Did you go to a special school, or all NT schools? What would you have prefered, what do you think was done better or worse / would have been better or worse for you? Did people recognise your needs, and if so how and when? What do you think is the best possible options for Apsie kids, or HFAs?

I went to an NT school and would not have chosen a special school.  I would have liked to have had access to "resource room" though for  my dyscalculia, which was our special ed program.  For an hour a day you'd be pulled from your normal class and brought to resource room to get extra help, and you could take your tests there so you could get whatever accommodations you needed.  They wouldn't let me have it even though I was failing math because my english scores were too high.  Figure that one out.

I think it depends on the child.  If they are particularly high functioning like myself I feel like they'd do better in an NT school.  I think the only reason I manage to be as high functioning as I am today is because I grew up not knowing I had autism and I went to a normal school where the expectation was that I would be at least close to as good as everyone else, and so I did.  However had I not been able to function as well and had the level I am currently at not been attainable to me, I may have done better at a special school that would understand my potential better.  But part of that is because I do not have a supportive home environment.  School is the only place where I get to truly explore my potential and see what I can do.  If I weren't in an environment where I was expected to excel, I wouldn't and my parents would have just assumed I wasn't capable.

This post was last modified: 06-07-2010 09:01 PM by Ruby2010.

Back in the 1960s and 1970s, 'Special' schools were where they sent you when you were either a 'punk' or a 'retard' (their words, not mine), and to be sent to one was a disgrace to both you and your family.  'Private' schools were where kids were sent by their wealthy parents.

I went to only the regular schools.

I am in agreement. I think it highly unlikely that I would be where I am today if i had not been pushed by expectation that i should be as able as everyone else. Plus, many "specially qualified" staff can be highly patronising. I met a few. Couldn't stand them. I was not stupid, you see, but the way one talks to another one thinks one has to be gentle or sympathetic often is the same stock reaction and response as if you are merely of lowq IQ.

Self: regular school (state-run grammar school)
Wife: regular school
DD1: regular school
DS2: about to start at a special school - due to his epilepsy and hearing aids
--- the rest aren't on the spectrum

The school tried to get my son into special ed, but we resisted that. His dad was never diagnosed and did well in school and university without any extra help at all, even though it took him a lot longer than me. So we figured our son could do as well or better, with some extra help that the school is obliged to give him (they have a budget for that). We really had to lean on the school, but in the end he got the help. He is doing reasonably well both academically and socially, and best of all: he is happy. So it can work very well, but it depends on the person.

if by "NT school" you actually mean a school that is not geared for special needs students (for normal schools are not "designed for NTs") then yes, i went to a state comprehensive. hated it, but it would have been the same anywhere so.

I went to NT schools mostly but did go to a continuation school in high school then back to a regular high school before getting my GED.

i went to this sort of alternitve/special school and two nt schools( one primary one secondarty)

acedmemically and socialy my first school (NT)was crap. it was a public school and i got bullied by sudents and teachers(not all..)

seccond (alt/spec) was much better - it was for kids who had at least an average or above iq and about one third of students had AS. i made some (strange..) friends and i learnt alot. during the last two years  (5 and 6) i hated it because i wanted to be like everyone else and had friends who were girls and all (verry odd  phase here...)

now i am at a single sex private school. thankfully it is going co ed (i have realised that having  just girl friends at school are odd esp when you have a crush on one!) acedemically -good lots of resources and stuff... alot of the classmates are anoying but i have a couple of friends.

I think these days special schools might not be bad, if they were progressive enough. Like most I went to NT school and hated it, but it was safely middle class and I probably learned a lot.

there are NT schools? well thats rude, why do NTs need to waste building supplies to make a special school for themselves*

This post was last modified: 09-08-2010 10:10 PM by mels8780.

We're being slyly divisive, shush.

No, the education system is mostly intended for NT students and not "special needs" students.

theres nothing for lets say IEP students...? my science class last year happened to haev a group sized amount of people in the IEP in there with the teacher aid to help them out it was pretty good cept sometimes the aid was acting dumb herself and not handling justin right or aaron imo..

Academically selective single-sex private school. I wouldn't have wanted to have gone to an ASD school if they were all like the one described by Jessica Peers in Asparagus Dreams.