A pilot programme to support children with autism has been extended to a second primary school.Education Minister Dame Jennifer Smith told a press conference yesterday that the scheme proved so worthwhile at West Pembroke, it was decided to replicate it at Prospect.Both schools will now have a classroom dedicated to children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD), staffed by trained educators.“Traditionally, students diagnosed with ASD are assigned paraprofessionals who help to support their educational needs in the classroom, in consultation with classroom teachers,” said Dame Jennifer.“However, many of these students require more intensive services, including therapies that cannot be adequately provided in the regular classroom setting.“Training in sensitivity and understanding of autism spectrum disorders has already taken place for the entire West Pembroke Primary School staff and training will now occur for the Prospect Primary staff.“This ASD expanded programme is in direct response to the need demonstrated by the pilot programme, to provide appropriate services and support for identified students.“The programme is based on proven effective international models and tailored to meet the specific needs of Bermuda’s students.”Dame Jennifer said her Ministry knew of 35 medically-diagnosed cases of autism within the public school system but there were likely to be many more.Donna Edge-Bean, the Ministry’s special education officer, said as many as one child in 88 could be on the autism spectrum.She said it was difficult in the past to get an accurate picture of how many youngsters were affected because of the lack of a local doctor able to diagnose the disorder.Two years ago, it was believed there were seven to ten cases but Ms Edge-Bean said the Ministry had since been “actively going out into the community and encouraging people to disclose”.Five students have so far benefited from the pilot scheme at West Pembroke, with two others set to be offered places in its ASD classroom. Six students from across the Island will be given the chance to enter the Prospect scheme.Each will get an individual timetable and education plan, covering their academic, speech, social, occupational therapy, physical therapy and behaviour goals. They’ll also get to spend time with non-ASD students.Dame Jennifer said: “Each classroom will be staffed by personnel trained and qualified in autism spectrum disorders, who will deliver educational and related services, such as applied behaviour analysis (ABA), while speech, occupational and physical therapy will be supplied by the Department of Health.”The Minister said the programme was designed with parental involvement in mind.“Parents will be invited to participate as much as possible and will be able to infuse, into the classroom, strategies and techniques that work well for their child at home.“Conversely, strategies and techniques that have been shown to be effective in the classroom will be shared with the parents for them to use at home and in the community.”She thanked all those involved in the programme, including the autism support groups Tomorrow’s Voices and BASE.Dame Jennifer also praised Mount Saint Agnes student Harlee Purvey, 11, who asked for financial donations for the new ASD classroom instead of gifts for her birthday.Useful websites: www.bermudaautism.org, www.tomorrowsvoices.bm and www.moed.bm.