Best placement for a child with high-functioning autism?

Question:What do you think is the best thing for a child with high functioning autism? A class of only other high functioning asd kids who will have some behavior problems he might copy, but he also might make good friends and feel comfortable there; part-time school / part-time homeschool; or full-time homeschool. Part-time self-contained/pt inclusion is not an option because he has no academic problems, just behavior and social ones, and the autism rooms are only for lower-functioning kids.

He has been in full-time inclusion for the past few years, but it doesn't seem the best fit, I think the negatives of the social experience outweigh the positives.



Answers:
Like HS mom says, it really depends so much on your child, whom we don't know. Full time homeschooling has been excellent for both of our autistic children, one with aspergers and one with moderate autism.
The IEP team should be looking at performance, current behavioral support plans, and other items, to decide how he would best be served. the question is would the school allow him to attend part time?
I have a friend who's two HF autistic sons have in the IEP that they don't get to school until something like 10am, because they get stressed out if they are at school for too long. They have schedule important things for first thing, so that the kids have lots of energ to deal with stupid stuff they don't like. There is a great reward system set up for success, and no punishments for failure. It sounds counterintuitive, but both boys are doing very well, and they've gradually been able to take more stress as they get older.
however, I vote for homeschool. The social setting can be regulated more, with an adult who is concerned and compassionate, and behaviors can be nipped in the bud quickly.
I would to part time public and part time homeschool if your district allows it.

Doesn't he have an IEP/504/behavior plan? I would think he'd need one and it would be written in that he'd have an aide in the mainstream classroom.

This question is too vague - it really depends on each child's place along the autistic spectrum and the options for LRE (least restrictive environment). It also depends on the age/grade, which you didn't mention.

My DD with severe autism, who is 7 and also has physical disabilities, spends the majority of her time in a "life skills" classroom, and some time (mostly for feeding times) in an "essential skills" classroom. However, she has some activities in full inclusion like PE (also has adapted PE) and reading lab.

I would call an IEP meeting to discuss the issues. It's your right as a parent.
After trying to keep our AS son in school for three and a half years to still have him come home at 71/2 telling us he was going to kill himself and how he would do it we pulled him out of mainstream and now homeschool him. Best decision we could have made. He is much happier and calmer. We socialise as much as possible and he is coping with that easier as time goes on.
We have no regret in the decision we made to homeschool and just wish we had done it from day one. We also homeschool our youngest who is in the process of being assessed for AS as well.

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