What the disability is:

Autism is a developmental disability significantly affecting verbal and nonverbal

communication and social interaction -generally evident before age 3- that
adversely affects educational performance.
Autism is a sensory disorder
Autism is a childhood disorder with onset prior to 36 months of age. It is
characterized by extreme withdrawal, self-stimulation, intellectual deficits, and
language disorders.
Asperger Syndrome is a condition that shares certain unusual social interactions
and behaviors with autism but typically includes no general language delay.
Characteristics:
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No big smiles or other warm, joyful expressions by six months or thereafter

No back-and-forth sharing of sounds, smiles, or other facial expressions by
nine months or thereafter
No babbling by 12 months
No back-and-forth gestures, such as pointing, showing, reaching, or waving
by 12 months
No words by 16 months
No two-word meaningful phrases (without imitating or repeating) by 24
months
Any loss of speech or babbling or social skills at any age
Unresponsive
Extreme difficulty relating to others and understanding or expressing emotion
Lowered ability to regulate affect
Prefer to interact with inanimate objects
Form attachments to objects rather than to people
Appear to be insensitive to the feelings of others
Have difficult making sense of the world around them
Rely on peripheral vision, rather than direct, face-to-face visual contact
not cuddly
Avoid eye contact

Strategies that general education teachers can use to help students with
the disability:
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Help with collaborative organizational strategies

Avoid abstract ideas as much as possible
Communicate with specific directions or questions, not vague or open-ended
statements
Create a place that is safe for a short period of time
Use schedules and rules that are written with accompanying pictures so that
students understand what is truly expected of them
Teach adaptation to changes in routine. Involve the child in the planning for
changes

Accommodations or modifications that would be applicable to the specific

disability:
Applied Behavior Analysis: break a large task into small, manageable parts and
reinforce successive approximations to the goal.
Visual and Structural Support: Teachers who establish visually structured classrooms
post their class rules/ expectations in a prominent place along with consequences
for maintaining or not maintaining those expectations. They teach the expectations
to the students, reteach as necessary, and reinforce frequently. Also, these teachers
have the daily schedule posted and refer to it often.

Technology and Environmental Resources:

Picture Exchange Communication System, or PECS: This system teaches children to
initiate a communicative exchange with a partner by using pictures. Research
indicates that the use of PECS enhances the communication skills of children with
ASD, but few gains are made in speech.
Apps for Autism
Assistive Technologies
Pencil grips
Word processing software
Talking book readers
Adapted and electronic books
Augmentative communication devices
Communication books
Adaptable educational software
Visual supports (ex. symbols) for classroom instruction
Computer touch screens and adapted keyboards
Adapted mouse or joystick
Velcro
Photo dial telephones
Visual timers
Schedules