LD Blog

Over on Teach Effectively I noted with admiration that journalist Stan Simpson candidly discussed his son Cash’an’s tentative diagnosis of having autism. I want to support the advocacy of Mr. Simpson and his family for their boy. It’s good to have people of influence promoting the needs of students with disabilities.

I also want to note that Mr. Simpson mistakenly identifies autism as a “learning disability.” He wrote, “Autism is a learning disability. The brain is wired differently.” The “wired differently” idea may be correct. Autism does include problems learning. But, common parlance aside, Autism does not equal Learning Disability in US law. Autism refers to one group of students who qualify for special education; Learning Disability refers to another group of students who also need special education. Both students with Autism and with Learning Disabilities deserve special education.

Link to Mr. Simpson’s column.