Adolescents with Asperger's work together on social skills

Sue Van Essen, a speech pathologist, center, talks with students who have Asperger's syndrome during a social skills learning session recently at Metro West Kids Learning Center in Clive. Students, all age 13, from left are Colton Bishop of Urbandale; Jordan Paulsen of Urbandale; Max Rice of Waukee; and Gage Larson of West Des Moines.

Iowa middle schoolers with Asperger's syndrome are working together to improve social skills thanks to a local not-for-profit agency's twice-weekly after-school classes. "When I asked them what do they want to get out of the program, most of them have said, 'I just want to be able to make friends at school,' " said Monica Ryan-Rausch, who coordinates the program. The Des Moines Register (Iowa)