Apparently, April 2 is World Autism Day, which explains why autism news has been everywhere lately. I was particularly struck by this story, about a 48-year-old woman who just learned she has Asperger's Syndrome, a form of autism.
A few years ago, I taught my first Asperger's student and was fascinated by the way his mind worked: how he excelled in some areas and seemed so limited in others. I felt challenged to change some of my teaching methods and strategies to reach him--and that challenge isn't always a bad thing. It keeps a teacher fresh and on her toes--at least it did for me that semester. (I'm not talking about major changes here--just different ways of presenting assignments or information.) I also remember what the Director of Disability Services told me then: that colleges and universities were just beginning to see these students marticulate, but that the numbers were expected to continue to grow.
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