Dive Brief:

• Special education teacher Eileen Soon told the Huffington Post she's trying out techniques from her native Malaysia, bringing a back-to-basics approach to special ed instruction in the U.S.
• At a center for children with special needs in Penang, Malaysia, Soon realize that using real-world experiences, like buying sandwich ingredients and assembling sandwiches, can help students with autism and special needs learn.
• It's important to consider what standards of success in education should be, Soon says, and larger shifts in the general education landscape will also impact special education.

Dive Insight:

When it comes to special ed and serving student with disabilities, many schools are still challenged. District leaders need to understand that because the autism spectrum is wide and fluid, with definitions and symptoms being constantly updated, the task of identifying and serving students with autism isn't simple. Some estimates put the number of U.S. children affected by the disorder as high as one in 68. 

Anecdotal evidence also exists showing technology like multimedia presentations and interactivity can help students with autism to digest material.