Table of ContentsView AllTable of ContentsClassroom Challenges1:1 Aides Support MethodsStudents Who Can BenefitReasons to Decline an Aide
Table of ContentsView All
View All
Table of Contents
Classroom Challenges
1:1 Aides Support Methods
Students Who Can Benefit
Reasons to Decline an Aide
In the United States, the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) states that autistic children, and those with other developmental disorders, should be placed in the “least restrictive” setting possible.In school, the least restrictive setting is, of course, an ordinary classroom. There are many ways 1:1 aides for autistic students can help them thrive in school.
A 1:1 aide is often helpful; but in some cases, however, the aide is actually a hindrance. As the parent, it may be up to you to determine whether your autistic child can benefit from an aide in the general education classroom or whether they might be better off in a specialized or private setting.
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Why the General Education Classroom Is Challenging for Autistic Students
Often, very young autistic children can handle an ordinary classroom.Preschoolgroups are typically small; there are usually multiple adults available; and preschool teachers expect very young children to develop at different speeds and exhibit very different levels of emotional control.
An autistic 2-year-old having a “meltdown” isn’t terribly different from a neurotypical 2-year-old having a “temper tantrum.” If an autistic preschooler behaves inappropriately, even a physically small, untrained adult can carry that child into another room until he or she calms down.
Most difficult of all, students learn through imitation how to be a “typical” kid in unstructured social settings such as lunch and recess.
How 1:1 Aides Support Autistic Students
How 1:1 aides support autistic children varies for every situation, but here are some of the ways in which an aide might help an autistic child to be a part of a general education setting. They may:
The aide often becomes a parent’s best source of info about what’s really going on in school. They may be a great support system for your child. Be aware, though, that 1:1 aides vary in terms of their own capabilities and skill in supporting your child.
What does a 1:1 aide do?Specific tasks can vary, depending on the individual child’s needs, the school, and the aide. In general, aides help to make sure the student understands the instruction and stays focused in the classroom. They may also assist with behavioral and social challenges.
What does a 1:1 aide do?
Specific tasks can vary, depending on the individual child’s needs, the school, and the aide. In general, aides help to make sure the student understands the instruction and stays focused in the classroom. They may also assist with behavioral and social challenges.
Which Students Are Likely to Receive Support
Based on the IDEA law, all disabled children should be included in typical classrooms. In practice, this isn’t always possible, practical, or even desirable.
A child who can’t learn to speak, read, or write as others do is unlikely to get much out of a classroom in which these are the only means of learning and communicating with other students.
Children with intense speech, learning, cognitive, or behavioral challenges are therefore often placed in specialized classrooms with small learning groups. They may benefit from specially trained teachers, and teaching tools adapted to their skills.
But what about the many autistic children who can read, write, and speak? Should they be in general classroom settings? Many autistic children with low to moderate support needs are placed in typical settings. Their families often prefer their inclusion, in keeping with IDEA law.
Even if an autistic child is bright and verbal, though, they are likely to experience difficulties with sensory challenges and executive functioning. The “hidden curriculum” of unwritten rules of behavior that most children learn through observation and imitation may prove challenging.
To support such a student in a typical setting, many schools provide a 1:1 aide with the sole focus of helping one child.
Depending upon the state you live in, 1:1 aides may or may not be required to have any college training or autism-specific training for their job (though all require some sort of basic training).In no case are aides expected to actually teach the students for whom they are responsible.
Why Might You Choose to Say “No” to an Aide?
It’s usually worth saying “yes” to a 1:1 aide for a trial period of a few months. Sometimes, however, the aide doesn’t work out. No two school districts, classrooms, aides, or autistic students are the same—and even an aide who worked well with your child last year may have great difficulty meeting this year’s needs.
Issues that may arise when your child works with a 1:1 aide include the following:
Your child may need a different setting. General education classrooms are large, loud, and fast-moving. They stress collaboration, communication, and socialization. When that’s the case, it may simply be the wrong environment for your child.
1:1 Aides and ABA StrategiesMost aides have at least some basic training in behavioral approaches to working with autistic children. They may offer rewards in keeping withApplied Behavioral Analysis(ABA) principles. Not everyone supports the ABA approach, which can be controversial. You may not want your child trained using rewards, and it can be difficult to change the 1:1 aide’s approach, especially if the school district supports the ABA philosophy.
1:1 Aides and ABA Strategies
Most aides have at least some basic training in behavioral approaches to working with autistic children. They may offer rewards in keeping withApplied Behavioral Analysis(ABA) principles. Not everyone supports the ABA approach, which can be controversial. You may not want your child trained using rewards, and it can be difficult to change the 1:1 aide’s approach, especially if the school district supports the ABA philosophy.
Summary
4 SourcesVerywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.National Institute of Child Health and Human Development.What are the treatments for learning disabilities?.Autism New Jersey.One-to-one support in the classroom.PAVE.IDEA: The Foundation of Special Education.Azad GF, Locke J, Downey MM, Xie M, Mandell DS.One-to-One Assistant Engagement in Autism Support Classrooms.Teach Educ Spec Educ. 2015;38(4):337-346. doi:10.1177/0888406415603208
4 Sources
Verywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.National Institute of Child Health and Human Development.What are the treatments for learning disabilities?.Autism New Jersey.One-to-one support in the classroom.PAVE.IDEA: The Foundation of Special Education.Azad GF, Locke J, Downey MM, Xie M, Mandell DS.One-to-One Assistant Engagement in Autism Support Classrooms.Teach Educ Spec Educ. 2015;38(4):337-346. doi:10.1177/0888406415603208
Verywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.
National Institute of Child Health and Human Development.What are the treatments for learning disabilities?.Autism New Jersey.One-to-one support in the classroom.PAVE.IDEA: The Foundation of Special Education.Azad GF, Locke J, Downey MM, Xie M, Mandell DS.One-to-One Assistant Engagement in Autism Support Classrooms.Teach Educ Spec Educ. 2015;38(4):337-346. doi:10.1177/0888406415603208
National Institute of Child Health and Human Development.What are the treatments for learning disabilities?.
Autism New Jersey.One-to-one support in the classroom.
PAVE.IDEA: The Foundation of Special Education.
Azad GF, Locke J, Downey MM, Xie M, Mandell DS.One-to-One Assistant Engagement in Autism Support Classrooms.Teach Educ Spec Educ. 2015;38(4):337-346. doi:10.1177/0888406415603208
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