Relationship Between Autism And Intellectual Disabilities

For many students with disabilities, the key to success in the classroom is when they are provided with appropriate supports. These appropriate supports include adaptations, accommodations, and modifications of the classroom instruction and other school-related activities. This semester, I received my field placement in a self-contained classroom at New Haven Elementary School. My host class consists of one teacher, four paraprofessionals, and seven students. The majority of my students have been diagnosed with Autism and Intellectual disabilities. I observed one of my host students, for the purposes of this paper; we will call her Angela, on November 3rd, 2016. Angela has been diagnosed with multiple disabilities, one of which is Autism. I observed Angela during my host classroom’s math centers and in a regular education art class. …show more content…
Angela’s special education placement is in New Haven’s district-wide self-contained classroom. This placement is mainly for low functioning, non-verbal, and students with disabilities. Most of Angela’s day is spent in this special education placement, however, the community at New Haven does allow for Angela and her classmates to take part in general education specials with typically functioning peers. The purpose of this is not for the curriculum; instead it is for Angela and her classmates to learn how to interact with other typically developing peers. For my second observation, I observed Angela in the general education’s first and second grade’s art class that occurred from 12:50 pm to 1:40 pm. Throughout this paper, I will discuss Angela’s present levels of educational performance and then identify what supports she needs to receive a free and public education (FAPE) in the least restrictive environment