Asperger Syndrome

Asperger Syndrome, also known as Asperger's Disorder, is a pervasive developmental disorder characterized by an array of symptoms. These symptoms include (but are not limited to):

• Difficulty with basic elements of social interaction
• Lack of social/emotional reciprocity
• Failure to seek shared enjoyment/achievement
• Impaired nonverbal communication skills
• Difficulty adapting to sudden change or unexpected events
• Narrow interests and repetitive behavior
• Unusual speech patterns but no clinically significant language delay

Source: American Psychiatric Association (2000). Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (4th ed.). Washington, DC: Author.


Key accommodations in the classroom:

• Copy of daily schedule (possibly an expanded version of what is available to the class) on the student’s desk
• Student seated close to the front of the room
• Stress ball kept in desk (not for play)
• Priming for upcoming assignments/classwork/tasks by sending materials home ahead of time
• Social stores & role-playing

Source: Gibbons, M. M., & Goins, S. (2008). Getting to Know the Child with Asperger Syndrome. Professional School Counseling, 11, 347-352.