communication strategies for individuals with asd...visual schedule walk through: • visual...

Communication Strategies for

Individuals with ASD

Kathleen “Mo” Taylor, OTR/L

The Autism Programs

Center for Development and Disability

University of New Mexico

This presentation is made possible, in part, by the

support of the American people through the United

States Agency for International Development (USAID).

The content of this presentation is the sole responsibility

of the author(s) and does not necessarily reflect the

views of USAID or the United States Government.

The opinions and views expressed by the authors in this

document do not necessarily reflect the views and

opinions of KPMG.

Training Objectives

• Have an understanding of how people with

ASD communicate

• Be familiar with the strategies used to

support receptive communication with

children with ASD

• Be familiar with the communication signals

that children with ASD give expressively

University of NM, CDD, Autism Program, Taylor 2/11

What is Communication?

• Receptive Communication: Ability to

recognize and understand another’s

communicative signals. Internal – may not

be observable.

• Expressive Communication: What one

person conveys to another. Observable –

can be seen/heard.

The sharing or receiving of information

from one person to another.


Communication is Reciprocal

“Think ping-pong,

not darts!”


Communication Characteristics

“Classic” Autism

• Little or no speech

• Difficulty expressing wants and

needs

• Communicates needs through

behaviors

• Difficulty asking for help

Aspy & Grossman, 2007



• Immediate echolalia

• Repeats other speakers previous

utterance

• Delayed echolalia

• Recites lines from movies, TV

• Repeats words or phrases from

previous situation



• Difficulty following rules for conversation

(turn-taking, topic maintenance)

• Difficulty joining or ending conversation

• Difficulty with reciprocal commenting –

only responds to direct questions

• Fail to initiate or respond to greetings



Stereotyped, Idiosyncratic Language:

• Repeats sounds, words, phrases

• Makes up new words

• Uses highly specific meanings for

words, phrases

• Asks repetitive questions


How do most of the children with

ASD here communicate?


A visual system that tells you where to go

and in what order (sequence) to go in.

There are many

types of schedules

so it must be

individualized for

each person.

Visual Schedule


Visual Schedule Walk Through:

• Visual Schedules tell you where to go visually.

• This example is large so you can see it.

• It is set up left to right because the child is a beginner reader.

• It is a part day schedule because the whole day is overwhelming to him.

• The child pulls the picture and carries it to the receptacle that is located

at the area indicated in the picture. (this is a constant reminder of

where to go)

• If the schedule is left to right then the receptacle should be L to R

• The child finishes the activity and has a positive routine of going back to

his schedule when he needs information.

• He watches his day go away on the schedule and looks forward to

things he likes coming next.

• We could easily take him around hand over hand but this schedule is

teaching independence.


Schedule Types

How Long:

Part Day

Full Day

Week

1st this then that

Location:

Wall

Table

Mobile

Type:

Object

Photo

Picture symbols

Word

Phrase


Why use a Visual Schedule?

• Builds flexibility

• Rely on something not somebody

• Increase independence in more

environments

• Helps with generalization

• Provide predictability

• Helps alleviate anxiety


Table talk…

• Look at examples of visual schedules on your tables.

• What type of schedule is it? (object, picture, photo,

word, phrase)

• Is it left to right or top down and why?

• Is it all day, part day, or 1st then?

• Is it stable or a mobile schedule?

• Is there a receptacle or not?

• How does the person manipulate it?

• Who do you think could teach it?

Questions to ask yourself when developing a schedule:


Ability to recognize and understand

another’s communicative signals.

Receptive Communication:


Communication signals we see:

• Eye gaze

• Body orientation

• Objects

• Gestures

• Vocalizations

• Words

• Behaviors

*** We have to watch for these signals***


Why work so hard to communicate

with children with ASD?

• Everyone deserves the right to get their needs met.

• Everyone deserves the right to be heard.

• Communication leads to independence which can come in many levels, and even the slightest bit can improve one’s self concept.

• You will be an adult a lot longer than you will be a child and an adult with no functional communication system can be very frightening.


What can we do to be better

communicators with people with ASD?

• Don’t talk so much!

• Don’t assume people with ASD understand what you are

saying.

• Use visuals to indicate where you want the person to go.

• Set up situations where the child NEEDS to communicate.

• Be aware that receptive and expressive communication

skills may be at different levels.

• Slow our pace down and hold our expressions

• Use a visual system


Our goal is to help teach people

with Autism and we must be open

to people with Autism teaching us!


Questions / Evaluation

Thank you…


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