Asperger's Syndrome: An analysis of the disease and key insights into special education - Research Paper Example

Section/# Asperger’s Syndrome: An Analysis of the Disease and Key Insights into Special Education Due to the fact that autism includes a very wide range of disorders, it encompasses a plethora of spectral disorders that in and of themselves require a further examination with regards to a broader understanding of special education. Likewise, it is oftentimes the case that special education is lumped in and stereotyped as a type of remedial studies program for those that are simply unable to compete or grasp the same skill sets that other “more normal” students have the ability to grasp in a faster and more traditional manner. However, such a limited understanding of special education is incomplete and belies the true nature of human development, potential, and the infinite complexities that exist within the human brain. As such, this brief paper will analyze Asperberger’s syndrome within the broader context of special education and the unique opportunities that such a syndrome represents to both the educational system, the individual suffering from it, and society at large. Firstly, Aspergers disease has only recently begun to be more fully understood than it has in the past. Previously, it was almost invariably wrongly lumped in together with a host of autism spectrum disorders that neither related to it nor helped to define it very well. Although it is an autism disorder, the ways in which the syndrome itself is exhibited and understood are quite different from those that other autism disorders display. Furthermore, due to the fact that the disease is little understood and exhibits itself predominately among boys, it is oftentimes misdiagnosed by teachers, family members, and even professionals as a type of obsession or compulsion that is merely indicative of certain phase of development and will necessarily pass with time. In this way, the reader can adequately see that although medical experts claim the syndrome may affect as many as 3% of the population, it is oftentimes misunderstood, under diagnosed or misdiagnosed (Baylis 2011). Furthermore, like any autism spectrum disease, Aspergers itself can of course exhibit varying degrees of severity. In this way, although some members of the student body may be easily identified, others may not. As with a host of autism spectrum disorders, the societal interpretation of Aspergers is particularly troublesome. Whereas a degree of empathy and understanding can oftentimes be evoked with relation to more traditional and typical forms of autism, Aspergers oftentimes illicit unhealthful responses from those that do not fully understand it within society. For instance, as Aspergers is defined by a host of symptoms to include: overly obsessive behavior with reference to a particular interest, topic, or hobby, inability to understand the emotional responses of others, social integration issues, and a host of other issues, individuals within society oftentimes misinterpret these as evidence of the fact that the child is merely “nerdy”, “anti-social”, “preoccupied”, or just “weird” (Wheeler 2011). Obviously, such labels do not help in either fostering a greater understanding of the disease or promoting key resources that can be utilized to engage with those that suffer from or seek to provide a degree of treatment and/or development. Similarly, to a wide range of autism spectrum diseases, Aspergers syndrome is non-curable and nominally treatable with pharmaceutical and/or therapeutic means. Of course this does not mean that the individual suffering from it cannot benefit from having an understanding therapist or psychiatrist prescribe a particular regimen or drug plan; however, it is merely meant to show that the disease is invariably something that an individual suffers with for the remainder of their lives (Merchan-Naranjo et al 2012). With regards to the effects on the student, the disease exhibits these in different ways depending on the degree of severity. The disease is also dependent upon the environment and needs of the individual student. For purposes of this analysis, the analysis of Aspergers will be concentric around the scope and percentage rates of prevalence that the syndrome exhibits, a broader and more complete definition of the disorder, levels of interference that the disease can effect on learning and comprehension, teaching strategies that can be effectively used to engage students with the disease, societal perceptions of the disease, environmental factors, and key strengths and weaknesses exhibited by students that suffer from Aspergers syndrome. It should under no circumstances be concluded that merely because a child suffers from a severe case of Aspbergers that they are necessarily “slower” than their peers. This topic will be discussed at greater length further in this analysis; however, for the time being suffice it to say that it is oftentimes the case that although these individuals will grapple with verbal communication and experience difficulty in certain subjects, their level of development, knowledge, and understanding of complex processes and involved/applied facets of educational achievement can far exceed those of their more “normal” classmates. In this way, it is incumbent upon the educator to better understand the unique needs of these individuals and work to foster them as a means to both engage the student and develop the skills that they have been naturally gifted with. Judging by the differing level of effects that this syndrome has on those that suffer from it and the unique opportunities for growth, engagement, and development that each of these students represents, recognizing this syndrome, working with it, and helping each student to blossom and thrive within the confines of their given situation is of paramount importance to the educator. Moreover, the threat of not recognizing and challenging those that suffer from the disease can be disastrous. As has been previously noted, specific niches of interest are oftentimes an indicative symptom that is displayed by those that suffer from Aspergers. Due to this, it is the responsibility of the educator to be both mindful and aware of these unique traits and to work to engage the student in activities and learning processes that will work to accentuate these as well as define those areas of the child’s education that needs further development. In this way, it is incumbent upon the educator to seek to strike a balance that might not otherwise be struck if the child were within a traditional classroom that cared little about the particular interests and areas of fascination within which the child’s mind operates. Rather than providing a structured lesson plan that will seek to engage an entire class at the same rate and bring them into an understanding of a specific subject matter, it is necessary for the educator to apply specific focus on those students that suffer from Aspergers as a means to engage them in topics that they would not otherwise perform, enjoy performing, or have a natural talent and/or ability with. In this way, the role of special education in recognizing the specific needs, talents, and means of engagement that can be effected on those that suffer from the syndrome can only help the educator perform their job to a better and/or higher degree. One of the most dangerous facets of the disease is the fact that the individual that suffers from the syndrome and is neither neither diagnosed nor treated in an adequate way risks disengaging from the rest of society and/or the classroom. This is one of the most relevant concerns for those involved in special education as it requires that early determinations be made accurately and engagement actively sought to reclaim the child from disconnecting from the learning process. Several studies have indicated that there is a brief window in time that the Asperger’s sufferer will be able to be engaged before either becoming infinitely bored and or frustrated with concepts, tasks, and processes they either little understand or understand all too well and which actually bore them to a high degree (Woodbury-Smith et al 2009). This concept of challenge is perhaps one of the most important concepts for the educator to grasp. Due to a general misunderstanding of this concept, countless cases of wasted talent have been realized due to the fact that educators and shareholders have not been able to either diagnose, understand, or realize the unique needs and time sensitive nature of Aspergers syndrome with respect to the level of overall engagement that the special educator is necessitated to provide to these students (Jackson et al 2012). As such, a rapid understanding of the baseline strengths and weaknesses of the student can help the educator to engage the student in tasks that seek to accentuate these while nominally but methodically building those weaknesses that they have to a level that a basic understanding if not a modicum of proficiency is indeed possible. Similarly, the role the special educator plays with regards to seeking to develop and encourage the child is only part of the issue. As stated, early detection and understanding is another facet of this; whereas appreciation for and willingness to work with such a disorder within the ultimate family unit is the core of the issue. Likewise, the role of the family plays a powerful part in seeking to drive home the many approaches that a special educator may attempt to engage the affected student(s) with (Rumpf et al 2011). Moreover, whereas the student may lack a general understanding of importance with relation to their coursework or a sense of respect and admiration for their teachers, the family may be able to help instill such traits within the student or show him/her that these factors are of extreme importance to the family and should therefore be treated with the same degree of attention that they hold such matters in. One of the most important teaching strategies that an educator might employ has to do with seeking to not reinforce negative behaviors that are often a side effect of the syndrome (Aston 2011). This is somewhat non-intuitive as the epitome of understanding and empathy is to realize that those with special learning needs cannot help their situation and must be understood; however, the situation is slightly more complex and nuanced with the Aspergers patient. Rather than this meaning that the educator must force the student to let go of attributes and side effects of the syndrome, this merely means that the educator should play a powerful and defining role in helping and encouraging while all the whole correcting the student and guiding them towards engaging with their areas of weakness and seeking to define them. Multiple studies have indicated that firm yet helpful correction from educators with regards to students who suffer from Aspergers syndrome can help to affect a positive level of change in the way that the student engages with subjects and topics that they would otherwise show little to no interest in (Mayoral et al 2010). In this way, a firm approach which demands the attention of the student into areas that they would otherwise be little interested in as a means to reward them with their favorite area of focus can be a powerful mechanism to engage these students in the learning process. As such a type of reward mechanism is not specifically available within the traditional non-special education classroom, this approach has the affect of engaging the student in ways a traditional approach would not. Thus far this analysis has focused almost exclusively on the negative aspects of the disease; however, there are a number of positive aspects of the disease as well. Due to the fact that the nature and function of the brain is dissimilar to that of an individual that does not suffer form the syndrome, the fact of the matter is that the individual with Aspergers has the ability to concentrate single-mindedly on a task for a far greater period of time with a much higher level off output than does the individual how does not suffer from the syndrome (Pelligrino et al 2011). This ability to focus can of course be constructively used to affect a positive effect on the overall learning environment and special skills that the educator seeks to relate to the individual. Likewise, due to the fact that oftentimes a key area of focus (i.e. a specific skill) is developed at a much higher rate within the Aspergers patient than it would be within the general population, the educator can also seek to cultivate this skill and mold it to the needs of the education that is being incorporated as well as the overall betterment and development of the individual student (Sciutto et al 2012). Whereas a well-developed education relies on adequate development of multiple areas, the educator can hone specific areas of the child’s development much further than would be possible within the general population. This is not to say that the educator should attempt to specialize the child any more than nature has already effected; indeed, the true goal of the special educator with reference to the student with Aspergers is to attempt to balance their interests. As with any developmental disorder, the Aspergers patient will require a high degree of specialized and individual attention on the part of the educator. The degree to which this can be affected as well as the severity of the syndrome represented within the individual are of course the key determinants towards effecting a positive change with relation to the needs of the student. Rather than seeking to categorize success in terms of increased standardized testing or other metrics, the special educator will find that their level of success is most definitively measured by the level to which they are able to effect an improvement in understanding, cooperation, and differentiation of skills within the student. Moreover, the most important facet of the elements that have been thus far mentioned is the level of integration and involvement in which the educator is able to evoke. Without this level of integration and/or cooperation, the other learning goals and desired outcomes that have thus far been mentioned are a moot point. In this way, the level of analysis that has been performed helps the reader/researcher both better understand Aspergers syndrome, those affected with it, as well as the unique talents/drawbacks that these particular students most live with. Furthermore, a level of analysis has been lain out with regards to the way that educators can seek to better understand the syndrome as well as seek to engage students in the development of their innate skills as well as those that do not necessarily come naturally and most be learned. Of primary importance to better understanding this topic is that fact that like any form of special education, teaching students with Aspergers requires patience and a degree of firmness that the special educator may not quite be familiar with. Due to the fact that these students have the ability to learn and can respond to both positive and negative reward/punishment mechanisms, there is a high level of potential for growth and development. This should be misunderstood to mean that it can be the role of the educator to “cure” such students; rather, seeking develop and define their academic growth is a process that, if given the right amount of patience and understanding, can readily be affected. References Aston, M. (2011). A different way of thinking: understanding Asperger syndrome. Healthcare Counselling & Psychotherapy Journal, 11(3), 28-31. Baylis, M. (2011). Instructional Accommodations for Students with Asperger Syndrome in the General High School Classroom. Online Submission. Jackson, P., Skirrow, P., & Hare, D. (2012). Asperger through the Looking Glass: An Exploratory Study of Self-Understanding in People with Asperger's Syndrome. Journal Of Autism And Developmental Disorders, 42(5), 697-706. Mayoral, M., Merchan-Naranjo, J., Rapado, M., Leiva, M., Moreno, C., Giraldez, M., & ... Parellada, M. (2010). Neurological soft signs in juvenile patients with Asperger syndrome, early-onset psychosis, and healthy controls M. Mayoral et al. Neurological signs in Asperger syndrome. Early Intervention In Psychiatry, 4(4), 283-290. doi:10.1111/j.1751-7893.2010.00197.x Merchan-Naranjo, J., Mayoral, M., Rapado-Castro, M., Llorente, C., Boada, L., Arango, C., & Parellada, M. (2012). Estimation of the Intelligence Quotient Using Wechsler Intelligence Scales in Children and Adolescents with Asperger Syndrome. Journal Of Autism & Developmental Disorders, 42(1), 116-122. doi:10.1007/s10803-011-1219-8 Pellegrino, L., & Liptak, G. (2011). Consultation with the specialist: asperger syndrome. Pediatrics In Review, 32(11), 481-489. Rumpf, A., Kamp-Becker, I., Becker, K., & Kauschke, C. (2012). Narrative competence and internal state language of children with Asperger Syndrome and ADHD. Research In Developmental Disabilities, 33(5), 1395-1407. Sciutto, M., Richwine, S., Mentrikoski, J., & Niedzwiecki, K. (2012). A Qualitative Analysis of the School Experiences of Students with Asperger Syndrome. Focus On Autism And Other Developmental Disabilities, 27(3), 177-188. Wheeler, M. (2011). Syndrome or difference: a critical review of medical conceptualisations of Asperger’s syndrome. Disability & Society, 26(7), 839-851. doi:10.1080/09687599.2011.618739 Woodbury-Smith, M., & Volkmar, F. (2009). Asperger syndrome. European Child & Adolescent Psychiatry, 18(1), 2-11. doi:10.1007/s00787-008-0701-0 Read More