How are children with autism different?
Children with autism have fundamental and pervasive differences in their readiness and ability to learn.2 While the nonautistic, developmentally delayed child will need special assistance to learn, the autistic child must first “learn to learn.” Most intellectually impaired children have a consistent learning trajectory. They may learn more slowly, and their ultimate level of achievement may be less than average, but they possess an innate ability and interest to attend to their surroundings in a manner that sets the stage for learning to occur. Disorders such as depression or anxiety in children may interfere with optimal learning and functioning, but children with depression or anxiety disorders are not pervasively compromised in the fundamental skills. Children with autism lack such fundamental skills, and the consequent learning disabilities can be numerous (Table 1). Limited sustained attention in children with autism consistently and negatively impacts not only their pace and per
