Supporting Students with Autism

Spectrum Disorder

August 2004

PaTTAN Paraeducator Training

Paraeducator Development Plan Menu(to be used in conjunction with Paraeducator’s Personal Development Plan)

Topics Notes

1.Characteristics of the Disability

2.Instructional Strategies

3.Lifting

4.Feeding (food issues)

5.Toileting

6.Assistive Technology and Adaptive Equipment

7.Orientation and Mobility

8.Transportation

9.Sign Language

10.Behavioral Strategies

11.Data Collection

12.Job Coaching

13.Restraint Techniques

14. Confidentiality

15.Socialization Issues

16.Communication Issues

17.Safety Issues

18.Sensory Impairment

19. Early Intervention

20. How to be a “Shadow” in a Child Care Center

21. Basic Educational Terminology

22. Other

23.

24.

25.

Directions: This menu is a tool for you to use as you progress through the Paraeducator Course. Whenever you come across topics about which you would like more information, place a checkmark next to the topic and indicate in the Notes column any specifics (for example, in #1 indicate which disability). For each topic checked make an entry in the Paraeducator Personal Development Plan.

Paraeducator Development Plan

What topics do I need to know

more about for my job?

Where can I get the

information/training?

What action steps am I going

to take?

When will I complete

this?

Local Policy

• Your local district’s policies regarding Para educator job descriptions, duties, and responsibilities provide the final word!

Agenda

• Purpose of Training/Learner Outcomes

• What is Autism Spectrum Disorder• Main Deficits • Classroom Challenges & Strategies• Current Methodologies

Learner Outcomes

• Describe the defining features and core deficits of students diagnosed with Autism Spectrum Disorder

• List specific instructional strategies to address the core deficits associated with ASD

• Discuss some of the methods currently used to support students who have ASD

AUTISM SPECTRUM DISORDER

Main Deficits in Autism

• Social Behavior– Reciprocity

• Communication– Verbal– Non verbal

• Restricted Range of Behaviors

Pennsylvania Department of Education Autism Child Count for years 1990 - 2004

252

643

975 10091242

14381676

2035

2516

2885

3539

4826

5934

7178

0

1000

2000

3000

4000

5000

6000

7000

8000

1990-91 1991-92 1992-93 1993-94 1994-95 1995-96 1996-97 1997-98 1998-99 1999-00 2000-01 2001-02 2002-03 2003-04

REMEMBER!!!

Autism Spectrum Disorder is

diagnosed by the observation of behaviors.

Addressing the Challenges

It is easier to prevent a behavior from occurring than to deal with it

once it happens!

Challenges for Children with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD)

ACADEMICSProblems with: – Making connections– Understanding abstract

concepts – Organizing themselves and their

environment – Seeing the “Big picture”

Academic/Behavior Strategies

• Provide a predictable and safe environment

• Prepare for changes• Expose student to new activity beforehand• Avoid surprises• Teach flexibility• Minimize transitions• Offer consistent daily routine• Provide picture or written schedules• Teach calendar skills and choice boards

Academic/Behavior Strategies

• Break assignments down into small units• Provide frequent teacher feedback • Give redirection as needed• Use timed work sessions• Have firm expectations• Visually show beginning and end• Provide environmental supports such as

room dividers and individual carrels• Use curriculum that addresses individual

student needs

Academic/Behavior StrategiesMake language visible!

Sensory Activity

Sensory Motor Activity1. Review this Sensory-Motor Preference

Checklist. Think about what you do in small subtle ways to maintain an appropriate level of attention that a child with a less mature nervous system may need to do in a larger more intense way.

 2. Notice which types of sensory input are

comforting to you and which types of sensory input bother you. Are your items grouped in a certain category?

 

Sensory Motor Activity3. Consider how often how long, how

much and with what rhythm you use these strategies to maintain your focus.

4.  When you need to concentrate at your

work space, what sensory input do you prefer to help you work most efficiently?a.      What do you put in your mouth? b.      What do you prefer to touch?c.      What types of movement do you use?d.      What are your visual preferences? e.      What auditory input do you use?

Challenges for Students with Autism Spectrum Disorder

May be:• Hyper/Hyposensitive

– Sounds– Visuals– Taste/Smells– Touch

Sensory

Sensory Strategies for students who are:Sensitive to sounds• Muffle sound of PA system • Put tennis balls on bottom of chair legs• Keep noise levels down in classroom

Sensitive to visual distractions• Check for flickering fluorescent lights• Limit number of visuals displayed in the classroom

Sensory Strategies for students who are:

Sensitive to smells• Mask smells with lip balm• Do not wear strong perfumes

Sensitive to touch• May prefer to wear clothing inside out• Don’t get into student’s personal space

Challenges for Students with Autism Spectrum Disorder

Difficulties:• Relating to others• Prefers being alone• Joint attention• Interpreting

nonverbal social cues

• Eye contact

Issues:• Ritualistic – repeating

a particular behavior• Focus on detail• Use toys in

uncharacteristic ways• Limited play themes • Solitary or parallel

play

Social Play

Social Strategies

• Protect the student from bullying and teasing

• Emphasize skills the student is good at• Teach how to react to social cues • Give scripted responses to use in social

situations• Model and role play two-way

interactions• Use social stories

Play Strategies

• Structure play time• Teach play skills• Teach interaction with others• Limit time spent alone• Plan, plan, plan for recess, free

play,• lunch, PE

Challenges for Students with Autism Spectrum Disorder

Communication Difficulties:

– Lack of initiation skills– Poor auditory comprehension– May not respond to their name– Immediate echolalia– Delayed echolalia– Perseverative speech– Incessant (repetitive) questioning– Limited receptive and expressive repertoires

Communication Strategies

For Classroom Staff:• Give students time to respond• Avoid excessive use of questions• Use as few words as possible• Respond naturally• Always have communication tools

available

Communication Strategies

• Attempt to get student’s attention before speaking

• Adjust complexity– How you talk– What you talk about

• Do not demand constant eye contact• Support verbal language with visuals• Limit adult conversations

SIT

Communication Strategies

• If necessary, use gestures to supplement speech.

• Use clear, concise language to help structure a student’s world.

Communication Strategies

Use Communicative Temptations:• Interesting/favorite toys and

materials• Objects in clear containers placed out of reach• Give small portions

Communication Strategies

• Fill in the blanks– familiar songs and

stories

• Provide choices– Couple a preferred

item with a non-preferred item

Snack

pretzels

apple

raisins

Make

Language

Visible

SHOW ME AND I REMEMBER…

Tell me

and I forget!

Bring what to school?

All Students Have a Need to Say

• What they want• What they are having trouble doing• When they need timeout• When they are giving up• When they are happy and successful

Adapted from Ann Heler

All Students Also Need to Know

• What is expected of them• What is the routine• What is socially relevant so they

can respond appropriately

Strategy Activity

Overview of Methodologies,

Strategies & Treatments for

Autism Spectrum Disorder

Precision TeachingPrecision Teaching

Fluency Based InstructionFluency Based Instruction

Discrete Discrete TrialTrial

TeachingTeaching

Verbal Verbal BehaviorBehavior

Direct Direct InstructionInstruction

Applied Behavior Analysis

Incidental Incidental TeachingTeaching

LovaasLovaas

TherapyTherapy

Intensive Intensive behavioral behavioral InterventioInterventio

nn

Applied Behavior Analysis

Goals:• Teach simple to more complex skills• Develop a behavioral profile that is as

typical as possible• Generalize learned skills to other

situations• Prompting, fading, shaping, chaining• Enable students to function as

independently as possible

Applied Behavior Analysis

Tools• Curriculum of simple to complex target

behaviors• Task analysis• Menu of reinforcers for child• Repeated practices, discrete trials• One-to-one instruction • Systematic generalization training• Data based decision making• Incidental teaching

Picture Exchange Communication System

• PECS is a structured communication system

• Can be used with students of all ages

• Give a picture to a communicative partner in exchange for the item

• Teaches functional communication

Picture Exchange Communication System

(PECS)• Can be used with students who

are just beginning to speak

• Uses behavioral training techniques

• Two trainers used at first: one for prompting in back, one in front of the student

Social Stories

• Describe social situations in terms of relevant social cues

• Often define appropriate responses• Teach routines, academics, and

address a variety of behaviors

A Sample Social Story

Sometimes a person says “I changed my mind.” DescriptiveThis means they had one idea, but now they have a new idea. PerspectiveI will work on staying calm when someone changes their mind. DirectiveWhen someone says, “I changed my mind,”I can think of someone writing something down, scratching it out, and writing something new. Control

Structured Teaching

• Structure is a key component of a classroom for students who have Autism Spectrum Disorder.

• Structured teaching includes:– Organizing the physical environment– Developing schedules– Developing work systems– Using visual materials – Providing clear and explicit expectations– Creating an independent learner

Structured Teaching

1. Physical organization of the classroom• consistent, visually clear boundaries for activities• transition area (check schedule)

2. Schedules (help anticipate and predict events)• reduces problems with time and organization• minimize strain on attention and memory• compensate for language impairment• foster independence• increase motivation to complete work before

play

Structured Teaching

3. Individual Work Stations

• informs student about what to do while in independent work time

• informs student of amount of work to be done• helps student see when almost finished

4. Learning Task Organization

• individualized ‘jigs’ or templates to demonstrate how task is to be completed

Reasons for Using Structure

• Helps the person with autism– understand– be calm– learn

• Structure is a form of behavior management

• A means to increase independence through visual structure

“Good teachers helped me to achieve success.

Children with autism need to have a

structured day, and teachers who know how to be firm but

gentle.”

Temple Grandin, Ph.D.

Wrap Up

•Complete the Paraeducator Development Plan

•Complete Evaluation Form

Upcoming Paraeducator

TrainingsVideoconferences for 2004-2005

–Supporting Students in Inclusive Settings – October 14

–Paraeducators’ Role in Mathematics Instruction – December 14

–Strategies for Helping Students Become Independent – January 25

–Paraeducators’ Role in Reading and Language Arts Instruction – April 27

Videoconferences are presented at sites across PA and are scheduled from 4 to 5:30

Upcoming Paraeducator

TrainingsParaeducator Spring Seminar at a Hotel

April 1 and 2, 2005

Topic: Progress MonitoringLocation to be Determined

PaTTAN Website – www.pattan.k12.pa.us