From the Guidelines
Individualized Education Programs (IEPs) for students with Asperger's disorder should include accommodations that address social communication challenges, sensory sensitivities, and executive functioning difficulties, with a focus on providing a structured and supportive environment that fosters academic and social growth. When developing an IEP for a student with Asperger's disorder, it is essential to consider the unique needs and challenges associated with this condition.
- Effective accommodations include providing a predictable schedule with visual supports, allowing for sensory breaks in a designated quiet area, and offering extended time for assignments and tests 1.
- Students often benefit from preferential seating away from distractions, clear step-by-step instructions in both verbal and written formats, and the use of assistive technology for organization and communication.
- Social skills instruction and a designated staff member who can serve as a "home base" person for emotional support are also valuable.
- Accommodations should include advance notice of transitions or schedule changes and modified group work arrangements that set clear expectations. The goal of these accommodations is to create an environment where the student can access the curriculum effectively while developing skills to manage their unique challenges, as supported by the most recent and highest quality study on the topic 1.
- Each IEP should be individualized based on comprehensive assessment of the student's specific strengths and needs, taking into account the neurological differences in information processing, social understanding, and sensory regulation that characterize Asperger's disorder.
- The use of visual schedules, planners, timers, and other assistive technology can also help to circumvent problems related to organizational weaknesses, as suggested by research on autism spectrum disorder associated with germline heterozygous PTEN mutations 1.
- Additionally, speech/language therapy, occupational therapy, and physical therapy may be essential for individuals with significant language and communication challenges, fine and/or gross motor challenges, and substantial cognitive, functional, and social difficulties 1.
From the Research
School IEP Accommodations for Asperger's Disorder
- Individualized Education Programs (IEPs) are essential for adolescents with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD), including those with Asperger's syndrome, as they help in planning for postsecondary transition goals, services, and special education classification 2.
- Research suggests that social skills training groups can be effective in improving social competence and reducing problem behaviors associated with Asperger's syndrome and high-functioning autism (AS/HFA) 3.
- Occupational therapy (OT) interventions have shown promise in enhancing social communication skills in children with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD), which can be beneficial for those with Asperger's syndrome as well 4, 5.
- Social skills therapy, including group therapy formats, can be used to teach social skills to children with Asperger's disorder and Pervasive Developmental Disorder Not Otherwise Specified (PDD-NOS) 6.
Accommodations and Interventions
- LEGO therapy, Social Use of Language Programme, Let's Face It! software, and Parent Training combined with the administration of risperidone are some of the OT interventions that have been found to improve social skills in children with Asperger's syndrome 4.
- Social skills training groups can lead to significant pre- to post-treatment gains on measures of social competence and problem behaviors associated with AS/HFA, with effect sizes ranging from .34 to .72 3.
- Occupational therapy interventions can help children with ASD, including those with Asperger's syndrome, overcome their social issues, but more research is needed to better understand the benefits and limitations of OT in AS patients 4, 5.