SPECIAL REPORT Covering the Entire Spectrum
Drivers and attendants train, plan and collaborate to give student riders with autism the most comfortable and uneventful trips possible By Stephane Babcock
Autism is not a disease. Tere is no cure, quick fix or common solution. It varies from person to person and is best described as a spectrum disorder, with multiple shades within each color. It is estimated that one in every 110 children are diagnosed with some form of autism. Tere is no “one-size-fits-all” solution when working with children diagnosed with autism. Some children with the disorder are soothed by music during their rides to school, while others keep a specific doll or stuffed animal close by to comfort them. No matter the answer, school bus drivers and monitors must prepare for any possible situation when transporting children with autism. “School bus drivers and monitors play an important role in a student’s day,” said
Lisa Goring, director of family services for Autism Speaks, a national autism science and advocacy organization. “For students with autism, it is very important that the school bus drivers and monitors are trained so that they recognize the challenges as well as the strengths of their students with autism.”
PREPARING WITH THE PARENTS No one understands a child more than their mother and father. At Gwin-
nett County Public Schools in Lawrenceville, Ga., Charlene Majors makes sure drivers and monitors try to meet with parents in advance of their chil- dren taking their first trip on one of the district’s buses. “Our training program teaches the bus drivers and monitors the im-
portance of knowing as much about each individual child they transport that they can,” said Majors, Gwinnett’s transportation training specialist. By discussing the ins and outs of the school bus ride with parents, trans-
portation staff members can learn more about specific sounds that can upset the child; where they fall in the spectrum of autism; their favorite toys, colors or foods; and overall likes and dislikes. Drivers can also prepare a “bag of tricks” that could include objects to hold or look at to help divert the stu- dent’s attention from things or people that are upsetting them. Majors also advises her drivers to minimize changing the student’s routine, whether it be where they sit, who sits by them or the order they are picked up or dropped off, all of which might affect their comfort levels. Also, drivers are advised to keep an
eye on how everyone is interacting during the bus ride. “Never ignore behaviors that are unsafe for the student and other students on the bus. Don’t hope it will go away; seek help to resolve,” said Majors.
WORKING OUT SCENARIOS Every year, Transportation Supervisor Maureen Arnitz spends a great deal of time on the topic of autism with her Gananda Central School District transportation staff. Like other districts in New York, Arnitz teaches mandated bus driver and bus attendant safety courses but adds a new dimension to the training.
“I generally start with the specific degrees of autism that my staff will be working with and provide hands-on scenarios for emergencies or just daily issues,” said Arnitz, who is also the coordinator for the an-
28 School Transportation News Magazine February 2010
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