Blindness and Autism Spectrum Disorder

The current literature, expertise, and resources available for supporting children who are blind or low vision and for children with Autism are extensive individually. However, in children with the combined diagnosis of blindness/low vision and Autism, these supports are currently scarce. Therefore, it requires families and professionals to consider multiple different considerations and teaching approaches catered to the unique characteristics of the individual child. The Expanded Core Curriculum (ECC) is an educational curriculum for children who are blind or low vision that includes the following areas: assistive technology, career education, compensatory and academic skills, independent living, orientation and mobility, recreation and leisure, self-determination, sensory efficacy, and social interaction. For children with Autism their ability to learn skills from the ECC may be impacted based on characteristics of Autism. The following are some of the areas of impact that an individual may experience with Autism; social skills, communication skills, executive functioning, sensory needs, behavior, motor skills. In this series each video will cover one ECC skill area and the possible impact and considerations for a child with a dual diagnosis of blind/ low vision and Autism.