FAIRFIELD — Kennebec Valley Community College will launch a new two-year autism spectrum disorder studies degree program this fall.

In light of autism data recently published by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the timing is good.

Approximately one in 88 children in the country has a form of autism, a sharp increase from previous estimates, according to the centers.

About 1 million children in the United States have a disorder with symptoms that include not talking, obsessively following routines, arm flapping or reacting negatively to light.

Autism spectrum disorders generally appear before age 3 and continue into adulthood, according to the National Institute of Child Health & Human Development, and symptoms range from mild to severe.

Martha Naber, education program coordinator at KVCC, said the program is important for the health of families and communities.

Advertisement

She said effective teachers have a wide range of understanding and skills to work with children who have the disorder.

“Each person on the spectrum is unique,” she said. “There is no one method (of teaching). One (child) might be very verbal and one might not have any language. One might flap their arms and one might not at all. One might be highly sensitive to light and another might be sensitive to sounds.”

Early intervention is key, but there is no cure, said Naber.

Courses in the college’s 62-credit program include Educating Children with Disabilities, Language Development, Introduction to Autism Spectrum Disorders, and Approaches to Working With Persons with Autism Spectrum Disorders.

Naber said the courses will be helpful for a host of people, including education technicians, teachers in search of recertification credits, health-care workers and family members.

Kennebec Valley Community College President Barbara Woodlee said the college is responding to the educational and economic needs of the area.

Advertisement

“KVCC has always adapted its program offerings to meet changing workforce needs, and the addition of a two-year autism degree is both timely and appropriate given the college’s experience in autism education and the significant increase in autism diagnosis nationwide,” she said.

Two courses for the degree will be offered this summer, according to Jonathan Humphrey, media specialist at the college.

One will be offered statewide through interactive television sites and one will be available online.

Registration for the summer and fall semesters is under way for current students and will be open to all Tuesday.

Beth Staples — 861-9252

bstaples@centralmaine.com


Only subscribers are eligible to post comments. Please subscribe or login first for digital access. Here’s why.

Use the form below to reset your password. When you've submitted your account email, we will send an email with a reset code.