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Research
Rise in Autism
Autism is the fastest-growing developmental disorder in the nation. New statistics show that one in every 175 American children is diagnosed with some degree of the disorder, a prevalence rate higher than that of diabetes, childhood AIDS and childhood cancer combined. Some researchers say that there is a new case of autism diagnosed every 20 minutes in the United States.
This huge increase in cases has been called an "epidemic" in the popular press, and it is creating a huge challenge for school districts. Professor Carol Davis at the UW College of Education is working to meet this challenge.
All children identified with disabilities, including children with autism, are entitled to a free and appropriate education under the Individuals With Disabilities Act (IDEA). Since IDEA was enacted in 1975, the percentage of disabled students spending 80 percent or more of the school day in a general education classroom has increased exponentially.
But meeting the needs of children with autism in both general and special education environments is a complex and expensive challenge for school districts. Autism is a disability that ranges from mild to severe, leading to the more widely used term Autism Spectrum Disorder, or ASD. Some students with ASD need intense instructional and behavioral support. Others may work at grade level or above, and require less intense social and behavioral support in the classroom. Still, almost all at some time present special behavioral, social or communication challenges in the classroom that can confound teachers.
There is not one best way to educate students with ASD. Educators must tailor research-based practices from general and special education literature to individual students. It’s a significant demand on busy teachers.
How do districts provide them the necessary support to meet the needs of these challenging students?
"What we know about behaviorally and socially challenging kids is that they are the first ones to be excluded in classes. The literature is very clear about that," says Davis.
Davis and College of Education Professor Ilene Schwartz have been working to address the needs of elementary students with ASD and their teachers. Through a grant funded by the Department of Education, they have developed a program that can help districts develop the expertise to deal with ASD challenges on their own, without having to rely on the use of expensive outside consultants.
Working with graduate students, Davis and Schwartz have been training technical assistance teams in two western Washington school districts over the last two years. The five-member teams are made up of key school personnel, including general education teachers, special education teachers, school psychologists, speech pathologists, physical therapists and others.
The district teams deal with specific challenges presented by individual students with ASD. The student’s teacher presents the problem to the team, a case manager from among the five is assigned to do an assessment, and then the team brainstorms a number of possible solutions, relying on collective expertise.
If a student continually balks at stopping a reading assignment to start math lessons, the team might suggest presenting a visual schedule or buffering the transition with emotion-neutral questions: "What is today’s date? What is your dog’s name? Good job, now it’s time to move to math."
For most students with ASD, lack of communication skills can be a problem. Many seek other ways to get their needs met. A student who does not communicate verbally, but wants to stop working on an assignment, might hit his teacher rather than complete the work at hand. Such negative behavior may result in the student being excused from the assignment, and excluded from other classroom activities.
In such a case, the technical assistance team might work with a speech language pathologist to develop a way for the non-verbal student to communicate without words. He might be taught to use an electronic device with speech output, or a book of symbols that allows him to express himself more effectively and appropriately.
In every case, the teacher and the team continue to monitor progress and brainstorm ideas until they find a solution that works for each child with ASD. "The team is always there, always coming up with options, always providing support," says Davis.
The UW professor has been pleased to see teachers’ skills growing as they work with the technical assistance teams. Many report they feel more confident in providing instruction for learners with ASD after participating in the UW project. Since there is not a one-size-fits-all solution for students with ASD, the on-going support of local teams is essential.
"Many teachers report feeling empowered by working collaboratively with the team rather than simply ‘doing what the consultant told us to do’," says Davis.
She and Schwartz will continue to train a new team every year in the two districts. As the number of students with ASD grows, so should the district’s ability to educate them effectively.
"The ultimate question we want to answer is how districts can increase their capacity to meet the needs of every student with ASD," says Davis. "When we can answer that question, we will be one step closer to realizing the goals of the Individuals With Disabilities Act."
For more information
Video Interviews
Carol Davis
Assistant Professor,
Special Education
Project DATA looks at effective preschool practices for kids with autism.
Watch video 
Experimental Education Unit provides opportunities for research.
Watch video
Positive aspects of providing instruction for kids with disabilities in general education classrooms.
Watch video
The importance of providing an inclusive educational environment for all kids.
Watch video
Goals for educating kids with autism.
Watch video
Note: QuickTime and a high-speed connection are required to view videos.
...The team is always there, always coming up with options, always providing support.
—Carol Davis
—Carol Davis