Special Ed?

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I went to mainstream school all the way through, and I needed extra support. I was put in a class just like everybody else, but there was a ''special ed'' table, where a small group of kids that needed some extra support on their work were put on most of the time. The other kids on the special ed table had learning difficulties, or things like Dyspraxia, Dyslexia and ADHD or ADD, but I didn't feel cleverer than any of them. I didn't feel dumber but I didn't feel cleverer. I felt on their ''level'', so that then proves that I'm not a clever Aspie.

My son is 7 yrs old, and started out in special ed classes when he was 3 yrs old with the public school system. At first he was grouped with children with different disablities, but the older he gets, they are grouping him in a small class with 6 or 7 students that have Asperger's or HFA. He is mainstreamed for some of the classes as he is able. He just has social difficulties and a few behavioral issues, but academically, I believe he is in line with other kids his age. It was scary at first, because I did not want him to be grouped with children that were severely autistic, not that I have a prejudice against them, it is just that my son tends to mimic behaviors, and I did not want him to pick up behaviors that he didn't have. But at the same time, I knew he would be overwhelmed in a class of 20 plus kids, so this strategy seems to be the best fit. So far, we have had a good situation, but if I ever feel that he is not in a good situation, I will be more than happy to homeschool him. I guess the school systems now are finally learning how to handle these issues.

As far as sports and physical education goes, my son was a very late walker, and he has motor planning difficulties. He can get around a classroom just fine, and he can run pretty good, but when it comes to sports and games, he just really can't or won't keep up the pace with the other kids. I can see how they would place him with other children with other disabilites. I am not sure that all Aspies have motor planning difficulties, but my son does, and it can be a real challenge.

I have always been in mainstream classes. Particularly when I was first diagnosed aged 7, I imagine my parents wanted to send me to a special school as I was struggling with school. A year later I was still having major issues with socialisation and anxiety, but I was bossing the lessons so moving me would have made little sense. All my primary teachers were aware of my condition and made various efforts to help me.

My secondary school made a lot of effort to accommodate me when I started, I missed lessons to have group counselling and I had a support group before school. My support was given along with two low/medium functioning auties and was tailored for them, so over time (once I had settled in) I found what they were offering less useful. I think there were letters next to my name in the register letting my teachers know that I had autism, but this barely resulted in any support.

In retrospect I was lucky to stay in mainstream education. Having done some volunteering at local special schools, I would have struggled to progress as well there as their curriculum seems to make sure nobody gets left behind rather than everybody meets their potential. The NTs and higher functioning Aspies or kids with ADHD and so forth don't benefit from being in the same class as kids with Downs.

Two extreme examples- one of my friends who is oblivious to his surroundings a lot of the time but goes to a mainstream school has more qualifications than an NT who spent 8 years in mainstream school and only goes to a special school because he can barely walk.

I was mainstreamed for most of my school years, though early on I went to extra sessions to "catch up" on reading, etc. For the most part, I was just another kid, though my handwriting was quite bad (and still is to some extent), I hated fitness/PE, and I usually (though not always) played on my own during breaks. My brothers and I were also homeschooled for a while when we first came to the US, but I was homeschooled for a bit longer than they were and given a more gradual transition to a US middle school. Aside from starting middle school, I did not receive any support through high school. Even then, I still ate lunch on my own, but things got a little better socially by the senior year, when I started taking more classes with the other "smart kids".

I sometimes wonder how different things would be if I went to a "special" school - I probably wouldn't have been bullied, but then I would have been able to take all those honors/AP courses and gain experience in real social situations.

Well, he just has very little interest in interacting with his peers. He would rather spend all of his time talking to the teachers and aides about his special interest (car makes and models) He has great difficulty in having an age appropriate conversation with kids his own age. He also makes remarks out of context and repeats non-sensical words and phrases. At times he will flap his hands or make circular gestures with his hands as if he is drawing in the air. He has difficulty reading social cues from his peers.

The ones I know fall into two categories. Most, like myself, were mainstreamed, but received special ed support when they needed it. The other group had to go through mainstream education without any supports or diagnoses as they were not diagnosed yet.

@The_Walrus