In This Issue Understanding Autism: A

Guide For Secondary

Teachers

Glenwood Evaluations

PECS

Visual Schedules

Choice Boards

Understanding Autism: A Guide For Secondary Teachers

Understanding Autism: A Guide For Secondary Teachers LEAs may struggle to find relevant, quality information that is

useful in providing support to special and general education

teachers. Provided within this month’s newsletter is a link to

Understanding Autism: A Guide For Secondary Teachers from

the Organization for Autism Research. The guide contains

modules on characteristics of autism, integrated classroom sup-

ports, challenging behaviors, and effective teaching supports.

Written and visual presentation of material provides awareness

of struggles a student with autism faces in the inclusive setting.

Often information and strategies received about autism are gen-

erally geared towards elementary age students or younger.

However, many strategies can be adapted to fit any age. Below

is a link to access the guide. Please copy and paste the link into

your web browser.

http://csesa.fpg.unc.edu/sites/csesa.fpg.unc.edu/files/

UnderstandingAutismSecondaryTeachersGuide.pdf

For implementation, this guide can be broken into sessions and

used during faculty meetings.

Special Education Services Autism Newsletter Understanding Autism: A Guide For Secondary Teachers December 2016

AUTISM NEWS

Disclaimer: This monthly newsletter is not intended to endorse people, products, or methodologies. Its sole intent is to be a source of

awareness for teachers working with students with autism. Pictures used in monthly newsletter are copied from Google Images.

Autism Leadership Team

As a liaison to the Alabama State Department of Education, please

share this information with your Special Education Coordinator.

Use links and information as training tools. If the newsletter is simp-

ly distributed, it does not guarantee recipients will read.

PECS::

Picture Schedules While no two students with ASD are alike, one

of the characteristics common to most is a need

for consistency in their daily routines. Picture

schedules represent what happens next and fos-

ter calmness to the student. Using pictures to

communicate is not instinctive. It must be taught

and implemented with fidelity. Never assume a

child understands the meaning of a picture.

Building a picture vocabulary takes time.

Below is a compilation of pictures that depict

varying schedules. Object schedules are used for

students who haven’t made the connection that

pictures represent objects. Picture schedules are

used for varying levels and ages. Word sched-

ules are used for higher functioning students

who are able to read and follow this kind of

schedule. Apps also provide a way for students

to stay on task and on schedule.

Copy and paste these links into your web

browser to learn more:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CtgQbKPGP6k

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YNfnuuATlkA

Object Schedule

Communication Notebook

Visual Strategies for Communication

Schedule with Words

Individual Picture Schedules

You’ve heard it said before “A picture is worth a thousand words.” Well, to individu-als with communication deficits, pictures may be their only words. Using visual cues / pictures to communicate is a proven strategy, when it comes to helping those with delayed communication skills. Students with autism may be communicatively im-paired or non-verbal.

The Alabama State Department of Education, Special Education Services has provid-ed PECS trainings for the last two years. PECS trainings Levels 1 and 2 have been offered to support teachers working with individuals that are Limited or non-verbal. Giving someone the gift of communication can help decrease undesired behaviors and meltdowns.

Fidelity of implementation of a proven program, such as PECS will ensure success. However, if your situation prevents you from using PECS to fidelity, continue to use its principles. To learn more about PECS, cut and paste this link into your web brows-er: http://www.pecsusa.com.

ALSDE is not endorsing PECS over any other system of picture exchange. We are

simply introducing a systemic way for teachers to effect change in their students.

Picture Exchange

Communication System

A WOW Moment Don’t give up on proven methods. “If at first you don’t succeed try, try, try

again” is a famous quote written by Thomas H. Palmer. Speaking of fidelity

and a never give up attitude, I had a wow moment as I sat and listened to

Deborah Owens of Enterprise City Schools present at the Early Intervention to

Preschool Conference . Deborah stated that she used PECS for an entire year

before one of her students began to use it. The student is now making ‘I want’

statements and detaching the sentence strip to present to his communication

partner. The student is on his way to communicating! This is the very defini-

tion of perseverance with fidelity. Way to go Deborah!

We have begun to hear wonderful comments around the state of

the success teachers and students are having with PECS.

Choice Boards

Choices: We all make them.

How we make them depends on

many factors. For some students

with autism, communicating

those choices can be difficult to

impossible without intervention.

Choice boards are another strat-

egy used to prevent potential

meltdowns.

A choice board is a selection of

pictures that represent desired

objects or activities for a stu-

dent. If a student’s schedule

allows free time, the student is

able to communicate their

choice of an object or activity

by choosing from the choice

board.

Boards will vary according to

student preference and need.

First –Then Board

What’s Available from the ALSDE?

Special Education Services accepts requests for Educational Diagnostic Evaluations for Autism Spectrum Disorders through Glenwood, Inc. Information required: Signed Notice and Consent for Initial Evaluation Or Signed Notice and Consent for Reevaluation Any and all requests must go through the Special Education Coordinator. Request forms are located on the ALSDE website.

Glenwood, Inc. will coordinate and provide timely diagnostic evaluations in the area of Autism Spectrum Disorders (ASD) for students referred for

an evaluation by local education agencies. Glenwood, Inc. will provide experienced and qualified consultants to administer the evaluations. Evalu-ations include: case preparation, onsite parent interview with the Autism Diagnostic Interview-Revised (ADI-R), teacher/school personnel inter-

view, student observation, ASD rating scales, ADOS-2 administration, consultation, and feedback with school and family. The school will re-

ceive a diagnostic summary to include a comprehensive

report within 14 calendar days after the evaluation.