on November 14, during a memorial service Tenth anniversary of the adoption of the Spanish Strategy on Autism Spectrum DisorderMinister of Social Rights, Pablo Bustinduy announced a $20 million endowment to ensure education for most people 92 thousand students with autism Enrolled in our country, about 78,000 (85%) are registered in regular centers and about 14,000 (15%) in special education centers.
From Autismo España, they appreciate this provision very positively, but they ask, on the one hand, for specificity, and on the other hand, for it to be a specific condition, but maintained over time, “The group of students with autism has finally been identified, Their educational needs are recognised “Resources for autistic students, the largest students with disabilities, are increasing, but we need to provide them stably,” says Pedro Ugarte, president of Autism Spain.
These 20 million are part of the Spanish Strategy Action Plan on Autism, Which was announced in 2023, but no money has been provided for it yetFor this reason, Autism Spain considers it a turning point, “because the strategic plan finally receives financial support that allows it to implement the established lines.”
They also appreciate the fact that civil society is involved, with the entities that in each autonomous community care for people with autism, since they are entities that, at the very least, have been concerned with “autistic privacy” for 30 or 40 years.
While this money reaches the classrooms, the union is asking for details, because to this day, the ministry is not giving them more details. “We know that this moratorium will go into effect next year, so they have time to plan, and that it will be for two years. We also asked them what it will be spent on, but There is still no specific information“, they warn.
The Ministry confirms that the transfer will go into effect at the end of the year or the beginning of next year, and will cover two academic years, and will be distributed to different regions through the education sector conference. It will be the specific decision of each autonomous community “Below final standards” What specific actions will be assigned to these elements, which should always be tailored to the benefit of “Comprehensive education and early care.
Diversity of support for a diverse student
The Minister announced on the 14th of this month that this financial item will be used “Technology, support and curriculum adaptation…whatever it takes to ensure that all children in this country have the same right to… Comprehensive and quality public education“.
The Federation hopes that all this will translate into something more than technology, because although support is important, the main thing is that. Responses tailored to each student’s needs“Autism is so variable, so it has to be there,” Ugarte insists Adaptation for every studentThis requires diversity of resources, diversity of support, and diversity Specialized resources…and that these resources are adapted to each student with autism, and not the other way around. We need individualized and specific support that matches the diversity and features of the autism spectrum.
This will be achieved, in some cases, through technology, such as communication devices, tablets or… Cognitive accessibilityAnd others with more “social” support, such as companionship on the playground or more fun activities so they are not alone, the environment being kind to them if they have any hypersensitivity, etc.
The autistic student must be just another student, and there must be integration. It is not enough for him to be just that
If this doesn’t happen, if they’re just there, but can’t participate, The listing is not realAs Pedro Ugarte warns, “Many do not communicate, do not have any activity beyond their studies, and are abandoned during vacation… The autistic student must be just another student, there must be integration, it is not enough for them to be there.”
In order to be there, it is necessary for professionals to be aware of this reality and to know it through them Specific trainingand how to take care of it, “A lot of times teachers feel overwhelmed because they have one or two students in the classroom who are autistic and they don’t understand them, they don’t understand them… and so it’s very difficult to take care of them, no matter how involved they are. Without resources and without specific training, it’s difficult for teachers to participate. That’s why it’s important that part of the breakdown is specifically teacher training.”
Inclusion goes beyond being in the classroom
As Pedro Ugarte insists, inclusion is not just about curriculum modifications or accessible technology, which are essential; Involve them in all center activitiesThis is why the involvement of the center as a whole is essential, “At Autism Spain we always say that the first step is for the centers to receive students with autism, which does not always happen. If this is assumed, resources will be sought to care for him, sometimes to where there are none. The problem is when this inclusion is not assumedWhen the position is rejected“This is something we constantly complain about.”
This is very painful for families, but, according to Ugarte, it is also a loss of opportunity for the rest of the students, who lose the “richness” of sharing spaces with those who are different. “If there are students with autism, the rest also grow on a personal level, because they will see that this person who is different, different from them, integrated, is one more and also contributes. Diversity in the classroom is not a negative, it is an asset“.
However, none of this will be possible if the €20 million announcement does not go where it should or only happens on schedule. “It’s not worth taking just two turns, so what matters most to us is that the announcement on the 14th is followed by A stable and sustainable model over timeIt is not just intervention, and does not depend on political cycles, but rather is unified; It is not a one-time departure, but part of the ministry’s autism policy because the number of students with autism never stops growing. “We have already offered the Ministry coordination, work and cooperation in everything we can, so that this is the case and so that the funds truly reach the intended people.”