A major grant of $1.2 million from the U.S. Department of Education has just been awarded to the Auburn University College of Education's Department of Rehabilitation and Special Education. At the end of the five-year cycle, 50 highly-qualified teachers will have been prepared to meet the needs of these unique students with autism spectrum disorder (ASD).

"The purpose of this grant is to prepare teachers to meet the critical shortage of personnel to teach children and youth with autism spectrum disorder in Alabama and Georgia," said Dr. Robert Simpson, author of the grant and professor of special education.

ASD is a neurological disorder usually characterized by mild to severe deficits in communication and social interaction. Many children with ASD are either nonverbal or have severely impaired language. These children frequently isolate themselves from others and focus on repetitive behaviors such as spinning objects or hand flapping. They may also appear to be preoccupied with "sameness," not easily accepting change in their environment. Despite these difficulties, children with ASD are capable of learning.

There is a sense of urgency relative to preparing highly-qualified teachers to meet the needs of students with ASD as prevalence rates for autism have skyrocketed in the last 10 years and have been estimated as high as 1 in 500 children. In fact, Alabama has seen the number of students identified with autism increase more than 150 percent throughout the last five years. However, the number of qualified teachers has not kept pace with the increase. This grant opportunity will effectively address this critical shortage.

Dr. Philip Browning, head of RSE, said that this exciting national award will result in a significant improvement in the type and quality of education services for these special needs students. One may learn more about the opportunities associated with this new and innovative graduate program through RSE's Web site. Those who would like more information are encouraged to e-mail the program director, Dr. Robert Simpson, at simpsrg@auburn.edu.