WGU D269 TASK 2 AUTISM IN GENERAL EDUCATION CLASSROOMS |
ACCURATE AND VERIFIED | 2026 UPDATE
Autism in General Education Classrooms
Autism is a disorder that is present from birth or an early age of
development that affects essentially every behavior in a child. Children
with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) struggle with social interaction,
communication, sensory processing, and organization. ASS makes it very
difficult for children with ASD to learn in a general education classroom. As
a parent of a son who lives with ASD, I feel this gives me a unique
perspective on this topic. I am going to explain by pointing out some of the
main challenges children with ASD face in the general education classroom
from the point of view of a parent.
To begin with, one of the challenges that autistic children in general
education classes deal with is social interaction. When it comes to children
with autism, it's hard for them to understand and recognize social cues.
These social cues can include facial expressions, body language, and
someone's tone of voice. This can lead to misunderstandings and social
awkwardness. They struggle with maintaining conversations with other
students and teachers in a large classroom. The hardest struggle can be
their ability to engage in reciprocal interaction, which involves back-and-
forth exchanges and shared experiences. While some students with Autism
Spectrum Disorder (ASD) can be socially involved in the classroom setting,
reciprocal relationships can be a huge hurdle for other children with ASD.
Ways to help children with ASD with social interaction in a classroom can be
by creating a structured and predictable environment, teaching social skills
explicitly, and fostering peer interaction through structured activities.
Working with my son, a second challenge I see in the classroom
setting is his ability to plan and be organized. These difficulties stem from
challenges with executive function, which are cognitive skills that help
manage thoughts and behaviors. Specifically, autistic students like my son
struggle with task-like breaking down assignments. Children with Autistic
Spectrum Disorder (ASD) may have trouble setting goals for themselves due
to their difficulties with executive function. ASD students struggle with
creating strategies and managing time more than non-ASD students.
ACCURATE AND VERIFIED | 2026 UPDATE
Autism in General Education Classrooms
Autism is a disorder that is present from birth or an early age of
development that affects essentially every behavior in a child. Children
with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) struggle with social interaction,
communication, sensory processing, and organization. ASS makes it very
difficult for children with ASD to learn in a general education classroom. As
a parent of a son who lives with ASD, I feel this gives me a unique
perspective on this topic. I am going to explain by pointing out some of the
main challenges children with ASD face in the general education classroom
from the point of view of a parent.
To begin with, one of the challenges that autistic children in general
education classes deal with is social interaction. When it comes to children
with autism, it's hard for them to understand and recognize social cues.
These social cues can include facial expressions, body language, and
someone's tone of voice. This can lead to misunderstandings and social
awkwardness. They struggle with maintaining conversations with other
students and teachers in a large classroom. The hardest struggle can be
their ability to engage in reciprocal interaction, which involves back-and-
forth exchanges and shared experiences. While some students with Autism
Spectrum Disorder (ASD) can be socially involved in the classroom setting,
reciprocal relationships can be a huge hurdle for other children with ASD.
Ways to help children with ASD with social interaction in a classroom can be
by creating a structured and predictable environment, teaching social skills
explicitly, and fostering peer interaction through structured activities.
Working with my son, a second challenge I see in the classroom
setting is his ability to plan and be organized. These difficulties stem from
challenges with executive function, which are cognitive skills that help
manage thoughts and behaviors. Specifically, autistic students like my son
struggle with task-like breaking down assignments. Children with Autistic
Spectrum Disorder (ASD) may have trouble setting goals for themselves due
to their difficulties with executive function. ASD students struggle with
creating strategies and managing time more than non-ASD students.
