Autism in the General Ed.

Setting….

It’s

Basics of Autism

• Definition:

– Autism is a developmental disability that typically appears during the first three years of life.

– It involves qualitative impairments in social interaction, communication, and/or restricted, repetitive behavior, interests, and activities.

– It occurs in approximately 1 of every 160 individuals.

Under the Umbrella :

Asperger’s Syndrome:

• High functioning form of autism.

• Language skills develop but there are impairments in social interaction and social communication.

Asperger’s syndrome

• They have difficulty with reciprocal conversations.

• Their vocabulary is usually great while comprehension is a challenge.

• They have very specific, sometimes pervasive,

interests which comfort them and serve as a high

source of motivation.

• In many cases, these specific interests can lead to

success and notable achievements.

Asperger’s syndrome

• Student’s with AS present special challenges in

educational settings.

• They usually have average or above average intelligence, but fail to understand social behavior and relationships.

• It can be difficult for them to adjust to the classroom and relate to fellow students.

• Individual activities are easier for them than group activities

PDD-NOS:

• This category is used when the criteria for

autistic disorder are not met.

• However, there are severe and pervasive

impairments in social interactions,

communication, or stereotypical behaviors.

• It has also been called “atypical autism”.

Under the Umbrella :

• Bad

Weather

Narrow Range of Interest:

Drawing

Computer

Things that spin

Facts

Sensory Impairments:

– Hypo or Hypersensitivity to:

• Sound

• Light

• Touch: Tactile defensive or high tolerance for pain

• Taste: Unique eating habits

• Smell

– Stimulus Over selectivity

• Visual

• Auditory

Attention difficulties may appear as:

• Narrow and/or obsessive focus

• Specific and not general concepts

They may see the trees

but not the forest.

The function leads to a solution……….

Impairments lead to

behavior problems • Social Interaction Impairments

• Impairment in eye contact

• lack of social orientation that leads to social awkwardness

• lack of imitation skills

• lack of understanding of environmental cues

• Lack of flexibility especially transitions

• Communication Impairments • Lack of spoken language

• Limited conversation skills

• Rote learned responses

• Delay in onset of first words

• “All behavior communicates”.

intent

Flexibility

The student with AS often cannot deal with change or unanticipated events.

Their reaction may include the use of pseudo-logic and listing reasons why they cannot engage in the new activity.

They may flatly refuse to go along with the change.

Fear is often the motivator for these behaviors y Myles, 2000

The point is schedules can… Reduce or eliminate behavior problems related to transitions

Give students information about their lives that is important to them

Help students see a logic and order in their world

Serve as a communication aid to discuss and share daily events

Improve vocabulary and language skills

Assist in developing time concepts( what’s next )

Teach sequence, before and after ( or left to right progression )

Teach independence

Create a Daily Schedule!

Behavior Problems

• Difficulty starting and stopping activity based on social demand

• unusual hand movements

• preoccupation with parts of objects (details)

• Rigid in attention to areas of

chosen interest

• Self Injury

Strategies:

School Environment

• These students respond best in a supportive,

predictable environment.

• They become easily anxious and may worry

obsessively when they do not know what to

expect or when confronted with negative

comments or consequences.

Environmental Challenges

• Unstructured times:

– Bus

– Before / After School

– Field Trips

– Assemblies

– Transitions / Class changes

– Lunch

– PE

Effective Behavior

Management Strategies • Know the student’s “stress signs”

• Give the student time to “de-stress”

before crises occur

• Pick your battles

• Modify environment if problems keep

recurring

– The environment must adapt because the

student generally cannot » Myles & Bock, 1998

Environmental Accommodations

• Lunchroom Alternative

– Extra time to eat if necessary

– Different setting if necessary

• P.E. Alternative

– Activities that focus on the individual

– Additional support, structure, and from the

teacher before, during, and especially after in

the locker room

– Perhaps smaller class of matched peers » Myles, 1998

Effective Behavior

Management Strategies

• Avoid engaging in “pseudo-logic”

• Listen to student complaints, then redirect

immediately

• Provide the student with opportunities for

choices

• Make acceptable choices clear to the

student

• Provide student with rationale for activities » Myles, 2000

Effective Behavior

Management Strategies

• Use cognitive behavior management

techniques

• Consider individual behavior contracts

• Consider social stories and comic strip

conversations

• Use DIRECT social skills instruction

• Provide options for stress reducing activities

» Myles & Bock, 1998

Considerations for “Meltdowns”

& “Tantrums”

• HAVE A CONTINGENCY PLAN:

– Identify behaviors that indicate an impending

meltdown

– Reaffirm difficulties & redirect if possible

– Let routine provide support

– Allow student to engage in “calming” activities

with “safe” people

• home base / safe place

• errands

• “walk & talk”

• solitary activities

Differences in Motivation:

• Lack of competitive motives.

• Perception of lacking pride and shame.

• Lack of desire to “stand out” or be

different.

• Limited responses to “typical” reinforces.

• Lack of social group motivators

Strategies are most effective

when used in a proactive manner

and not a reactive manner.

Think prevention ! Only you can prevent meltdowns

Strategies:

School Environment

• Prepare each student well in advance for any

changes in routine, - substitutes, assemblies and

special activities.

• Incorporate special interests into the curriculum,

thus providing acceptable outlets for these

interests within normal routines.

• Use positive reinforces specific to each student.

Sensory Strategies

Lower lighting

Use “quiet corner”

Allow time for movement

Schedule breaks

Use weighted

materials

Provide hand

fidgets

Reduce noise

level

Learning Styles of Students

with Autism • Problem Areas:

– Organizational difficulties

– Distractibility

– Sequencing problems

– Inability to generalize

• Learning Style

– Students with autism are visual,

concrete learners

– Students with autism want/need

structure and routine

Individual Work Systems

• What are Individual Work Systems?

– A visually discrete, systematic way for a student

to receive and understand information regarding

a work assignment

• Why use Individual Work Systems?

– Individual work systems let students know:

• How much work?

• What work?

• When am I finished?

• What happens when finished?

Academic Supports

• Homework

– Consider carefully whether or not to assign

homework

• consider stress level

– Provide time to complete homework during

the school day

– Provide a structure to ensure that students

get homework home, if it is assigned » Myles, 1999

Academic Supports

• Incorporate student’s interest areas

• Allow student to “show off” areas of

expertise

• Evaluate and remediate academic

weaknesses

Academic Supports

– Reduce assignments

– Provide additional time for assignment

completion

– Allow use of computer for written assignments

– Evaluate writing abilities in various forms of

writing:

• Research, Creative, Expository, Persuasive

– Teach strategies (e.g. mapping) for writing

Environmental Accommodations

• Seating

– Seat the student to minimize distraction

and extraneous stimuli

– Place more accepting students at least

two seats deep in all directions

– Consider having more work area

» Myles, 1999

Memory difficulties may lead to:

• Episodic memory

• Events that are stored in different context

than which they occurred

• A lists of facts stored without a meaningful

framework to link them

Individual with ASD may have

difficulty

• understanding “pretend”.

• differentiating fact from fiction.

• prefer concrete facts.

• Difficulty with nuances and “shades of

gray”.

Executive Functioning

is the ability to:

• Stay Goal Directed !!

• Maintain Attention

• Control Impulses

• Mental planning

• Problem Solving

• Think Flexibly

• Self-Monitor

• Transition from one task to another

Visual support for an elementary student.

Visual supports for older students.

• Types of Prompts

– Physical: Actual manipulation of the student’s body to enable him/her to perform the desired task

– Gestural: Use of a body movement to cue a correct response (pointing, nodding,etc.)

– Visual Prompt: Use of a picture/words

– Verbal: A few simple words that help the student know what to do

Prompting

Social Thinking

Challenge

• Is the ability to

“mind read” or

figure out what

others are thinking,

feeling and doing.

“Difficulties with “Theory of Mind”

may lead to:

• Not recognizing another person’s

perspective

• Not recognizing other viewpoints

• Inability to predict the behavior of others

• Student’s understanding and making judgments

• Avoidance/fear of people

• Student’s behavior may be misunderstood by others.

Social Information Processing

• Student has difficulty in…..

– Understanding emotions

– Explaining own behavior & emotional state

– Predicting events and reactions of others’ to their

behavior

– Predicting & reacting to others’ behavior

– Understanding others’ intentions

– Understanding reference point or perspective of

others

– Hold “all or nothing” / “black & white” perceptions » adapted from Myles, 2000

Social Story About a Fire Drill

TYPES OF SENTENCES

• Descriptive

– Describes where a situation occurs, who is involved and what they are doing.

• Perspective

– Describes the internal status of a person, their thoughts, feelings, and/or mood. Perspective sentences describes another’s point of view and gives the intent of the situation or activity.

• Directive

– Describes expected or desired responses.

• Control sentences

– Describes visual images to assist in understanding abstract information. These are written by the student in order to identify strategies he/she may use to recall information in a social story.

Social Story Comic Strips

I want to work on

the computer,

NOW!

No, I have to finish my math

and ask the teacher before I

can work on the computer.

Mrs. Smith, my math is

done. Can I work on the

computer now?

Comic Strip Social Story by Glenda Pate

Comic Strip Conversations

• for those who can’t comprehend the quick

exchange of information in a conversation

• thoughts and feelings of others are equal to

the spoken words

• incorporate simple figures and other symbols

in a comic strip format

Scripts

• SCRIPTS are visual aid that incorporate a child’s special interest to teach appropriate behavior in social situations including routines, interactions, behavior expectations, the meaning of language and the hidden curriculum. This strategy is most effective for a child with well-defined interests.

Elisa Gagnon, 1999

Sample Scripts

Don’t Be a Scrooge at the Dinner Table

by Kelly Tebbenkamp

Curly, Larry, and Moe try some pretty silly things at the dinner table. Even though this is hilarious in a movie or television show, they do not do this in real life. The Three Stooges know that the way they eat affects the way they look, feel and act. Just like Curly, Larry, and Moe, young men who make good choices about food are sometimes invited to McDonald’s, Burger King or other fun places to eat. They have learned that it is important to: a) Take small bites and chew with a closed mouth; b) Chew food completely and swallow before taking another small bite; c) Stop eating before being full. They often tell each other that plates do not have to be empty.

People who make good choices about eating have a body that feels good and have lots of energy to play field hockey, go shopping, and play video games. The Three Stooges would be proud of young men who make good choices when eating. Elisa Gagnon (2001)

Cue Cards

Another visual reference to help the learner:

• Recall a word or phrase

• See the relationship of ideas or variations of meanings

• Recall a new or difficult step or skill to complete a routine or solve a problem

• Support choice & decision making and any other number of purposes.

• Transitions from one location to another

Janice E. Janzen, M.S.

Cue Cards

Advantages:

• Easier to process visually and less intrusive than verbal information.

• Message can be delivered quickly. Under stressful situations the learner may not communicate effectively,

but can remember to show his/her cue card.

• When under high stress a simple message that clarifies a solution to a problem can prevent a crisis. Shifting direct eye contact to the cue card is calming.

Janice E. Janzen, M.S.

Strategies:

School Environment

• Provide a predictable, safe environment by keeping a consistent daily routine.

• Identify a safe person at the school who knows the student and who can help if the student feels overwhelmed or has a problem.

• The safe person can help interpret social situations and act as a resource for the student and staff members, as well as, be a liaison to the student’s family.

Hidden Social Curriculum

• Teacher’s expectations

• Teacher pleasing behaviors

• Students to interact with and stay away from

• Places in the school that are safe/unsafe

• What the “cool” kids do/don’t do

• Social behaviors that attract positive

attention & negative attention

» Myles & Bock, 1998

Social Strategies Used by Student

• Desire for social interactions

– Range from not interested to “hyper-”

interested

• Seeks reactions from others

• May intentionally seek to elicit any type of social

interaction (even if negative)

• May repeat strategies that they see as effective

regardless of consequences

» Adapted from Myles, 2000

Social Supports

– Carefully design social situations to ensure

success

– Choose peers who are willing to interact with

the student

– Student should have input as to which peers

THEY like and feel comfortable with

– Set time limit for social interaction

Social Supports

• Use social stories to teach social

understanding

• Create a “circle of friends” or “lunch

bunch”

• Educate peers about disability

• Create “peer buddies”

GENERAL

STRATEGIES • Be consistent with routine

• Use visual supports and write down instructions or use pictures

• Reduce auditory instructions

• Read student’s signals and behavior to help student self-regulate stress level.

• Use positive reinforcers

Information Processing

STRATEGIES: Additional time

Visual supports

Concise statements

Use of an assignment notebook or sheet is a

good visual support for all students.

Secondary Level

Visuals

Color coordinate books with folders using dots

Luke’s

school

Locker

# 231

P.E.

Math

Science

LA

Band

Science book & folder

Math book, folder,

calculator Language Arts book &

folder

P.E. -gym shoes

Band -drum sticks, folder

We are all dependent upon

visual supports...

… shopping lists, day planners,

address books, phone books,

appointment cards, sports

schedules, menus, maps, recipes,

directions on how to program the

VCR, etc.

Remember - the most important

intervention is -

Communication Supports

• Use visual aides to supplement verbal information

• Use student’s name before giving instructions

• Encourage / Teach the student to ask for help

• Encourage / Teach the student to ask that instructions

be repeated

• Encourage / Teach the student to ask for clarification

of instructions

• Teach student to identify stress & ask for breaks

• Teach student to use nonverbal communication

effectively

DETOUR

Bridge

Closed

• Conversational and narrative discourse

skills

– Difficulties in acquisition and

appropriate use of conversational

conventions such as initiating,

maintaining and terminating

conversations

– Difficulties in topic management,

including preoccupation with specific

topics, limited ability to maintain or

shift to topics introduced by others

Communication

Communication

• Students may interpret what is said in a very literal

way.

• They may not understand double meanings, sarcasm,

humor or idioms.

• Have students to paraphrase, rather than repeat what

was said to them.

• Ask for factual information to help students participate

in class discussions and to encourage conversations.

• Consult with the speech/language pathologist on a

regular basis since pragmatic instruction needs to be

addressed consistently.

This presentation is based on training provided by:

Miami-Dade County Public Schools

and

The UM CARD Center

This presentation is intended to provide initial training to staff

who support Students with Autism Spectrum Disorders in the

General Education Setting.

It is in draft form and we therefore welcome questions and input in

order to help us develop a final copy. Please contact your Autism

Support Teacher, call the district office at 305-995-2121 or email

us at zperez1@dadeschools.net

Please be sure to complete the sign-in sheet, pre- and post-test

information and forward to Dr. Ann Marie Sasseville, Instructional

Supervisor, MC 9615. Thank you!