Autism and learning disorders

Running head: AUTISM AND LEARNING DISORDERS 1
Autism and learning disorders
Richard Karera
I am willing to help draft your nursing assignments.
Contact me @ richardkarera@gmail.com

AUTISM AND LEARNING DISORDERS 2
Table of Contents
Table of Contents.............................................................................................................................2
I. Title and Introduction ..................................................................................................................3
II. Statement of the Problem and its Significance for Advanced Practice Nursing ........................4
III. Problem Background (Literature Review) ................................................................................7
IV. Methodology .............................................................................................................................9
V. Data Analysis............................................................................................................................13
VI. References................................................................................................................................14

Autism and learning disorders
I. Title and Introduction
Autism is a lifetime development disability characterized by a variety of symptoms and
actions that impact on the way people comprehend life issues or how they perceive the world
surrounding them. An Autistic Spectrum Disorder (ASD) is a phrase applied to explain autism,
Asperger Syndrome and persistent growth illnesses (Rossi, Newschaffer & Yudell, 2012). It is
still not clear what triggers autism and related disorders. It is true that individuals diagnosed with
autism may display some learning disabilities, which varies where some individuals may need
limited support while others may need immense expert support. However, a diagnosis of Autism
does not indicate that an individual has a learning difficulty (Landrigan, 2010).
Today, there is a rise in the number of studies that seek to unravel the communication
trends and the understanding of the social and cognitive abilities of autistic individuals.
However, it is apparent that there is insufficient evidence pointing towards the writing abilities of
autistic individuals and, specifically, via the use of internet-based means of communication.
According to Bottema-Beutel (2011), the internet, which provides a free avenue to air views and
perceptions, is a preferable option of communication for autistic individuals. Internet-based
discussion boards and chats provide a great platform for interacting with other people, devoid of
a desire to comprehend the non-verbal communication attributes of autistic people. Many of the
autistic individuals have a difficulty coordinating their body language/non-verbal cues, which
creates a significant problem when interacting with people around them. In this regard, this
research intends to investigate the connection between autistic individuals and the internet based

communication approaches. The results of the findings will help boost the communication
approaches of the autistic individuals in the nursing industry.
This paper will adopt a PAR Participatory Action Research methodology, which works
hand in hand with the participants in the study. It will also adopt a cyclical research process,
which takes the form of research conducted with the participants, but not for or on participants
(Silverman, 2011). It will also utilize a narrative inquiry, which will help acquire information
from participants through sharing of accounts, such as family stories. Semi-structured online
interviews will be used to understand the autistic internet based communication abilities. This
will be made possible by creating online focused groups under the control of the researcher. The
question of whether the internet can be used as a preferable communication platform for the
autistic individuals will be introduced. This entails how the autistic individuals interact with one
another or with people surrounding them, such as nurses, tutors and family and friends.
This research will adopt a Discourse Analysis method to analyze data obtained, by
integrating Bakhtin’s theories, which highlight the intense interaction aspects of conversations, it
will be worthy of note to delve into the type of reactions created by autistic individuals in an
attempt to interact with other people around them (Kidd & Castano, 2013). The Discourse
Analysis will be a significant method, considering that it focuses mainly on the written content,
where the discussion can make sense to the autistic individuals and the readers. Moreover, it can
aid in understanding how language is applied to create experiences and feelings.
II. Statement of the Problem and its Significance for Advanced Practice Nursing
The fast-rising use of texts on both papers and internet-based platforms by the autistic
individuals brings about the question whether communication is a significant problem in the
autistic individuals. Many researchers claim that communication is a serious problem to the

autistic individuals, who are neurotypical (Stichter, Herzog, Visovsky, Carla, Jena, Schultz &
Gage, 2010). People living around the autistic individuals use this term (neurotypical) to describe
the abnormal behaviors and communication patterns of the autistic individuals, which further
differentiates the autistic individuals from the normal people. Owing to this theoretical view, the
varying means of communication displayed by the autistic individuals, who appear to stay clear
of one on one communication, further having a preference for writing content on paper and
internet based platforms, can be described as out of the ordinary. However, the mind-boggling
question is: Do the abnormal actions of the autistic people amount to a disability?
This research intends to explore the life of the autistic individuals by delving into their
worlds to help understand their communication patterns and how they present their feelings,
perceptions, and views to people around them. Making an attempt to comprehend their
conflicting ways of conveying messages to the public will help create effective management
systems of autistic individuals in health care facilities, at home and institutions of learning.
Furthermore, this will help improve the training of nurses and other caregivers to factor in the
new understanding of how autistic individuals communicate. Besides, if the autistic individuals
can convey their feelings, familiarity and knowledge of the world surrounding them or their view
of the world or people around them, for example, via textual materials, it will be promising to
establish a central point for everyone to comprehend the autistic individuals.
By investigating how the autistic individuals interact with other autistic people and
friends online will help understand whether the problematic factors entail the immediate setting
of the autistic individuals or the varying communication trends utilized by the autistic
individuals. In the case that the immediate life settings, such as the home, health care facilities,
learning institutions, workplaces are posing difficulties to the individuals with autism, it will be

promising to create new approaches that can aid social engagement. In this regard, it will be
promising to avert or minimize significant impairing effects of autism.
The scope of this research will integrate the personality and views of the individuals with
autism and how they can construct and present their identities via the internet communication
platforms, such as discussion boards, websites, social media platforms, and emails. This research
will also seek to establish whether these online interaction platforms, such as the discussion
boards and direct messaging sites lead to constructive or damaging experiences for autistic
individuals. This entails establishing whether this online communication patterns help boost their
social learning abilities or merely amplify social seclusion. Mainly, the internet will form the
central part of this research.
It is true that communication abilities are crucial in the human life, which people use to
share their life experiences, thoughts and feeling with one another. This is boosted by the subject
of dialogue in Bakhtin’s theories, which entails active interaction between people and a
development of social connection (Kidd & Castano, 2013). In this regard, the main responsibility
of the researcher and a nurse is to translate and construe a variety of languages in a bid to boost
social inclusion in health care settings or learning institutions and home settings. Besides, taking
a look at communication patterns from an autistic viewpoint aids experts and nurses to create
new ways of relating to autistic individuals, their family members and friends. Owing to this
account, it is promising to get rid of instances that may spur stress, anger or constant worry in the
autistic individuals or in particular, their family members. It will also be easy to integrate
additional and prerequisite resources, such as human resources and technology to reduce social
stress and to boost communication abilities in autistic individuals.

The main objective of the internet for the people with autism is invaluable. In the past,
writing texts depended on editors or reviewers before they were published in books, journals or
diaries. Today, anyone can enjoy the numerous benefits of the internet. According to Sears et al.
(2013) the internet provides people with an opportunity to write and share textual and pictorial
materials with family and friends via the internet platforms, such as social media, discussion
boards and emails with utmost liberty. In this regard, the internet can be used to boost the
communication trends of individuals, whereas, on the other hand, it can still pose significant
social secluding settings for people who have deprived social skills (Mayes, Michael & Jahanara,
2011). In this research, the participants will present their views and construct their
personalities/identities via the internet. This will be done via a unique strategy that puts the
researcher and the individuals being investigated (autistic individuals) on equal points of
interaction.
III. Problem Background (Literature Review)
A study conducted by Herbert (2010) established that autism is a lifetime condition that
affects the way individuals present their feelings, thoughts, and experiences to people around
them. This may include problems with learning and social skills. However, there is a likelihood
that individuals with autism, especially adults may show a complex communication process,
interaction and learning which must be explored (Wright, Wright, Diener & Eaton, 2014).
According to Scherer and Geraldine (2011), people with autism may have difficulties expressing
verbal and non-verbal cues.
Mainly, autistic individuals may have difficulties understanding language and normal
communication patterns, for example, children may delay speaking. However, they may use
alternative communication frameworks. They also have difficulty comprehending social contexts

and action of people around them including understanding their personality. However, Herbert
(2010) established that majority of the autism individuals have an ability to recognize certain
sounds, tastes, and textures. They may make certain responses to show that they can comprehend
a variety of factors presented before them, such as sounds, colors, textures or objects. Besides,
today, the available literature on autism and the associated communication problems puts
emphasis on small children and the learning settings (Wolfberg, Bottema-Beutel & DeWitt,
2012). However, Landrigan (2010) presents a new approach to indicating how the immediate
settings can have an impact on the communication trends of autistic individuals.
Studies conducted on adult people with autism, indicate that majority of them have a
likelihood of communicating comparatively better, especially at adult stages than child stages
(Rutter, 2011). This shows that making conclusions about the communication ability in children
with autism may be limiting. Besides, any efforts to find out the extent of knowledge of social
and cognitive damage of people with autism are intricate due to a lack of a theory of the mind,
which entails damaging the identity and personality aspects (Pellicano & Marc, 2011). However,
it is apparent that there are many studies that look at the possible causes of autism in individuals
(Landrigan, 2010; Ozonoff et al., 2011).
Bakhtin's efforts to comprehend the behavior of individuals via conversations also
referred to discourse are applicable in studies that integrate communication problems (Kidd &
Castano, 2013). Bottema-Beutel (2011) argues about the communication or conversational
aspects of individuals and the way they can construct their identities through conversations that
are rooted in Bakhtin's argument of discourse. In this regard, if care givers can understand how
the autistic individuals make conversations in view of Bakhtin's argument of discourse, it will be
possible to provide them with the right care services.

From the literature analyzed, narration and use of texts appear to be a preferable option of
communicating in the autistic individuals among themselves and with other ordinary people
(Seth, 2011). Many studies appear to revolve around this notion of textual presentations in the
autistic individuals (Ostmeyer & Scarpa, 2012; Milton & Bracher, 2013; Kasari & Smith, 2013).
Many adults with autism write online journals and narratives about their ideas, feelings and
expressions, which is a great conceptual model that researchers must use to understand their
behaviors and complexity of communication to help provide them with ideal nursing care. The
internet appears to present the autistic individuals with a free avenue to create self-approving
identities where they achieve individual gratification as human beings (Mottron, 2011). Besides,
the subject of autism condition, learning problems and social inclusion is a major topic of
discussion in majority of the studies found (Zwaigenbaum, 2010). This poses a significant
beginning point of the study of people living with autism that a researcher can have in mind
before interviewing autistic individuals (Verhoff, 2013).
Most of all, it is clear that there is a deficiency in the number of studies conducted on
language use when the autistic individuals communicate via the internet. As much as many
studies focused on children with autistic conditions, a majority of the studies evaluated the
individual accounts of autistic individuals leaving behind the effect of language in their lives.
Understanding language will help understand the autistic communities, and further help
communicates even better (Mottron, 2011).
IV. Methodology
The research methodology will attempt to decipher whether communication is a major
problem in autistic individuals. Also, it will seek to establish whether the abnormal behavior
displayed by the autistic individual is a disability. It will help understand whether autistic

individuals interact well with other individuals in online communication platforms. This will
help understand whether the problem is on the people around them and systems adopted in care
centers, learning institutions and home or their communication and social learning problems. The
findings will help create effective systems for autistic individuals in nursing care. In this regard,
the variables of the study entail autism, which is a lifetime development disability,
communication skills, which entail how the autistic individuals interact with one another and
online (internet based) communication abilities in autistic individuals.
This research will adopt a PAR Participatory Action Research methodology that is a
qualitative study. According to Chevalier and Buckles (2013), PAR methodology entails
conducting research in groups that puts emphasis on taking part and actions. It intends to
comprehend the world by attempting to transform it, jointly and through reflection. This
methodology is founded on combined analysis and evaluation through knowledge and social
records. The groups of inquiry will tackle queries and problems that are crucial for those who
take part as co-researchers. According to Chevalier and Buckles (2013), the participants act as
co-researchers and they help to provide information about their lived experience of working hand
in hand with the researchers with an aim of gaining a better understanding of the effect of the
internet communication trends in people with autism.
This research will adopt a cyclical research process that intends to provide feedback into
a cycle of problem-solving. According to Silverman (2011), a cyclical research entails a
balanced and open relationship between the researcher and the research community. It puts
emphasis on the repositioning of control in the research connection. This implies that the
research design is commonly conducted by researchers working hand in hand with the
participants. A cyclical research tackles pertinent questions and problems for the people taking

part as co-researchers. This type of research takes the form of research conducted with
participants, but not for or on participants. Over and above, this type of research entails values
that explain issues via joint efforts with an aim of achieving significant transformation
(Silverman, 2011).
This research adopts a qualitative methodology. According to Silverman (2011), a
qualitative study is an investigative study that helps acquire a clear understanding of causal
problems, views, and motivations. It sheds light on the issue and helps create ideas or theories
for prospective qualitative study. This research will employ a narrative inquiry. This is a type of
qualitative inquiry that helps acquire information from participants through accounts, such as
family stories. This study will be conducted in a Community Health Centre for autistic adults and
will obtain contact information from agencies. The participants will be selected randomly and
based on gender balance. This paper will adopt purposive sampling method that entails selecting
a sample from a target group of adults of the age of 18 and above. According to Lucas (2014),
sampling design entails choosing a sample from a significant group of factors or population
group. This process helps to develop a conclusion about the features of the target group that the
researcher intends to study. Purposive sampling entails researchers selecting participants in their
individual decision based on knowledge and experience in the subject of the research (Lucas,
2014). This will also help support the participant in providing information that has been affecting
them on a daily basis with an aim of improving the quality of life by acquiring support and
solutions.
According to the Health & Human Services (HHS) (1993), it is legal to involve adults of
the age 18 and above to acquire information for research studies. Ultimately, an adult
psychologist will also be included to help understand the behavior, feedback, and actions of the

autistic adults about the research. This entails understanding whether they are comfortable taking
part in the study, including the communication platforms presented to them and when they are
free to withdraw from the study.
This research will entail conducting semi-structured interviews on a weekly basis which
will last for 50 minutes per session. The interviewers will present semi-structured questions to
the participants with a distinctive structure that will allow the interviewer to alter the mode of
presentations to ensure that the participants remain focused and on the topic. This will be a one
on one online interview process that will involve a participant online chatting platform, such as
the MSN Messenger that will help acquire responses at the conclusion of every session
(Silverman, 2011). This will further help to establish whether there is a need for any form of
improvements or adjustments. The participants will be allowed to remain focused and active by
asking open questions. Data collection will be done via online recording software. The study will
be centered on internet based chatting and communication approaches used by individuals with
social and verbal problems. In this regard, the discourse analysis will be adopted to establish the
themes in the texts.
According to Health & Human Services (HHS) (1993), during the study, the participants
will be safeguarded from bodily or psychological injuries. They too will be allowed to withdraw
from the sessions at will or if they feel uncomfortable to proceed with the study. The finding
reports will be available on request for the participants, their family members or agency. The
participant's names and details will be concealed for their privacy rights. In this regard, the
researcher will ensure that the names of the participants are replaced with codenames and
usernames for confidentiality purposes.

V. Data Analysis
This research will adopt a Discourse Analysis. According to Kidd and Castano (2013),
the interviewing process will stir the participants to create a discourse that targets at providing
sense to their feelings, knowledge and perceptions in life. A discourse analysis is founded on the
comprehension that the findings must be based on not only how the participants interact, but also
how they exchange information. Discourse analysis is not merely a process of finding the
obvious meanings, but a thorough exploration of the kind of language the participants use and
traditional objectives of the participants revealed through language use (Kidd & Castano, 2013).
This sphere of study spurs questions about how sense is established. To make a discourse
analysis, researchers must put together textual materials obtained from the participants, which
entails all the recorded data. In particular, this analytical process is based on analyzing the
cognitive abilities of the participants, social abilities, character/personality, culture and sense-
making abilities. All the online interview results will be recorded, coded and probed. Also, there
will be a need to weigh texts against each participant to establish a central point of conversation
(Kidd & Castano, 2013).

VI. References
Bottema-Beutel, K. (2011). The negotiation of footing and participation structure
in a social group of teens with and without autism spectrum disorder. Journal
of Interactional Research in Communication Disorders, 2, 61–83.
Chevalier, J. M., & Buckles, D. J. (2013). Participatory action research: Theory and methods
for engaged inquiry. UK: Routledge.
Health & Human Services (HHS) (1993). Institutional Review Board Guidebook. Retrieved from
http://www.hhs.gov/ohrp/archive/irb/irb_chapter6.htm
Herbert, M. (2010). Contributions of the environment and environmentally vulnerable
physiology to autism spectrum disorders. Current Opinion in Neurology 23, 103–110.
Kasari, C., & Smith, T. (2013). Interventions in schools for children with autism a cyclical
research spectrum disorder: Methods and recommendations. Autism, 17, 254-67.
Kidd, D. C., & Castano, E. (2013). Reading literary fiction improves theory of mind. Retrieved
from http://scottbarrykaufman.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/10/Science-2013-Kidd-
science.1239918.pdf
Landrigan, P. J. (2010). What causes autism? Exploring the Environmental Contribution.
Current Opinion in Pediatrics, 22, 219–225.
Lucas, S. R. (2014). Beyond the existence proof: Ontological conditions, epistemological
implications, and in-depth interview research. Quality & Quantity, 48, 387-408.
Mayes, S. C., Michael, M., & Jahanara, Z. (2011). Variables associated with anxiety and
depression in children with autism. Journal of Developmental & Physical Disabilities 23,
325–37.
Milton, D., & Bracher, M. (2013). Autistics speak but are they heard? Medical Sociology Online,

7, 61-69.
Mottron, L. (2011). Changing perceptions: The power of autism. Nature,479, 33-5.
Ostmeyer, K., & Scarpa, A. (2012). Examining school-based social skills program needs and
barriers for students with high-functioning autism spectrum disorders using participatory
action research. Psychology in the Schools, 49, 932-941.
Ozonoff, S. et al. (2011). Recurrence risk for autism spectrum disorders: A Baby Siblings
Research Consortium Study. Pediatrics, 128(3), e488–e495.
Pellicano, E., & Marc, S. (2011). Bridging autism, science and society: Moving toward an
ethically informed approach to autism research. Autism Research, 4, 71–82.
Rossi, J., Newschaffer, C., & Yudell, M. (2012). Autism spectrum disorders, risk communication
and the problem of inadvertent harm. Kennedy Institute of Ethics Journal, 23(2), 105–
138.
Rutter, M. L. (2011). Progress in understanding autism: 2007–2010. Journal of Autism and
Developmental Disorders, 41, 395–404.
Scherer, S., & Geraldine, D. (2011). Risk factors for autism: Translating genomic discoveries
into diagnostics. Human Genetics, 130, 123–148.
Sears, K. M., Blair, K. S., Iovannone, R., & Crosland, K. (2013). Using the prevent-teach-
reinforce model with families of young children with ASD. J Aufism Dev Disord, 43,
1005-16.
Seth, S. B. (2011). Autism: The impact on caregivers. Journal of Psychosocial Research, 6(1),
149–156.
Silverman, D. (2011). Qualitative research: Issues of theory, method and practice. (3rd edn.).
London, Thousand Oaks: New Delhi, Sage Publications.

Stichter, J. P., Herzog, M. J., Visovsky, K., Carla, S., Jena, R., Schultz, T., & Gage, N. (2010).
Social competence intervention for youth with Asperger syndrome and high-functioning
autism: An initial investigation. Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders,
40,1067–79.
Verhoff, B. (2013). Autism in flux: A history of the concept from Leo Kanner to DSM-5.
History
of Psychiatry, 24, 442-458.
Wolfberg, P., Bottema-Beutel, K., & DeWitt, M. (2012). Including Children with Autism in
Social and Imaginary Play with Typical Peers. American Journal of Play, 5(1), 55-75.
Retrieved from http://files.eric.ed.gov/fulltext/EJ985604.pdf
Wright, C. A., Wright, S. D., Diener, M. L., & Eaton, J. (2014). Autism spectrum disorder and
the applied collaborative approach: A review of community based participatory research
and participatory action research PAR Participatory Action Research methodology.
Journal of Autism, doi: 10.7243/2054-992X-1-1 Retrieved from
http://www.hoajonline.com/journals/pdf/2054-992X-1-1.pdf
Zwaigenbaum, L. (2010). Advances in the early detection of autism. Current Opinion in
Neurology, 23, 97–102.

Autism and learning disorders

Empfohlen

Empfohlen

Weitere ähnliche Inhalte

Andere mochten auch

Andere mochten auch (6)

Ähnlich wie Autism and learning disorders

Ähnlich wie Autism and learning disorders (18)

Kürzlich hochgeladen

Kürzlich hochgeladen (20)

Autism and learning disorders