A Case-Study of Inclusion of an Intellectually Gifted Adolescent with Autism Spectrum Disorder in a General Education School: Risk Factors and Developmental Resources

Abstract

The article examines the case of integration of an intellectually gifted adolescent with autism spectrum disorder in a general education school. It provides results of the applied behavioral analysis aimed at developing general learning skills. The child, diagnosed with Asperger’s syndrome at early school age, encountered difficulties related to the inability to study effectively at school in spite of the clear evidence of intellectual giftedness (including such motivational and instrumental preconditions as high levels of cognitive interest, verbal and abstract reasoning, and educability). The article reflects on the risks and advantages of the developmental work with the “twice exceptional” adolescent following an individual behavioral plan. Based on the results of the study, the article outlines the possible ways of forming the learning behavior skills: learning activity-based, communicative and organizational. The article discusses the necessity of further support of the “twice exceptional” adolescent based on an integrated approach with regard to the special learning needs of the intellectually gifted adolescent.

Keywords

• giftedness
• «twice exceptional» adolescents
• autism
• behavioral analysis