Do you think a six year old autistic boy will benefit more in a mainsteam school than a special school?
The answer depends on the specific needs of the child, what the mainstream school has to offer, and what the special school has to offer. You specifically mentioned speech, so that seems to be an area of concern. How much speech does he have? If he has very limited speech and doesn’t have another form of communication (Picture Exchange Communication System – PECS – or a speech-output device), you might consider the special school. Find out what systems they use for development of communication. People often think that being surrounded by peers with typical speech development will help children with speech delays progress. If the speech delays are mild, that can be true. But often children with autism need a much more intensive language program than what can be offered in a mainstream class. Processing language is a much more complex skill than simply speaking. They need to have the opportunity to practice their communication skills throughout the day, with modeling, prompting, and rein
