all developmental abilities, including those with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) or ASD + ADHD. In addition to the curriculum, schools are where peer-to-peer interactions happen, allowing children to learn socially and interpersonally.

For those with ASD, however, peer interaction and education are not enough. The environment can often be chaotic, and resources are too thin to properly educate and support autistic individuals so that they can thrive. Without these educational and occupational supports, students may develop anxiety disorders, fall behind in the curriculum, or face developmental delays.

That is why, when compiling your intervention strategy recommendations, it is essential that you are aware of the best educational and occupational supports for autistic students today, all while taking into consideration the financial and familial support networks that student has access to.

Top Educational and Occupational Supports for Students

Educational and occupational supports often come from a mix of environments. Home schooling, special schooling, and inclusive schooling are the most commonly used environments to provide autistic children with the support they need during their education.

In the USA, autistic students, when possible, should be included in general education (GE) settings in accordance with the Individuals with Disabilities Act (IDEA), 2004. Despite this legal inclusion, there are barriers. In a review, researchers found that GE teachers cited a lack of resources; GE teachers may not have the training to accommodate ASD students. Similarly, there may be a limited number of on-site specialists or equipment, limiting each student’s access to support (Al Jaffal, 2022).

With these limitations in mind, here are the top educational and occupational supports for students today:

Specialized Health Professionals to Address Developmental Delays

Addressing developmental delays is one of the first steps towards collaboration. This can mean connecting parents with specialists such as speech-language pathologists or occupational therapists, either in school or outside of school, to help address key delays in young children. With between 40 and 70% of children with ASD experiencing some level of language developmental delay, speech-language pathologists and at-home support are essential (Cui et al., 2023). Discrete Trial Teaching (DTT) can raise approximately 50% of children’s abilities, for example.

Simple Classroom Adjustment Recommendations

Some of the most effective recommendations are simple. In the classroom, adjustments such as lower lights, or the opportunity to wear noise-cancelling headphones during work can help reduce overstimulation and related stress. Smaller learning environments or learning groups can also help.

Work with Educators When Developing Your Recommendations

Recommending support systems that do not exist cannot help children. That is why it is critical that you work alongside educators and their facilities to provide a list of actionable recommendations. This can include recommending either a home-school intermediary period or a specialist school. Together, you can work or advise on:

Individual learning plans
Sensory accommodations
Building a structured environment
Positive reinforcement
Communication support

Improve Recommendations with ABAS-3

Highly personalized recommendations are essential. While being aware of the top support options in your area is fundamental, you will also need to know which support options are of best use to each individual.

To do this, start by using the (ABAS®-3) Adaptive Behavior Assessment System, Third Edition. You can learn more and train in using the ABAS-3 at WPS. It is, in short, a tool designed to help assess an individual’s adaptive skill levels. Knowing where the child’s strengths and weaknesses are will allow you to provide a more accurate and effective intervention strategy recommendation to parents.

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