How Autism Special Interests Can Support Academic and Personal Growth

September 14, 2022 byBob Engler

5 min to read

Student working on a science project at Connections Academy

Kids who are diagnosed with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) often develop a pattern of focusing all their attention on a particular object or topic.

Known as “special interests,” this fixation can be frustrating for parents who worry that these fixations can keep their students from flourishing and fulfilling their potential for a successful, independent life.

But research and personal accounts of people who grew up with an autistic special interest are hopeful.

They are finding that affirming kids’ powerful fascination, letting them embrace it, and integrating it into their learning experience can spark students’ educational, personal, and social growth.

What Are Special Interests in Autism?

Studies cited by Spectrum, an autism research archive, found that the brains of people with autism may be wired to find satisfaction in particular things. That gratification in turn creates a demanding, often exclusive interest in those things.

What are some special interests examples?

Repetitive, restricted interests are among the most recognized behaviors of ASD. And if you ask parents about them, they’re likely to add the word intense to any description.

Some of the more common special interests of children on the spectrum are:

Trains
Maps
History
Math, particularly tables
Astronomy

What is the difference between autism special interests vs. hobbies?

Kids diagnosed with ASD form relationships with objects that are as intensely satisfying as interpersonal relations are for others. It is that intensity—sometimes to the exclusion of everything else—that is the primary difference between a special interest and a hobby.

Understanding special interests in autism and how they can motivate learning may hold a hopeful key to success in school and life for students on the spectrum.

A student playing guitar as a special interest versus a hobby.

How Can Autism Special Interests Support Education?

Another study cited in the same Spectrum article looked at two groups of students with special interests. Teachers for one group used interests as a reward for good behavior. The other incorporated them into their curriculum. Both tactics worked, but students fared best when their interest was integrated into learning.

Temple Grandin, who was diagnosed with autism as a child and now advocates for autistic people, is a prime example of the lasting positive impact kids can realize by embracing their special interests.

“All I wanted to do was draw pictures of horses when I was little,” she said during a TED Talk. That fixation blossomed into a writing career in which she has published 60 scientific papers on animal behavior. Her recommendation:

“Let’s say the kid is fixated on Legos. Let’s get him working on building different things. … Like if the kid loves racecars, let’s use race cars for math. … In other words, use that fixation in order to motivate that kid.”

Another idea: The New York Transit Museum’s innovative program, Subway Sleuths. It focuses on the special interest that some ASD kids have in trains. Through games and activities, it leverages their special interest to expand their knowledge of transit systems and helps them develop important life skills such as collaboration and various forms of social engagement.

How Can Students with Autism Special Interests Benefit from Online School?

Like most people, autistic kids are interested in learning about things they like. The Organization for Autism Research (OAR) reinforces the idea that building special interests into the learning experience can inspire students to engage in tasks they might otherwise be overwhelming or pointless.

In the traditional brick-and-mortar school curriculum and rigid daily schedule, though, that’s not always possible. Online learning, however, provides scheduling flexibility. That empowers students and parents to decide when the school day starts and ends, the sequence of classes, and breaks. It also gives them latitude to incorporate their students’ special interest as a complement to the curriculum.

Connections Academy® tuition-free K–12 online education also encourages parents and students to build relationships with teachers and staff and discuss ways to use special interests to keep your learners engaged in their lessons. As one mother of a Connections Academy student put it:

They “have been exceptional [and] truly made me feel like part of the team. When we have meetings, they’re not just reading from a report—they are speaking from their experiences working with him and getting to know him.”

Combined with the close parent-teacher collaboration, the scheduling flexibility enables them to customize and build in academic supports for autistic students that smooth out the learning experience. Some supports are:

Previews of the next task before beginning it. Known as priming, giving students a “sneak peek” can reduce anxiety that a sudden change in activity might otherwise produce.
Exercise. Schedule phys ed when the student enjoys exercising. Dozens of studies have found benefits ranging from improved social functioning to building strength in ASD kids.
“Brain breaks.” Planning times to step away from the schoolwork not only helps restore focus but adds certainty, which is important for kids with autism.

Also, because online learning is untethered from the rigid schedules, Learning Coaches can schedule field trips—even a virtual moon landing for kids who have a special interest in astronomy—and socialization activities that complement their student’s curriculum.

Learning Coaches using field trips to support autism special interests.

Is Online Learning Right for Your Student?

For students with autism and other learning challenges, a traditional school experience may not be the best fit for their pace and style of learning. This is how virtual learning can be a huge asset. Megan Yohe, whose autistic son is a Connections Academy student, says she “never imagined he would be a whole new child from such a simple fix.”

“He has no anxiety, has not missed a single day, is actually doing amazingly well with the curriculum, and absolutely loves school again! … He has flourished and is doing things he never would have in public school.”

To find more resources for homeschooling autistic students and the benefits of online learning for them, request the free Connections Academy eGuide or join a live virtual discussion session with staff members, parents, and education experts.