Autism is a distinct developmental brain disorder with both physical and behavioral components. It affects the brain areas controlling language, social interaction and abstract thought. About one in every one thousand people is autistic. The symptoms vary greatly, but usually become apparent by two or three years of age and affect males more often than females. People with autism share a common problem of having difficulty expressing what they mean or sometimes cannot speak. Emotional problems and mental retardation can also be present. Individuals with autism are usually very sensitive to sensory stimuli and are often overwhelmed by ordinary sounds, sights, smells and touch. The cause of autism is still unclear, although the most widely accepted explanation is a combination of genetic factors and damage affecting the part of the brain that processes and interprets information. Autistic youngsters are often described as being “in a shell” or “living in a world all their own. While autism is considered a life-long condition, good educational training and programs reduce the severity of its symptoms. Occupational therapy, speech and language therapy, and medication are sometimes helpful. In the cases where retardation is accompanied by normal or superior skills (as in arithmetic, music, or memory), these skills can be expanded. (Deering, P. D., 1998.)
Services for students with mild to moderate (M/M) disabilities that is aligned and linked to the California Content Standards for secondary students. Students with mild to moderate disabilities are considered to be those who are participating in the District’s general education curriculum at the student’s grade level or the District general education curriculum using accommodations or modifications of grade level curriculum.
Students with mild/moderate disabilities might be ineffective learners who have difficulties having presence structure on learning tasks. They might display delays in rational development, precise learning disabilities, and/or staid emotional disturbances.........
