The Society fully supports mainstreaming whenever it serves the best interest of the child, as it places him or her in a very unrestricted environment, allows greater interaction with other peers, and can create a smaller burden for the taxpayer. Some students with autism need greater structure to maximize the benefits of the educational system. The need for the child to focus, and the requirement that each activity be somewhat shorter than activities or modules from which most children learn make a self-contained classroom the appropriate choice for some children. For many children, it is the self- contained classroom that has provided the ability to both learn and develop social skills which permit the individual to live and work in the community. But that again is treating all persons as if their needs and solutions are the same, and narrowing the choices available to parents.
Choice gives parents the opportunity to seek what is best for their children.
Each of us wants a place to live that is comfortable, safe, flexible, and best suited to our needs and the needs of our family. Persons with autism deserve no less. And home is no longer the only other option. Living at home can be an appropriate option for many persons with autism, and should not be considered so unusual, as many adult children still live with, or return to live with their parents. And there must be adequate supported living services available for these families.