| School can often be an intimidating place
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| | the proper support and resources are not
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| for just about anybody. But it is on the
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| | made available in the class, then it is
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| playgrounds and classrooms of our schools
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| | not effective for anyone - not the
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| where we learn many life skills. Part of
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| | teacher, nor the students, and ultimately
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| life's journey is learning how to cope
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| | not the autistic child. In Quebec
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| with the unfamiliar.One of the most
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| | schools, for example, both trained
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| daunting issues for children with autism
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| | childcare workers - special education
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| is how to interact with classmates -
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| | technicians - and attendants with no
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| unfamiliar territory that can prove
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| | special training, are simultaneously
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| overwhelming for all involved. While
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| | taking care of autistic children.
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| public awareness for autism has
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| | "Attendants tend to use a 'baby-sitting'
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| increased, understanding autism on a
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| | approach to their jobs, thus children
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| human level remains a work in
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| | don't advance as much as they could. In
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| progress.Autism is a neurological
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| | contrast, a special education technician
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| disorder with a wide range of symptoms
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| | will essentially treat the child as a
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| that often leaves educators and parents
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| | regular member of the class and encourage
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| alike confused by its mysterious nature.
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| | independence," says Patrick Lortie, a
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| Understanding the nature of autism can go
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| | child-care worker with the English
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| a long way to alleviating some of the
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| | Montreal School Board. This leads to a
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| frustration felt. Despite efforts, it
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| | lack of consistency from one childcare
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| isn't always easy.There's nothing worse
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| | worker to the next.For instance, it is
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| than getting a phone call from a school
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| | entirely possible that a child with
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| teacher asking you to go pick up your
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| | special needs gets the proper care from a
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| child because they were out of control.
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| | SET one year, and a different exposure
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| Many times I felt helpless. I often cried
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| | with a less trained attendant. With two
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| myself to sleep thinking I failed him,"
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| | different approaches and no comprehensive
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| explained Mary DeMauro, whose son lives
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| | plan it leads to ineffective education.
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| with the disorder. Eventually Matthew was
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| | The problem is further compounded when
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| prescribed Ritalin to help him keep
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| | there is a lack of communication between
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| focused in class, but this did not solve
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| | the teacher and childcare worker in the
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| his problems. School was still having a
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| | classroom. Mr. Lortie further added how
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| negative impact on him. "They bug me a
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| | frustrating it can be when a childcare
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| lot on the bus. I know I'm
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| | worker is not treated as an equal, but
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| different."Early diagnosis is crucial to
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| | more as, "help in the back of the
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| the development of children with autism.
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| | classroom." This can lead to a strained
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| If a specialist determines that a child
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| | relationship, which can ultimately affect
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| has autism, it is believed that
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| | the child. Everyone has to work together
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| interaction in a normal social setting
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| | in order to obtain the best approach to
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| can go a long way to helping a child open
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| | meeting the child's needs.It is only fair
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| up. Indeed, initiatives have been
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| | to point out that integrated classes are
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| undertaken to integrate kids with autism
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| | in their infancy stage and growing pains
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| in regular classrooms. What have been the
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| | were bound to happen. Still, there are
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| results so far?According to Tania
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| | already positive and rewarding signs.
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| Piperni, Autism Special Disorder
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| | "I've seen what integration can do. In an
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| consultant at the English Montreal School
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| | environment with proper collaboration,
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| Board, it's not the kids from regular
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| | which I am in this year, two of my
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| classes that have been a source of
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| | autistic students have made advances
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| frustration, but the lack of proper
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| | beyond anyone's expectations. This is
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| resources. "It has become a normal and
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| | incredibly rewarding, above all for the
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| learned behavior for students to be
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| | parents." Ms. Youakim agrees. "My
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| helpful with kids with special needs.
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| | students are always quick to help out and
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| However, sometimes out resources need to
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| | offer praise for any successes
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| be pooled more towards supporting and
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| | disadvantaged students have. It really is
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| assisting the adults such as teachers and
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| | amazing to witness the wisdom and
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| educators. Providing them with general
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| | maturity children can show at times.""We
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| information about autism and visual
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| | stuck by Matthew. We ploughed ahead. Now
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| learning styles can be most helpful."
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| | we're beginning to see positive changes
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| Jennifer Youakim, an elementary school
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| | in him. He still needs medication for
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| teacher from the EMSB, further adds,
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| | other related problems, but we are all
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| "Never underestimate the power of empathy
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| | learning to cope with it," as the gleam
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| and compassion among children. They have
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| | in Ms. DeMauro's eye lit up. Integrating
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| a natural sense of understanding when
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| | children with autism in mainstream
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| confronted with special circumstances."
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| | classes is a challenging and important
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| Ms. Piperni views the experiment in a
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| | concept. Once again, as adults get lost
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| positive light. "I believe that the
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| | in the shuffle of analysis, it is our
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| results of integration are working nicely
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| | children that are teaching us precious
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| for many of our students."Some educators
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| | life lessons. The question is whether we
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| are not as comfortable with integration,
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| | are listening.Alessandro Nicolo is a
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| and must therefore be taught strategies
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| | freelance fiction and non-fiction writer,
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| on how to deal with special needs
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| | essayist, satirist and commentator.
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| students. Parents haven't always been all
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| | Strong on content ideas, his articles
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| that accommodating either. "Raising a
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| | have a historical flair while keeping
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| child with a neurological disorder is
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| | itself firmly rooted in the present. A
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| difficult enough, but having to face
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| | former investment advisor and presently
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| indifferent parents only makes it harder.
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| | self-employed, Mr. Nicolo and his History
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| No amount of explanation will suffice for
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| | educated background offers a unique and
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| some, unfortunately. They just don't want
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| | sometimes humorous perspective on several
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| their kids in the same classroom with
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| | issues and topics in North American
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| autistic kids," says Maria DeMauro.Are
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| | society.
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| parents' fears justified? Yes and no. If
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