6.       Parent/family training and support provided by qualified personnel with

experience in Autism Spectrum Disorders (ASD) that, for example -

•  A. provides a family with skills necessary for a child to succeed in the

home/community setting

•   B. includes information regarding resources - for example, parent

support groups, workshops, videos, conferences, and materials

designed to increase parent knowledge of specific teaching/

management techniques related to the child's curriculum

•  C. facilitates parental carryover of in-home training, for example:

strategies for behavior management and developing structured home

environments and/or communication training so that parents are active

participants in promoting the continuity of interventions across all

settings.

7.       Suitable staff-to-student ratio appropriate to identified activities and as

needed to achieve social/behavioral progress based on the child's

developmental and learning level (acquisition, fluency, maintenance,

generalization) that encourages work towards individual independence, for

example -

•  A. adaptive behavior evaluation results

•   B. behavioral accommodation needs across settings

•  C. transitions within the school day

8.       Communication interventions, including language forms and functions

that enhance effective communication across settings - for example,

augmentative, incidental, and naturalistic teaching

9.       Social skills supports and strategies based on social skills assessment/

curriculum and provided across settings - for example, trained peer facilitators

(e.g., circle of friends), video modeling, social stories, and role playing

10.     Professional educator/staff support - for example, training provided to

personnel who work with the student to assure the correct implementation of

techniques and strategies described in the IEP

11.     Teaching strategies based on peer-reviewed, research-based practices

for students with ASD - for example, those associated with discrete-trial

training, visual supports, applied behavior analysis, structured learning,

augmentative communication, or social skills training

What Can Families Do?•  Become aware of the federal, state, and local laws; policies; and guidelines

regarding the education of students with autism including the Commissioner's

Rule or Autism Supplement and the eleven strategies.

•  Schedule and attend all necessary meetings (f.e., IEP meetings, staffing, or

conferences)

•  Network with others families of students with autism

•  Get involved with local agencies that provide supports and services to

students with autism and their families

•  Seek out opportunities for respite services, as available or necessary

•  Keep family-school communication open and positive

What Can School Districts Do?•  Educate families on the federal, state, and local laws; policies; and guidelines

regarding the education of students with autism including the Commissioner's

Rule or Autism Supplement and the eleven strategies

•  Follow federal and state requirements in IDEA 2004 with respect to the

development of the IEP and the consideration of the eleven strategies in the

Commissioner's Rule

•  Keep school-family communication open and positive

Terms to Know•  Autism Spectrum Disorders (ASD): An umbrella term for students classified

under IDEA 2004 or the DSM-IV-TR.

•  Individual Education Program (IEP): Program developed through the ARD/ IEP

meeting that determines the services that will be provided based on your child's

strengths and needs. In Texas referred to as the ARD meeting

•  Eleven Strategies: Portion of the Commissioner's Rules Concerning Special

Education Services §89.1055. Content of the Individualized Education Program

(IEP) that outlines eleven additional strategies to consider in the IEP of students

with autism in the state of Texas.

ResourcesUnited States Department of Education State/Territory Education Resource

Search http://wdcrobcolp01.ed.gov/ Programs/EROD/org_list_by_territory.cfm

Individuals with Disabilities Education Act 2004 - IDEA website http://idea.

ed.gov/explore/home

Individuals with Disabilities Education Act 2004 - Regulations http-i/idea.

ed.gov/explore/view/p/%2Croot%2Cregs%2C

Texas Education Agency Commissioner's Rules Concerning Special Education

Services §89.1055. Content of the Individualized Education Program (IEP) http://

www.tea. state.tx.us/rules/commissioner/adopted/1007/89aa-two.pdf

Commissioner's Rules Guidance Document Content of the Individualized

Education Program (IEP) http://www.tea.state.tx.us/special.ed/guidance/

rules/89.1055.html

Texas Statewide Leadership for Autism http://www.txautism.net/training.html

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention - Autism Information Center http://

www.cdc.gov/ncbddd/autism/faq_prevalence.htm

Autism Society of America (ASA) or local chapters http://www.autism-society.org

Association for Science in Autism Treatment Center (ASAT) - http://www.

asatonline.org/

National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke http://www.ninds.nih.

gov/disorders/autism/detail_autism.htm

Region 4 Education Service Center7145 West Tidwell • Houston, Texas 77092 www.theansweris4.net

Educated Solution

Product ID: 741-1490

Creating Solutions that are the worldwide standard for educational excellence1"

Texas Autism Supplement

forstudentsuccess

Important Information to KnowFor students with autism there are federal and state special education laws that guide districts in providing a free appropriate public education

to these students. The federal law is the Individuals with Disabilities Education Improvement Act of 2004 (IDEA 2004), and the state law is the

November 2007 Commissioner's Rules Concerning Special Education Services, specifically section §89.1055 and commonly referred to as the

Autism Supplement. Additionally, the Texas Education Agency (TEA) has provided a guidance document to further clarify the Commissioner's

Rule.

The Autism Supplement notes eleven strategies that must be considered in the development of the Individualized Education Program (IEP) for

a student with autism. Two of the eleven strategies overlap with federal requirements (Extended School Year and Transition).

The Autism Supplement Specifies:•  Strategies shall be considered, based on peer-reviewed, research-

based, educational programming practices to the extent practicable and,

when needed, addressed in the IEP and

•  If the ARD/IEP committee determines that services are not needed in

one or more of the areas...the IEP must include a statement to that

effect and the basis upon which the determination was made.

NOTE: Decisions regarding each of the eleven strategies must be based

on data.

The TEA Guidance Document Specifies:•  Consideration of these strategies in no way implies a requirement to

implement any particular strategy. It is the responsibility of the

Admission, Review, and Dismissal (ARD)/IEP committee to determine

which of the strategies, if any, should be included in a student's IEP.

•  The emphasis an ARD/IEP committee places on each consideration

should be contingent on the needs of the individual student. A student

with limited or no functional communication system should have that area

addressed as a priority. Addressing vocational and transition needs is

likely to be more important for higher functioning individuals entering high

school than it is for pre-school age students.

NOTE: ARD/IEP committees will require accurate and detailed

evaluations in order to make appropriate decisions regarding the eleven

strategies.

Additional Considerations:The Autism Supplement does:

•  Require discussion and identification of intervention strategies

•  Require qualified personnel and training

•  Raise the bar for initial evaluations and subsequent updates

The Autism Supplement does not:

•  Mandate a specific intervention strategy

•  Require a specific degree or credential in addition to teacher certification

Eleven Strategies for Consideration:1.       Extended educational programming - for example, extended day

and/or extended school year services that consider the duration of

programs/settings based on assessment of behavior, social skills,

communication, academics, and self-help skills

2.       Daily schedules reflecting minimal unstructured time and active

engagement in learning activities - for example, lunch, snack, and recess

periods that provide flexibility within routines; adapt to individual skill levels;

and assist with schedule changes such as changes involving substitute

teachers and pep rallies

3.       In-home and community-based training or viable alternatives that

assist the student with acquisition of social/behavioral skills - for example,

strategies that facilitate maintenance and generalization of such skills from

home to school, school to home, home to community, and school to

community

4.       Positive behavior support strategies based on relevant information -for

example,

•  A. antecedent manipulation, replacement behaviors, reinforcement

strategies, and data-based decisions; and

•   B. a Behavior Intervention Plan developed from a Functional

Behavioral Assessment that uses current data related to target

behaviors and addresses behavioral programming across home,

school, and community-based settings

5.       Beginning at any age, futures planning for integrated living, work,

community, and educational environments that considers skills necessary to

function in current and post-secondary environments