Asperger's Syndrome is a mental disability that affects children in different ways. The most common afflictions, however, include a lack of social skills, repetitive patterns of behavior and learning difficulties. The Talisman Academy in Hendersonville, North Carolina, is one of the best boarding schools for children and young adults with Asperger's Syndrome and other forms of autism. The school itself is aimed at children ages 12 and above. The academy teaches a range of common school subjects and also offers physical activities, such as geography field trips and outdoor scientific experiments. Through this the students learn vital social and communication skills and get to practice independent living.
Copper Canyon Academy in Rimrock, Arizona, is a boarding school aimed exclusively at girls ages 14 to 17 with special needs. The school accommodates young females with behavioral, emotional or learning problems and teaches them the values of self-esteem, self-management and self-awareness alongside an academic program. Copper Canyon Academy is accredited by the Commission on International and Trans-Regional Accreditation and North Central Association Commission on Accreditation and School Improvement. Lessons taught include math, English, science, speech, psychology, finance, IT, social studies and other arts subjects.
Some boarding schools focus as much on the therapeutic treatment of special needs children as they do academic learning. Aspen Ranch, located in Loa, Utah, is one of the better examples. The school uses equine therapy to treat those with substance abuse needs and mental or mood disorders. The ranch houses a co-educational private school, which teaches a fully-accredited academic program. Subjects taught include English, science, math, social studies, foreign languages, art, IT and health. Aside from academic learning, Aspen Ranch also teaches horsemanship and specialist equine skills. These activities teach valuable communication skills and help increase a sense of self-worth, pride and motivation among the students.
One of the more reputable schools in the United Kingdom is Shapwick School in the West of England. The boarding school offers small classes for children who suffer from dyslexia, dyspraxia (poor coordination skills) and dyscalculia (math learning difficulties). Entry ages start at 8 and continue all the way through to 19. There are trained speech therapists and needs specialists who can communicate and learn with the children. The average size of classes is eight students. Shapwick School is located in Burtle in the county of Somerset.