Mitigating multiple vulnerabilities experienced by learners diagnosed with Autism.

Abstract

Research has shown that autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is a fast-growing condition globally that is more prevalent in boys than girls. It is a neurodevelopmental condition that affects the triad of learning, which is communication, behavior, and social integration. Many educators and parents find it difficult to understand autism as learners diagnosed with autism cannot express themselves as typically developing learners. This has been linked to the abstract nature of the misconceptions and views that parents and educators have on ASD, thus contributing to some of the challenges that learners with ASD experience. Furthermore, educators experience their challenges teaching and understanding learners with ASD in class and many parents find it challenging to deal with their autistic child. The multiple vulnerabilities experienced by learners with ASD ultimately resonated from their intrinsic and extrinsic barriers. Hence, this study focused on mitigating the multiple vulnerabilities experienced by learners diagnosed with autism. This study adopted qualitative research in which an interpretivist-phenomenological paradigm was adopted. The study was conducted at 6 special needs schools in the Pinetown district of South Africa. Participants were purposively selected. The sample comprised of 3 educators who teach learners with ASD and 3 parents who have children with ASD, from each of the 6 schools. The methodology incorporated semi-structured interviews with educators and parents to obtain their understanding, experience, and challenges with children with ASD. The sample comprised of some schools integrating their learners with ASD in classes and some have confined them in an autistic unit (a class of learners with autism). The study revealed that: (i) Educators and parents lack knowledge and understanding of the condition, (ii) Some parents lack the confidence in helping their Children with ASD besides experiencing difficulty in emotionally accepting the child’s condition, especially when they experienced a difficult help-seeking journey, which began when they first noticed signs of atypical development (most frequently related to delayed speech development, lack of social interaction and poor self-help skills), to the time when the diagnosis was made, (iii) There has also been a culturally informed perception from some parents that the condition is attributed as ‘satanic’, however over time some of them realised that it was v medically inclined and sought the necessary assistance, whilst some parents still feel hopeful that it can be treated through religious beliefs. (iv) Educators felt that besides the lack of knowledge, they also do not have the relevant support, guidance, and resources to optimise their teaching potential which compounds their challenges. Learners diagnosed with autism could not be interviewed due to their communication challenges and this limited this study. The overall findings of the study revealed that learners diagnosed with autism experience personal, social, and educational vulnerabilities. This was a result of many intrinsic and extrinsic challenges. Educators endeavoured to mitigate these challenges by using a variety of adaptive and maladaptive strategies, especially visual cues, namely Picture Exchange Communication (PECS), besides AACs (Augmentative and Alternative Communication), and sign language to facilitate communication among learners with autism. Educators also modified the pedagogic environment and used intervention strategies that worked ‘best’ for the learner taking into account the diversity of their abilities and needs. The findings of the research also show that teaching learners with ASD requires a collaborative approach among educators, parents, therapists, and school management teams. Bronfenbrenner’s ecological theory, the social constructivism theory, and closely associated Feuerstein’s theory of mediated learning experience, namely scaffolding and zone of proximal development (ZPD) forms the strong framework of this study as learners in this study, have low cognitive abilities and comorbid of ADHD and intellectual challenges, thus they are largely dependent on support and guidance from various stakeholders to enhance their personal, social and educational (communication) abilities.