Autism Spectrum Disorder

The Supreme Court building is seen on Capitol Hill in Washington, Jan. 10, 2023.
The Supreme Court building is seen on Capitol Hill in Washington, Jan. 10, 2023.
Patrick Semansky/AP
Law & Courts Supreme Court Declines Case on Corporal Punishment for Student With Autism
The justices refused to hear the appeal of an 11-year-old Louisiana student who alleges that two educators slapped her on her wrists.
Mark Walsh, January 8, 2024
3 min read
The view over the shoulder of a high school student while he is holding a drone with the camera image showing on a laptop sitting on a nearby chair.
E+/Getty
Special Education To Prepare Students With Autism for the Working World, Drones Might Be a Good Start
Researchers are working with students to help them figure out how to navigate a workplace setting and explore STEM careers.
Alyson Klein, June 21, 2023
3 min read
Illustration of word autistic.
F. Sheehan for Education Week
Special Education Opinion Autistic Isn't a Bad Word: The Case for Rethinking Your Language
Educators may want to switch from "child with autism" to "autistic child," writes a special ed. teacher and parent of an autistic son.
Elizabeth Greenwell, April 7, 2023
4 min read
Illustration of children walking over missing puzzle piece.
SIphotography/Getty
Special Education Projects Aim to End Waits for Autism Diagnoses, Reduce Anxiety for Students
The feds are targeting $14 million in research grants to help students with disabilities regain ground lost to the pandemic.
Sarah D. Sparks, July 13, 2022
3 min read
Image of a student working with an adult one-on-one.
mmpile/E+
Special Education Hearing, Vision ... Autism? Proposal Would Add Screening to School-Entry Requirements
Nebraska legislators consider a first-in-the-nation mandate to assess all children for autism before the start of school.
Sarah D. Sparks, February 18, 2022
5 min read
Special Education What Employers Can Teach Schools About Neurodiversity
The benefits of neurodiversity have gained traction in business, but college and career support for students with disabilities falls short.
Sarah D. Sparks, July 12, 2021
8 min read
Student Well-Being Q&A Autism Amid Uncertainty: Expert Advice for Parents and Teachers
A leading autism researcher and former special education teacher offers advice to help students cope with the abrupt changes brought on by the novel coronavirus outbreak.
Corey Mitchell, April 22, 2020
4 min read
Equity & Diversity Q&A Autistic School Board Member Pushes for Inclusion, Understanding
Schools are "still dealing with the belief that children [with disabilities] can't be educated with their peers," says Nicki Vander Meulen, an autistic school board member in Madison, Wis.
Corey Mitchell, February 19, 2020
5 min read
Special Education Briefly Stated Briefly Stated: Stories You May Have Missed
A collection of short news stories from this week.
January 21, 2020
7 min read
Student Logan Patterson, 18, center, gives Kristen Powell, left, a high-five after using a virtual reality headset at the Technical College High School Pennock’s Bridge Campus in West Grove, Pa. The manufacturer of the device aims to help people with autism prepare for real-life encounters.
Student Logan Patterson, 18, center, gives Kristen Powell, left, a high-five after using a virtual reality headset at the Technical College High School Pennock’s Bridge Campus in West Grove, Pa. The manufacturer of the device aims to help people with autism prepare for real-life encounters.
Hannah Yoon for Education Week
Special Education Students With Autism Get Virtual Reality Lessons in How to Interact With Police
A new program uses VR simulations to help students with autism spectrum disorder practice what to do when they encounter law enforcement. But some say it’s the police who need the training.
Sarah Schwartz, October 22, 2019
9 min read
Benjamin Morin, 8, second from left, has a meal with his mother and father, Amanda and Jon Morin, and his brother Jacob Lewis at their home in Scarborough, Maine. Both boys are what is known as “twice exceptional” students, with disabilities and high academic skills.
Benjamin Morin, 8, second from left, has a meal with his mother and father, Amanda and Jon Morin, and his brother Jacob Lewis at their home in Scarborough, Maine. Both boys are what is known as “twice exceptional” students, with disabilities and high academic skills.
Sarah Rice for Education Week
Special Education Parents Wield Online Tools to Advocate for Children With Disabilities
Once isolated, parents are using social media and the internet to find information and communities to assure their children get the services they need.
Sasha Jones, December 4, 2018
7 min read
Special Education Five Top Technology Trends in Special Education
Fueled by technological advances, policy changes, and pressure from advocates, companies and researchers craft new tools and strategies to serve students with disabilities.
Benjamin Herold, December 4, 2018
8 min read
Jack Bradley is an 18-year-old high school student who is gifted in math and taking college-level courses. He also has autism and other disabilities.
Jack Bradley is an 18-year-old high school student who is gifted in math and taking college-level courses. He also has autism and other disabilities.
Pat McDonogh for Education Week
Special Education Opinion A Special Education Student Speaks: I Navigate 'Parallel Universes'
Jack Bradley says the system often fumbles in dealing with "twice exceptional" students like him.
Jack Bradley, December 4, 2018
3 min read
School & District Management Autism Prevalence Up Sharply in Latest National Monitoring Report
About 1 in 58 children in 11 monitoring sites across the nation have been diagnosed with an autism spectrum disorder, according to the latest figures released by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
Christina A. Samuels, April 26, 2018
3 min read