“Current prevalence rates of autism spectrum disorders range from 0.5 to 6.7 per 1,000 among children ages 3 to 10” (Shtayermman 88). This dramatic change in the frequency of autism is accompanied by the development of special education schools and, consequently, an increase in the presence of autistic children in a general school context. While many think that a child with autism spectrum disorder, or ASD, attending a mainstream school would be beneficial to the child in question, there are cases where it would be unwise to place him or her in such an environment. Considering the characteristics of children with autism, the victimization they experience in a mainstream classroom, and the lack of knowledge among teachers, the experiences of children with autism in mainstream schools may not always be beneficial to their well-being. Autism is a spectrum disorder, meaning that the symptoms and characteristics associated with the disorder vary from child to child. All individuals on the autism spectrum share a common difficulty making sense of the world, whether they are diagnosed with "classic" autism, which is at the lower end of the autism spectrum, or Asperger's syndrome, a form of autism higher functioning. Humphrey 41). Some of the recurring characteristics in cases of autism concern the lack of social interaction and frequent aggressive behavior. The occurrence of severe mood swings or tantrums for no apparent reason is quite common in children diagnosed with autism. What could cause these episodes may be a change in their routine, as it would be very distressing for a flow in their daily life. The most obvious traits in children with autism are their inability to look with their eyes... middle of paper... with disabilities. Individuals diagnosed with AS also exhibit restricted, repetitive, and unusual patterns of behavior and interests. Those with Asperger's syndrome are known to have higher verbal skills but often feel very uncomfortable in social situations. Those diagnosed with AS are considered socially abnormal, naïve, emotionally detached from others, and have poor nonverbal communication skills. This relates to my research as it explains why bullies behave in certain ways and how there is so little research done on the victimization of people with disabilities such as Asperger's syndrome. Bullying is not something to be taken lightly, especially for those with mental disabilities. This newspaper article also explained another form of autism, AS, which provided a new perspective on how teenagers diagnosed with it react to bullying..