Alternate forms of communication include:

• Picture Exchange Communication System (PECS)
• Voice Output Communication Aide (VOCA)
• American Sign Language (ASL)
• See-Sign

In the age of education reform and inclusion of children with special needs in the general education classroom there has been a rise in the need to further define the role of the para-educator. It has become all too common for para-educators to assume the role of teacher for the child with special needs while in the classroom. This, in my opinion, is exactly opposite of what they should be doing. Rather than the general education teacher taking the lead and ensuring that the child is engaged in all activities within the classroom, many times the students is just “there” and not participating in what the other students are doing. The para-educator is left to define what the student is learning while in the classroom. It is not the para-educators job to do this! It is the job of the general education teacher and special education teacher to collaborate in order to define what the student should be doing during each activity. In some cases, activities in the classroom may be academically out of the student’s abilities; however, this does not preclude them from participating in the activity. Accommodations and modifications to all activities should be planned ahead of time and then the para-educator can help facilitate the student’s participation. In the case where the accommodations and modification are sufficient to allow the student to be independently involved in the activity, the para-educator can then take the time to collect data or assist other students in the room.

It is not enough for students with special needs just to be in the classroom and be receiving lessons from the para. There must be adequate preparation on the part of the general and special education teachers in order to best serve the child in that environment.

Ritualistic behavior is defined as restricted, repetitive and stereotyped behaviors which present themselves as obsessive interests, rigid adherence to routines, stereotyped motor movements, and preoccupation with parts of or whole objects.

Obsessive interests can be in topics or in objects. This can be seen in the inability or inflexibility in reading or talking about topics, and obsession with toys, books, or behaviors many people may view this behavior as aberrant, it important to realize that we all have interests and these interest can be used to facilitate learning. For instance, if a child is interested in Spiderman this topic could be used as a material for teaching the child to read or take the perspective of others. It is also important to understand that we should not try to stop a child’s interest, but help them use these interests to grow in functional ways.

Adherence to routines may lead to some anxiety due to confusion arising from changes in schedules and routines. Some routines may be counterproductive and non-functional. It is vital that we help children learn to be flexible, but we must provide them with adequate supports to do so. The use of visual schedules can be very helpful in this regard because it can help prepare the child for deviations from the normal routine. If we do not provide children with the supports necessary to foster flexibility, we may inadvertently increase anxiety around changes in routines and schedules.

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Deficits in communication include the delay or lack of spoken language, impairment in the ability to initiate or sustain conversation, stereotyped use of language, and lack of make-believe play. Children may use alternative forms of communication if they are non-verbal or need assistance with pragmatics.

Impairments in use of non-verbal communication and expressive language significantly affect the child’s ability to initiate and sustain communication. Perseveration on a topic, issues initiating communication, difficulty using unwritten communication rules, inappropriate interrupting, and inflexibility in style of conversation all contribute to difficulties in sustaining appropriate conversation.

A restricted vocabulary can also present a severe issue in communication. Children with autism may have a vocabulary that is dominated by nouns and are often confined to requests or rejections to regulate their environment. Typical communication is dominated by verbs and adjectives which can be complex and abstract. These differences between these two forms of communicating lead to an inevitable breakdown of communication.

Echolalia, scripting, and stereotyped use of language may indicate an attempt to communicate. The upside of this is the indication of the ability to imitate and produce speech and it may serve a communicative or cognitive purpose for the child.

The lack of imaginative play may arise from the inability for some children with autism to take the perspective of others.

Moderate to severe behaviors may arise from the inability to communicate effectively. The child may feel confused and frustrated by not being able to get their point across or not understanding what is being communicated to them. It should be the goal of all educational programs to assist children in developing an effective form of communication to decrease the likelihood of them becoming frustrated by not being able to communicate.