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Outline:

Putting the Pieces Together

Awareness Module for Autism

Part 1: Autism Spectrum Disorders

Definition

Observable Characteristics

Underlying Characteristics

Sensory

Theory of Mind

Executive Functioning

Learning Styles

Part 2: Strategies

Communication - Expressive and Receptive

Visual

Social Stories

Structured environment

ABA

Sensory

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Strategies are most effective when used in a proactive manner

and not a reactive manner.

Think prevention ! Only you can prevent

meltdowns.

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Students with ASD will display a range of communication delays/difficulties. Some students may:

Be nonverbal

Have little or limited expressive language skills

Have difficulty with receptive language and comprehension

Use language but not comprehend word meaning

Use language literally

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Receptive language skills - involve the ability to understand verbal and nonverbal communication.

Expressive language skills - involve the ability to express thoughts, feelings, and ideas through verbal or

nonverbal communication.

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Behavior is a means of

communication for ASD students.

If they can’t “talk it out”, they will “act it

out”.

“Bad” behavior is communication!

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There are many types of communication systems that can be used in the

classroom.

The speech therapist, teacher, and parent will

work together to provide the student with a

functional means of communicating.

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Communication strategies may be needed to address deficits in receptive and/or expressive

language skills.

These may be called “augmentative” or alternative communication - AAC.

Some types of ACC are:

Communication Boards -using objects, photos,

pictures, symbols, words etc.

PECS - Picture Exchange Communication

System

Voice Output Devices

Sign Language

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Sample Communication Systems:

Communication Board

Communication Note Book

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Voice Output Devices

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Some communication systems may use sign language or a

combination of signs/pictures to communicate.

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Limit Verbal Instructions

Students with ASD have difficulty with auditory processing,

comprehending and remembering auditory information, and filtering out what information is important.

They may have a delay when processing oral information.

They tend to be very literal and concrete and have difficulty with sarcasm, innuendoes, jokes and

double or hidden meanings.

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People with autism are able to process information easier when it is visual and spatial.

Spoken language tends to be abstract, transient and temporal.

Written language can be abstract but is less transient.

I hear and I forget.

I see and I remember.

I do and I understand.Chinese Proverb

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Visual strategies help students:

learn more quickly

reduce aggressive or self-injurious behavior

decrease frustration and anxiety

learn to adjust to changes

complete tasks by themselves

gain independence

Visual strategies can benefit all students by enhancing student

understanding.

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VISUAL STRUCTURE -is the key element of visual strategies.

Visual structure refers to how information is visually

presented and organized.

Visual structures may also be known as graphic organizers.

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Keep it Short

& Simple

The best solution …...

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Visual Strategies/Supports

Schedules

Written Information

Checklists

Task Organizers

Outlines

Choice Boards

Menus

Classroom Management Tools

Helpers

Numbered Directions

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SCHEDULES ... Visually tell the student,

in a way that he can easily understand, what activities will occur and in what sequence.

Types of Schedules

Word All Day

Icon Half Day

Picture Part of Day

Object Activity

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The type of schedule used will depend upon the student’s functioning level. Schedules may use:

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An activity schedule --

1.

2.

3.

4.

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Daily Schedule for a preschool student:

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Senior Class Schedule: Zachary Owen

Period Subject Teacher Room

1 Government A. Lincoln D402

2 English 12 W. Shakespeare C 221

3 Foods D. Zert A207

4 World History C. Columbus B301

5 Computers B. Gates B103

6 Study Hall Noah Sleeping Cafe

7 Advanced P.E. B. Ball Gym

Lunch - 1st lunch 11:00 - 11:25

Locker - C Hall # 1531

Daily Schedule for a high school student:

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Visual supports are a necessary part of life.

Types of visuals may change based on skill level

and age.

We never outgrow the need for visuals.

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Visual support for an elementary student.

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Visual supports for older students.

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Use of an assignment notebook or

sheet is a good visual

support for all students.

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Colored-coded books and folders to help organize a middle school

or high school student.

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Science

Math

Science book & folder

Math book, folder, calculator

Language Arts book & folder

LA

P.E. -gym shoes

P.E.

Locker # 231

Band -drum sticks, folder

Band

Luke’s school

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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.

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Remember - the most important

intervention is -

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Social Stories …..

Are tools designed to improve the student’s social understanding and social skills.

Provide the student with rules explaining/defining social interactions and social settings.

A means of acknowledging achievement and positive traits of an individual with ASD.

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Social stories are written for a specific student and a

specific situation.

Situations that are difficult for the student.

Situations where the student “misreads” the setting or the interaction.

To prepare or preteach skills.

To acknowledge positives.

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Social stories have three types of sentences:

Descriptive sentences - define where the situation occurs, who is involved, what they are doing, and why they are doing it.

Perspective sentences- describes the internal status- thoughts, feelings, and/or moods.

Directive sentences - positively stated, individualized statements of desired

responses. What the student should do.

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The student’s perspective determines the focus of the

story.

Social Stories are written from a first person

perspective, as though the student is

describing the event.

Social Stories act as cognitive rehearsals.

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46High School Social Story

written by Janet Upchurch, RISE

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Social Stories can also be written as comic strips.

The characters in the comic strips can show

ideas, thoughts, feelings, and actions.

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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

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Typically developing children learn from their

environment.

Children with autism have difficulty learning from

their environment and need a structured setting where

they can “learn how to learn”.

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Information regarding structured teaching is based on the Division TEACCH

program from the University of North Carolina at Chapel

Hill.

Treatment and Education of Autistic and related Communication

handicapped Children

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Structured Environments include:

Physical Structure

Schedules

Individualized Tasks

When the 3 components are utilized, students are better able to:

Understand their educational environment

Understand teacher expectations

Have success in daily tasks

Minimize behavioral disturbances

Maximize independence

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Structure …

1. Uses visual skills to help focus on relevant and meaningful information in the environment.

2. Adapts the environment to make it more orderly and predictable.

3. Incorporates routine and makes things more familiar.

4. Emphasizes when a task is finished.

5. Focuses on the development of independent skills. Provides a prosthetic device that assists the student with transferring skills to other environments.

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PHYSICAL STRUCTURE ...Refers to the way that classrooms are set up and organized, and where materials and furniture are placed.

Clear Physical and Visual Boundaries

Minimized Visual and Auditory Distractions

Develop Basic Teaching Areas

1. Snack Area

2. Play Area

3. Transition Area

4. Work Area - Individual, Group, & Independent

5. Quiet Area

6. Waiting Area

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Structured Layout - Preschool Classroom

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Many ASD children have difficulty with organization and directionality-- not knowing where to go or how to get there by the most direct route.

They may also be easily and highly distracted by things in their environment.

With language difficulties, they may have difficulty asking for help and comprehending and remembering directions and rules.

Structuring their environment will give them visual cues to help them understand their environment.

.

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Some ways to structure the school environment:

1. Provide preferential seating.Away from window/door.

On the end of the row, where they won’t be bumped or jostled by other students.

Near the front to avoid distractions from other students.

2. Have a work area facing the wall.

3. Provide a place for student’sbelongings - pencil, paper, books

4. Provide a place for finished work so that it doesn’t get misplaced.

5. Use an assignment notebook.

6. Organize lockers so they know what they need for each class.

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7. Area marked to show where student’s work area is - tape on floor and must keep chair and desk inside taped off area.

8. Room dividers or study carrel to reduce distractions.

9. Class schedule posted for easy and ready access - on desk, inside locker, on assignment notebook, etc.

10. Map with shortest route between classes.

11. Shortest route to bathroom marked.

12. Safe place to go when feeling stressed and overwhelmed.

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INDIVIDUALIZED WORK

Structured Work Task

Students need to know:

1. What Work?

2. How Much Work?

3. When Is It Finished?

4. What Happens Next?

Schedules can give that information and will help with

transitioning from one activity to another.

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File folder games with matching activities.

Work Tasks- show what needs to be done and when it is finished.

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Students are given a picture of the finished task so they will know what

the task looks like when they are finished.

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Middle school work task. Student reads paragraph and answers questions.

They know what they have to do, how much they have to do and when they are

finished.

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Vocational Work Task

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Vocational Work Task

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Many children with ASD have difficulty with

transitions.

They may have difficulty transitioning from one task

or activity to another. Some students may display signs of “perseveration”, where they are unable to stop a

task or activity until they are “finished”.

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ASD students can handle transitions better when they

are forewarned of the changes.

They may need to be forewarned when it is time to change from one activity to another or when there is going to be a change in the

daily schedule.

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Visuals work best with ASD students. A timer clock can be used to help with transitioning and to forewarn about changes

from one activity to another.

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What is ABA ?

Applied Behavior Analysis refers to a

style of teaching which uses a series of trials to

shape a desired behavior or response.

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ABA is a step-by-step approach which

teaches language, social, fine and gross

motor, self help, academic and/or play

skills.

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Each trial functions like a building block, and together the building blocks provide the

foundation of learning.

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The terms “Intensive Behavioral Therapy”,

“Discrete Trial Training” and “Lovaas Therapy”

are treatment techniques based on ABA

behavioral intervention.

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ABA begins at the developmental level of

the child.

Initial focus may be on gaining attention and

reinforcing any attempt of compliance.

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ABA involves:

1.) Breaking a skill into smaller parts

2.) Teaching one sub-skill at a time

3.) Allowing repeated practice in a concentrated period of time.

4.) Providing prompting and prompt fading, as necessary.

5.) Using reinforcement procedures.

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Example of Task Analysis - Hand Washing

Steps: 1. Turns on hot water.

2. Turns on cold water.

3. Gets both hands wet.

4. Gets soap.

5. Rubs soap between hands.

6. Puts soap down.

7. Rubs front of hands together.

8. Rubs back of right hand and back of left hand.

9. Places hands under water.

10. Rubs front of hands together.

11. Rubs back of right hand and back of left hand.

12. Turns off hot water.

13. Turns off cold water.

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Two Basic FunctionsTwo Basic Functionsof Sensory Systemof Sensory System

• Protection or survival

• Enables us to interact and learn from our environment

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Sensory Sensory means...means...

• All 5 senses:– sight

– smell

– taste

– touch/ tactile

– hearing

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Plus + the Plus + the “Hidden Senses”“Hidden Senses”

Vestibular System

Proprioceptive System

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body awareness postural tone balance / equilibrium stabilization of eyes

while

moving head

Vestibular System

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Proprioception

Refers to the brain’s ability to know where extremities are, based on muscles and joints without visual confirmation

Proprioceptive System -motor planning

muscle tone

influences balance

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Signs of Poor Signs of Poor ProprioceptionProprioception

• Stiff and poor coordination

• Clumsy

• Frequent falls

• Runs into furniture, walls, people, etc.

• Has to visually attend all tasks

• Easily frustrated

• Easily fatigued

• Difficulty with dressing

• Difficulty getting seated

• Pencil pressure causes broken lead

• Difficulty with stairs

• Foot slap when walking

• Appears unmotivated

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Sensory Issues

Many students with Autism and Aspergers Syndrome have

sensory issues.

Hypersensitive --

Extremely sensitive

Hyposensitive --

Weak or Non-existent

Hypersensitive

Hyposensitive

Average

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HypersensitiveHypersensitive

Overly sensitive to being touched by people or objects.

Purposely bumps or strikes out

because he cannot stand close proximity.

Doesn’t tolerate sitting in chair: squirms, sits on edge with bent legs.

Difficulty standing in line.

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HypersensitiveHypersensitive

• Choosy about fabrics in clothing.

• May not like long sleeves, turtlenecks, or jackets.

• May not like to have skin exposed.

• Dislikes certain foods because of the texture.

• Dislikes bathing, having hair washed or cut.

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HyposensitiveHyposensitive

• May get hurt and not realize it.

• May know he was touched but not know exactly where.

• May not realize he dropped an item.

• Can’t discriminate objects by feeling them

• May have poor body awareness with vision occluded

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““RED FLAGS”RED FLAGS”for sensory for sensory

defensivenessdefensiveness

• Exaggerated avoidance of specific sensation

• Unpredictable episodes of dramatic behavior

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Whenever sensory differences are suspected, an occupational

therapy evaluation may be helpful in determining sensory needs.

Many inappropriate behaviors are tied to sensory issues. To change the behaviors, sensory needs must

be addressed.

The Occupational Therapist will determine the appropriate sensory

interventions.

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Some sensory Some sensory strategies that may be strategies that may be suggested by the OT:suggested by the OT:

• Use of therapy balls, bean bag chair

• Getting in and out of body socks

• Ball pits

• Shaving cream, finger paints,

putty, pudding, gels, clay, etc.

• Weighted vests

• Mini-trampolines

• “Fidgits”

• Seat cushions

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Sensory strategies Sensory strategies (cont.)(cont.)

• Alternative or natural lighting

• Gross motor activity breaks

• Relaxation strategies

• Alternative work postures

• Breaks/break area for sensory stress management

• Headphones, earphones, earplugs

• Colored overlays

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It is not always easy to teach or live with a child with Sensory Processing Dysfunction.

– Sensory defensiveness may cause the child to be excessively demanding in an attempt to control his environment.

– Child may be unreasonable and explosive.

– Picky about food, clothing, etc.

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These children need a great deal of help and support to:

• Prevent frustration and unpleasant

experiences

• Insure they do not give up trying to learn

• Develop a healthy self-esteem

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Putting the Pieces Together Part 2

Presentation By:

Donna Bennett and Donna Hudson West Central Joint Services

Ellen Mahan Blue River Special Education Coop

Glenda Pate, Shelly Starbuck

& Lucy Wieland Old National Trail Special Ed. Coop

Janet Upchurch & Nancy Zimmerman RISE Special Services

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References:

A Work in Progress by Ron Leaf

Asperger Syndrome: A Practical Guide for Teachers by Cumine, Leach & Stevenson.

Autism Handle with Care: Understanding and Managing the Behavior of Children and Adults with Autism by Gail Gillingham

Social Stories by Carol Gray

Indiana Resource Center for Autism, Bloomington, IN

(812)-855-6508 www.iidc.indiana.edu/~irca/

materials, videos, and training opportunities