Often parents are Often parents are asked to choose asked to choose

between inclusion between inclusion and intensive and intensive

instruction. What instruction. What is a parent (or is a parent (or teacher) to do?teacher) to do?

Just Say No!Just Say No!

• Both inclusion are intensive Both inclusion are intensive instruction are necessary (and instruction are necessary (and evidence-based) components of an evidence-based) components of an effective program for students with effective program for students with autism and other disabilities.autism and other disabilities.

Take actionTake action

• Develop deep understanding of both Develop deep understanding of both inclusion and intensive instruction inclusion and intensive instruction so that you can help design the so that you can help design the bridgebridge

• Work with team members to identify Work with team members to identify important goals and outcomesimportant goals and outcomes

• Help team members plan instruction Help team members plan instruction in contextual rich settingsin contextual rich settings

So, what is So, what is inclusion??inclusion??

Inclusion is not a set of strategies or a placement issue. Inclusion is about

belonging to a community – a group of friends, a school

community, or a neighborhood.

(Allen & Schwartz, p.4)(Allen & Schwartz, p.4)

““Inclusion is a Inclusion is a right, not a right, not a

privilege for a privilege for a select few”select few” (Oberti v. Board of (Oberti v. Board of

Education in Clementon Education in Clementon

School District, 1993).School District, 1993).

Inclusion means providing Inclusion means providing all students within the all students within the

mainstream appropriate mainstream appropriate educational programs that educational programs that

are challenging yet geared to are challenging yet geared to their capabilities and needs their capabilities and needs as well as any support and as well as any support and

assistance they and/or their assistance they and/or their teachers may need to be teachers may need to be

successful in the successful in the mainstreammainstream. .

But an inclusive school also But an inclusive school also goes beyond this. An goes beyond this. An

inclusive school is a place inclusive school is a place where everyone belongs, is where everyone belongs, is accepted, supports, and is accepted, supports, and is supported by her or her supported by her or her

peers and other members of peers and other members of the school community in the the school community in the course of having his or her course of having his or her

educational needs met educational needs met (Stainback & Stainback, 1990, p. 3)(Stainback & Stainback, 1990, p. 3)

Inclusion “Bloopers”Inclusion “Bloopers”

• Assuming that “being there” is enoughAssuming that “being there” is enough• ““Dumping” rather than planningDumping” rather than planning• Not individualizing to meet students’ Not individualizing to meet students’

needsneeds• Over using 1 on 1 instructional Over using 1 on 1 instructional

assistantsassistants• Focusing on activities rather than Focusing on activities rather than

objectivesobjectives• Underestimating the effectiveness of Underestimating the effectiveness of

explicit instructionexplicit instruction

Inclusion Bloopers -- Inclusion Bloopers -- cont.cont.

• Allowing the program, rather than Allowing the program, rather than student needs, to be guiding force of student needs, to be guiding force of servicesservices

• Assuming sitting quietly is an Assuming sitting quietly is an appropriate alternative to appropriate alternative to participationparticipation

• Always attending to the squeaky Always attending to the squeaky wheelwheel

Children are Children Children are Children FirstFirst

• All children are good at some things and not so good at others

• Education is about identifying where children are and designing instruction at his or her level

• Treat each student like he or she is with you all day long

• Treat each child like he or she contributes to the class in a special way

Autism is a collection of overlapping groups

of symptoms that vary from child to child

Siegel, 1996, p.301

Disabilities on the Spectrum:

•AutismAutism

•Pervasive Developmental Pervasive Developmental Disorder-Not Otherwise Disorder-Not Otherwise Specified (PDD-NOS)Specified (PDD-NOS)

•Asperger’s SyndromeAsperger’s Syndrome

•Rett’s SyndromeRett’s Syndrome

•Childhood Disintegrative Childhood Disintegrative DisorderDisorder

What is Autism?

• Issues in three areas: – social interaction, – communication, – ritualistic behavior

• A spectrum disorder: different children affected to different degrees in each area

Social Deficits (DSM-IV)

• Impairment in nonverbal communication (gestures, eye gaze, etc.)

• Failure in developing peer relationships

• Lack of spontaneous sharing of enjoyment, interests, etc.

• Lack of social or emotional reciprocity

What You Might See• Complete lack of interest in others.

• Very attached to certain adults, but no interest in peers.

• Inappropriate interest in others.

• Wants friends, but doesn’t “get it.”

• Lack of understanding of facial expression (sometimes with disastrous results).

• Behavior problems related to lack of interest in social praise or social consequences.

Communication (DSM-IV)

• Delay in or total lack of spoken language.

• Impairment in ability to initiate or sustain conversation.

• Stereotyped use of language.

• Lack of make-believe play.

What You Might See

• Use of augmentative communication systems or no communication system.

• Children with very good language, but odd uses: pronoun reversals, strange uses of words.

• Children with odd sounding language.

• “Scripting”

• Repetitive, unimaginative play or no play.

• Behavior problems because of limited language.

Restricted, Repetitive and Stereotyped

Patterns of Behavior (DSM-IV)

• Abnormally obsessive interests

• Rigid adherence to routines

• Stereotyped motor movements

• Preoccupation with parts of objects

What You Might See

• Obsessions with trains, maps, letters, etc.

• Hand flapping, vocalizing, spinning, self-injurious behavior.

• Lack of interest in “normal” childhood activities.

• Tantrums and other behavior problems around routine changes.

• Behavior problems around obsessions.

Other Aspects of Autism

• Onset before Age 3

• Male to female ratio: 4:1

• Mental Retardation

• Sensory Issues

• Savant capabilities

• Is it increasing?? Yes. 1 in 175 is current prevalence

Asperger’s Syndrome

• Same issues in social interactions and repetitive/stereotyped behaviors

• No general delay in language

• Average or above average IQ

How do students with disabilities learn?

• Children with disabilities DO NOT always learn from typical strategies employed in school setting:– Trial and error– Discovery learning

• Instruction might need to be direct and explicit

• Instruction must provide for many practice opportunities across the day and across many days

First Day of School

• Be organized…Know the students in your class!

• Make the day successful• Use verbal, written, and visual

representations of schedules• Provide students with some structured

opportunities to respond• Teach school routines, schedules,

rules

How do I teach a child How do I teach a child who …who …

Grade Entry AccessLevel Level Level

• Grade Level: Curriculum is grade level content, but presentation may need to be different (e.g. fewer problems on a page, enlarged text, scribe, etc.). The word accommodation is often used to describe the ways students access and demonstrate learning in different ways.

Grade Entry AccessLevel Level Level

• Entry Level: Accessing same content area as peers, but content is simplified (e.g. one-digit addition instead of two-digit, reading comprehension passage simplified, and learner is presented with multiple choice to answer comprehension questions opposed to open-ended).

Grade Entry AccessLevel Level Level

• Access Level: Accessing the curriculum activity, but content area is different (e.g. S. is working on identification of numbers by circling all the fives on the page when peers are working on 2-digit addition, working on a fine motor task by cutting out all the sheep on a page when learners in the classroom are reading a passage about sheep).

How do I support students and staff behaviorally?

• Needs to be a solid plan• Based on a functional behavior

support plan• Should follow the principles that do

not allow for the behavior to be reinforce

Placed in “time out”

Reinforced

Child drops to the floor when asked to transition from class to class

Physically assisted to transition

Not Reinforced

• Social SkillsSocial Skills