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High functioning autism spectrum disorder: A challenge to secondary school educators and the students with the condition
Citation
Hay, I and Winn, S, High functioning autism spectrum disorder: A challenge to secondary school educators and the students with the condition, Proceedings of the 2012 Australian Association for Research in Education Conference, 2-6 December 2012, University of Sydney, Australia, pp. 1-12. ISSN 1324-9320 (2012) [Refereed Conference Paper]
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Copyright Statement
Copyright 2012 the Author
Official URL: http://www.aare.edu.au/
Abstract
Across the Australian schooling sector, students with High Functioning Autism
Spectrum Disorder (HFASD) can represent a challenge to educators and the nature of
that challenge is the focus of this study. The setting for this research is secondary
education with the teachers and the students supported through additional services based
within an integrated special education service model. In this study students were
identified as HFASD if they had a diagnosis of ASD given by an independent medical
officer and the students were functioning in the regular classroom and achieving at, or
near, grade level on classroom based or standardised tests of achievement. This study
investigated the educational issues associated with students with HFASD using both
teacher (N = 81) and students with HFASD (N=32) surveys. These surveys were
developed after extensive focus group activities with the teachers and the students
identified with ASD, and were framed in the language provided by the participants. The
teacher survey contained 27 items and the student survey contained 34 items. Both
instruments used a 5 point Likert scale. The two main concepts in the mainstream
teachers' responses were: (i) the less predictable and at times inflexible social behaviour
of the students; and (ii) the level of additional in-class attention required to effectively
teach the students in a group context. The two main concepts from the students with
HFASD responses were: (i) the students' desire for social relationships and friendships;
and (ii) their concerns about their learning environments. The educational implications
of these findings are discussed in relation to theory and practice.
Item Details
| Item Type: | Refereed Conference Paper |
|---|---|
| Research Division: | Education |
| Research Group: | Specialist studies in education |
| Research Field: | Educational counselling |
| Objective Division: | Education and Training |
| Objective Group: | Learner and learning |
| Objective Field: | Learner and learning not elsewhere classified |
| UTAS Author: | Hay, I (Professor Ian Hay) |
| ID Code: | 83670 |
| Year Published: | 2012 |
| Deposited By: | Education |
| Deposited On: | 2013-03-20 |
| Last Modified: | 2017-12-09 |
| Downloads: | 266 View Download Statistics |
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