Forwarded message from Advocate Anna Moore:

Fellow Education Advocates: I will keep this brief. What began as an investigation into the use of Restraint, Seclusion and Corporal Punishment in our public schools has just expanded into an investigation into Retaliation and Coercion. This was due to a flood of emails from parents (and teachers) from across the country describing retaliation.

Any individual, parent/teacher/student, who has experienced Retaliation or Coercion should immediately email their story to the individuals below [at the Government Accountability Office].

Every single email is being reviewed.

You must provide your name, address (including county and state), and phone number. Do not send attachments.

Send to: kutzg@gao.gov, higginsg@gao.gov, margaret.young@mail.house.gov

I just received this from the Autistic Self-Advocacy Network (ASAN)

Emergency Action Alert: Keep Disability Provisions in the Stimulus

The Senate is right now debating provisions in the stimulus bill that would strip crucial funding for special education, independent living and vocational rehabilitation services. It is vital that we keep these provisions in in order to ensure access and opportunity for autistic people and those with other people with disabilities across the lifespan.

IMMEDIATELY CALL 202-224-3121 and ask for your Senators’ offices and leave the message below:

“I urge you to keep funding for Vocational Rehabilitation, Independent Living and IDEA in the Economic Stimulus bill. People with disabilities deserve the opportunity to benefit from the economic stimulus package. With EVERY STATE facing looming budget deficits, the funding for these programs in the Economic Stimulus bill will offset any state budget cuts that would hurt people with disabilities and also ensure that people with disabilities are not left behind.”

The American Recovery and Reinvestment Act created by the United States House of Representatives includes a provision to help with special education needs. According to the House press release on the Act, “$13 billion for formula grants to increase the federal share of special education costs and prevent these mandatory costs from forcing states to cut other areas of education.”

The Act also has a $600 million allotment to provide grants to states for assisting children 2 and younger with disabilities. This Act is in line with President Obama’s commitment to disabilities during his administration, including a specific note on autism.

Sending your autistic child to a public or private school isn’t the only educational option you have. Many families that have a child on the spectrum choose to homeschool their child for a variety of reasons. Some families have always envisioned that they would homeschool any children they have and although autism wasn’t planned, it doesn’t change their desire to homeschool.

Other families may be homeschooling out of necessity as opposed to desire. Whether the school setting was too much for the child, bullying was an issue or any other reason – some families have chosen to bring their spectrum child back home to receive their education.

This time of year is the traditional back-to-school time but for those that homeschool, back-to-school is a bit different. The article, Autism Homeschooling Resources, touches on homeschooling a child with an autism spectrum disorder. This next article, Autism Education Choices, discusses a variety of educational options for children with autism.

Currently 1 in 150 children in the United States have been diagnosed with an autism spectrum disorder.  One of the most difficult questions that parents are faced with deals with choosing the right educational environment for their autistic child.  The Autism Education Site is dedicated to helping you, the parent or caregiver, explore all of the schools and extra-curricular educational organizations that are dedicated to providing the best in autism education to their students.

Families that have a child with an autism spectrum disorder are faced with numerous decisions over the course of their child’s life; one of the most important questions is which educational environment is ideal for their child.  Understanding the differences between the various models of autism education will allow a decision to be made that is tailored to the unique needs of the child in mind.

Several different classroom settings are used to educate children with autism.  The inclusion model of education allows autistic children to attend a regular education classroom alongside their typically developing peers.  This is usually most beneficial for children with high-functioning autism, PDD-NOS, or Asperger’s Syndrome.  The typically-developing children serve as role models for the autistic children helping them acquire and implement key social skills.

Autistic children who are educated in a self-contained classroom usually have a small adult-to-student ratio and have extra classroom accommodations in order to meet their unique needs.  It is not unusual to have a self-contained autism classroom set up with dim lights, a few tents in the corners, a small trampoline, and even a sit and spin.  Understanding the sensory needs of children on the autism spectrum is an important part of those tasked with providing them a quality education.  Children in a self-contained classroom are educated among their peers and participate in all extra-curricular activities with the same group.

The last model involves mainstreaming students with an autism spectrum disorder during a portion of their day.  Mainstreaming usually occurs for the extra-curricular activities such as physical education, art, and recess.  Children who are mainstreamed spend the majority of their day in a self-contained classroom but then join their typically-developing peers for these extra-curricular activities.

In addition to these three models of educating autistic children, there are private schools dedicated solely to those students with autism spectrum disorders.  Some parents also choose to home school their child with autism.  All of these methods of autism education will be explored here on The Autism Education Site.