VE class? I'd say the room will really depend on the teacher and who his costudents are. For sure I would visist and get an impression of what the other students needs are and just the logistics of how one teacher can have full knowledge of and meet all those different needs and still maintain high expectations for each student. My son is in a class with one teacher, three aides and all kids with higher functioning asd and as ideal as that sounds there are still many problems and though his behavior issues are much more appropriately addressed I am quite concerned about low academic expectations. What is VE?  I am not familiar with it Hi.. Just wondering if any of your children are in a VE classroom, we just changed district's until we can move out of the state in May. It is a classroom with 10 other students with 1 teacher and a part time aide. This will we this first time our son has been in a classroom like this since he was in PK 4 yrs ago. He has always been in a ASD classroom. We had to move him due to many issues with the school dist. he was in with the ASD classroom. The school dist. he is going to does not have a ASD classroom. I hadn't heard of it before either, but it looks like it stands for Varying Exceptionalities.  I'm sure a VE classroom can be better than an ASD classroom, but it depends on the school, the teacher and other factors.  Visit the classroom if you can.  Good luck making your decision.     Yes, It is a Varying Exceptionalities classroom. [QUOTE=micki]I'd say the room will really depend on the teacher and who his costudents are. For sure I would visist and get an impression of what the other students needs are and just the logistics of how one teacher can have full knowledge of and meet all those different needs and still maintain high expectations for each student. My son is in a class with one teacher, three aides and all kids with higher functioning asd and as ideal as that sounds there are still many problems and though his behavior issues are much more appropriately addressed I am quite concerned about low academic expectations. [/QUOTE] You raise alot of good points! Never got a chance to sit in on the classroom but did meet with the teacher. Unfortunately we don't have alot of choices. We are trying to make the best of it this year, we are planning on moving out of Florida after the school year. I guess I should have looked at the room and the needs of the other children instead of just looking at the ratio... always missing something when you bring up low academic expectations... that is one of the reasons why we removed him from the ASD classroom, I was thinking the expectations might be higher in a VE classroom I teach a class of 13 students with varying disabilities.  I can see benefits for autism exclusive classes, but one benefit I've seen to cross categorical classes is the social aspects.  My NT students really draw the kids with autism into their social activities.  They often take the autistic kids by the hand and try to get them to play.  I think this is a real benefit for my autistic students.  Today, I was so proud one of my NT students decided to help one of our severely autistic kids complete his coloring project.  He sat with him him until he colored the picture, and then he cut it out for him.  I was so proud of him for being such a great friend! [QUOTE=Emma'smom]I teach a class of 13 students with varying disabilities.  I can see benefits for autism exclusive classes, but one benefit I've seen to cross categorical classes is the social aspects.  My NT students really draw the kids with autism into their social activities.  They often take the autistic kids by the hand and try to get them to play.  I think this is a real benefit for my autistic students.  Today, I was so proud one of my NT students decided to help one of our severely autistic kids complete his coloring project.  He sat with him him until he colored the picture, and then he cut it out for him.  I was so proud of him for being such a great friend! [/QUOTE] Thank you so much for posting this. This is one reason why we decided to go with a VE class vs a  ASD classroom. One of our son BIGGEST issues is socialization with peers. Academically he does fairly well (almost on grade level) but socially he has a long way to go. After being in  a ASD classroom 3 years we just were not seeing any improvment in socialization and they were not focusing enough on academics ,they were giving him 1st grade material when he is in 3rd grade That is GREAT that your NT children include our children, I sure hope that goes on in my son's classroom. This post touched me so much.  DS is in an ASD classroom.  It is so frustrating to me that he is in a contained classroom without typical peer exposure.  Academic expectation is low.  I am so frustrated that the room is not giving DS opportunity for growth. Emma'smom, I appreciate your insight.  I wish more educators can be educated about the importance of typical peer exposure to our kids.  Concernedpa.
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