Why the Education Community Needs to Understand Autism

In part two of this interview with Carol Allen, education advisor for technology and inclusion and the Senior Education Advisor for the Hartlepool Borough Council in the U.K., we hear about the presentations she will be making on dyslexia, autism and technology, and other key topics in the world of edtech.

Part two in a two-part series. View part one here.

Barriers in EdTech

In terms of technical support, Allen believes the barriers facing dyslexia education are, at present, being well addressed. Whether it’s Apple, Google, or Microsoft, most major technology companies are providing plenty of offerings. Allen expands, “To my mind, nobody with dyslexia should be disadvantaged by not having a technology solution that’s personal to them and portable, whether it be cloud-based or something they carry around─whatever works in their situation.”

The problem may lie in support of the technology itself. Allen points to well-structured programs for teaching reading and literacy like the OJ programs, and Wilson Reading Systems but sees a lack of overall built-in support. “The bottom line is we also need to get tech support. The two can go hand in hand,” she says.

Understanding the Reach

According to Allen, it takes conferences like FETC to get to the bottom of why technologies aren’t always reaching the people who need it most. It centers around communication and a realization that presenters and educators should avoid the assumption that information perceived as commonplace is adequately described and disseminated to all parents, schools, and teachers.

“This is why FETC and all the other conferences are vital. I don’t know about you, but, sometimes, I get up to speak, and I [experience] ‘impostor syndrome.’ You think, why am I doing this because everything I’m going to say is so obvious and so everyday. [But] then, every single time, people are scribbling or asking for notes. Sometimes, parents come up crying thanking you, and you’re thinking, ‘you shouldn’t be crying, and you shouldn’t be thanking me. I haven’t done anything magical. I’ve just told you what’s available.'”

Allen wraps up the interview with a peek at her FETC presentation entitled Autism and Technology: Different for Girls? Over the last three to four years in the U.K. and other countries, the question of doing a better job addressing the needs of girls with autism has come to the forefront. Allen sees dramatic shifts in understanding the dynamics and diagnosis of female autism.

Autism in the Classroom 

As she explains, “When I first started working and doing presentations, I used to say that autism is primarily male; it’s mostly boys who present [with signs of having autism]. I had worked in special schools and special ed for years. All my classes with autism were mostly boys. I had the occasional girl. [But] what I used to say is that she’s the most difficult; she’s very profound and very difficult to work with. I [would] use slightly different techniques. With all the work [that’s happened] over the last few years, we’ve uncovered a whole group of girls who have autism, but present in a different way [than] the traditional views of children with autism. [Many] mask it incredibly successfully at school. A lot of them do quite well, but they suffer incredibly from anxiety; they suffer incredibly from social problems [and] the girls suffer even more.”

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