The University of Houston Embraces Hybrid Instruction
Introduction
Although estimates vary, there is little doubt the number of students identified with autism has grown dramatically in the past decade. As many as 1.5 million Americans are believed to have some form of autism and the overall incidence is thought to be consistent worldwide and across ethnicities (Autism Society of America, n.d.). According to the Council for Exceptional Children and the Educational Resources Information Center Clearinghouse (2001), from 1992 to 1999 school enrollment in the United States grew by only 14%, while the number of students served in special education under the category of autism grew much more rapidly, from approximately 5,500 in 1992 to nearly 55,000 in 1999, representing an increase of roughly 900%. In Texas the number of children served in special education under the category of autism in 1994 (the first year for which figures are available) was 2,129 and the number served in 2003 was 11,347. This represents an increase of 432%, compared with an increase in the overall student population in Texas of 15% during the same period (Texas Education Agency, 2003). See Table 1.
| 1994 | 2003 | % Change | |
| Overall Student Enrollment in Texas | 3,601,839 | 4,146,653 | 15% |
| Students with Autism in Texas | 2,129 | 11,347 | 432% |
Although researchers agree that children with autistic characteristics were alive before the 20th century, Scheuermann and Webber (2002) suggest that the recent sharp rise in prevalence is likely due to increased public awareness and better diagnostic procedures. In fact, the United States Congress did not identify autism as a separate category in the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act, until 1990 and this, according to Turnbull, Turnbull, Shank, Smith, & Leal (2002), was due to largely to the lobbying efforts of the Autism Society of America.
Autism, a neurological condition detectable in young children, is usually noted before the age of 3, and affects 4 to 5 times more males than females. This condition is expected to last throughout the lifetime (Andrews & Long, 2002; Autism Treatment Center, 2003; Scheuermann & Webber, 2002). Children with this developmental disorder show severe impairments in their ability to interact and relate to others. Approximately half of the children diagnosed with autism have no speech. They often have limited interests and become preoccupied by a specific item such as a vehicle, vacuum cleaner, or toy. They also frequently engage in repetitive behaviors such as hand flapping or spinning objects (Andrews & Long, 2002; Autism Treatment Centers, 2003).
Due to the heterogeneity of the disorder, there is a common saying among professionals who work with children who have autism, "If you've seen one child with autism, you've seen one child with autism." Children and adults with autism can vary widely in terms of their abilities, deficits, and behavior. Approximately 85% of people with autism function within the range of mental retardation on measures of intelligence and adaptive behavior, but because of the nature of autism, it is difficult to accurately measure these domains (Andrews & Long, 2002; Autism Treatment Centers, 2003). These unique factors increase the burden of those who prepare special educators to work with this population.
Lee Grossman, current president of the ASA, was quoted in 2002 as saying, "The lack of trained teachers has been of great concern to the autism community for some time and it is a problem that is only getting worse as more and more children are diagnosed with autism each year." (Special Education Report, 2002, p. 4). The reauthorization of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act (ESEA) now known as the No Child Left Behind Act (NCLB) passed by the US Congress in 2001, addressed this issue by requiring public schools to increase their effort to employ highly qualified teachers in every classroom (No Child Left Behind, 2003). The sharp rise in the number of children identified with autism along with legislative mandates place additional pressure on teacher preparation programs to meet the increasing demand.