Towards applied integrationism - integrating autism in teaching and coaching sessions

At present, Denmark counts numerous cases of youngsters with Aspergers syndrome and the implementation of separate project classrooms for Asperger-students has proved beneficial (EVA-report January 2010). Today, Asperger-students at project schools have the opportunity to receive an education whereas before they often ended up as psychiatric cases. The few participating schools offer one class of approximately 10 persons each per year. Unfortunately, this covers only a small percentage of a growing need. Indeed, some students are struck with more severe Autism than Aspergers. In 1994, autistic psychopathy was put on the list of psychiatric diagnoses as "Aspergers syndrome" by the World Health Organization (WHO) (Asperger and Kanner, 1996). For traditional teachers, Asperger-students often seem difficult to teach because they perform differently in social settings. They are often perceived as problematic and marginalized by teachers and peers when integrated in conventional classes. As a high school teacher, language psychologist and mentor, I have been closely involved with Asperger-students at schools in my hometown outside of the classroom. The Danish government has recently granted four additional project classes nationwide and is considering an expansion of the project: http://www.uvm.dk/Aktuelt/similar to/media/C9D1SAE89C54449C9E3A325B76F2E987.ashx (last visited June 6th 2010). Suggestions will be needed for the long term and guidance will be necessary for teachers to deal professionally with Asperger-students. My main purpose here is to discuss the potential application of integrationism towards the design of an integrational case-study. This contribution suggests a way to analyze why teachers and Asperger-individuals experience communicational problems. Several related questions are important to consider: How does society improve the general integration of Asperger-students in educational institutions? What can teachers and coaches do to enhance the integration of Asperger-students in their daily practice according to an integrational approach? This study suggests that teachers and institutions must understand that Asperger-diagnosed students are agents in the world just as are ordinary students. They perform as anyone else in verbal and non-verbal ways. Contextualization is therefore a keyword to this investigation and its suggestions. Focusing on how to enhance integration working explicitly with self-observation in communication may be a tool for teachers to contribute to change the way people experience and face Asperger-students.