Youth Transition ProgramOregon Vocational Rehabilitation Services

Statewide ConferenceFebruary 17, 2011

Hood River

Transition Strategies for Young Adults who Experience Asperger’s Syndrome/Autism Spectrum Disorder

Eivind-Erik Sorensen, M.S.

What is a “Spectrum”?Individual skills and abilities vary widely

“Low” ……………………………… “High”> Disabilities …………………….. < Disabilities

- Skills ………………………………….. + Skills

Autism Spectrum Disorder

• The “spectrum” is broad and getting broader everyday• Skills of individuals vary greatly, so don’t make assumptions• Educational criteria/eligibility vs. psychiatric diagnosis• Neurological disorder, changes in the brain, sensory issues• 1:150 (or 1:10?) per Centers for Disease Control (CDC)• Often “misdiagnosed” or “mislabeled”, or not identified• Life-long disability, but individuals acquire skills to improve• Intellectual skills vary, areas of interest may be limited• Some individuals also experience ADD, depression, anxiety

“Generally Speaking”

Asperger’s Syndrome• Typically very intelligent• Narrow range of interests• Socially “awkward”• Poor organizational skills• Executive Functioning• Tendency to be literal• Own view of “fairness”• Literal thinking

Autism Spectrum Disorder• Intellectual skills may vary• Difficulty with change(s)• Skills vary from low to high• Behavioral issues• Difficulty with abstract• Less perspective-taking• Additional disabilities• Sensory issues

Learning Styles

• Procedural (teaching, learning, discovery)• Communicative (thoughts, language, etc.)• Substantive (preference on content)• Environmental (preferred settings)• Organizational (preferred structural settings)• Perceptual (preferred sensory needs)• Relational (preferred interpersonal/social)• Motivational (preferred incentives)However, typically, visual, auditory, kinesthetic ,or a combination

*Source?

Impact on the Social World

• Difficulty recognizing the feelings of others• Often have poor eye contact, tend to avoid, misperceptions• Difficulty maintaining personal space, avoid contact too• Lack “tact” or appear rude, impolite• Difficulty making or keeping friends, less interest in social• Difficulty joining an activity, especially if “unstructured”• Tends to be naïve, easily taken advantage of, or bullied• Less involved in group activities than most same-age peers• Difficulty understanding nonverbal communication• Difficulty understanding jokes, humor

*Adapted from UCC-HF

Why is Transition an Issue?

• Life-changing• Boom-or-bust, experiences shape future activities• Make-or-break, successes tend to build upon one another• Charts of the course of next events, life experiences• Shift from typical/known/familiar to unknown/unfamiliar• Expects greater degrees of independence, autonomy• Lifestyle changes, economic changes, life-altering events• Keep “options” open, allow for changes as needed• Individuals with AS/ASD often misunderstood

Helping Individuals to “Prepare”

• Practice, role-play, write a “script”, Q & A beforehand• Review rules, policies, unwritten expectations ahead of time• Don’t “wing-it”, try to account for all possibilities, events• Know the business/employer’s expectations and rules• Schedule visits, tours, meeting with employers and others• Enlist support from family members, school staff, others• Make use of calendars, daily planners, schedules, devices• Help to create resumes’ and personal profiles to share• Write down names, phone numbers, develop references

Assessment

Formal• Adaptive Behavior• Daily Living Skills• Aptitude Tests• Interest Inventories• Intelligence• Achievement• Transition Planning • Job Analysis

Informal• Interviews• Questionnaires• Direct Observation• Curriculum-Based (CBA)• Environmental Analysis• Self-Determination

*Adapted from NSTTAC

Family Roles & Expectations

• Getting parents and others “on-board”• What is a “work ethic” anyway and why is it important?• Support for use of daily schedules, personal planners• Being on-time is essential!• Personal hygiene issues cannot overcome competence• Transportation, teach to use public transportation• Money, deal with the issue of consumerism• Relationships do matter, informal and formal mentorships• Promote independence whenever possible

Working with Schools, Educators

• Provide information regarding agency services• Be an active participant in the team process, speak-up!• Become familiar with IDEIA regarding federal guidelines• Invite school personnel to participate in planning process• Request assistance if/when “hiccups” or difficulties do occur• Be clear about expectations, necessary levels of commitment• Use the IEP as a tool for accessing services, recommend goals• Routinely share information , develop linkages• Be proactive

“What Every Service Provider Needs to Know”*Adapted from C. Pratt, Autism Advocate, 2007

1. Thorough understanding of ASD2. Attention to a creative and careful assessment process3. Ability to think “outside-the-box”4. Awareness of sensory/processing issues5. Build on individual strengths6. Prepare, prepare, prepare (always in advance)7. Communication should not be all “talk” (i.e., use visuals)8. Consider the work environment and predictability of the job9. Social expectations require instruction, don’t just “assume”10. Systems must work together, agency collaboration is a must

Autism CommissionInteragency Collaboration Transition Subcommittee

Goals:1. Identify best practices in transition programming for youth

with ASD between the ages of 16 to 24 years of age.2. Identify opportunities and strategies to enhance effective

collaboration between K-12 education and adults services, employment and continuing education.

3. Create an interagency plan that identifies barriers and solutions for successful coordinated transition from K-12 to adults services, employment, and education.

4. Develop practical standards for collaboration with providers of services for transition age youth with ASD.

Autism CommissionInteragency Collaboration Transition Subcommittee

Goals, continued:5. Increase awareness of transition processes and opportunities

for youth with ASD by professionals, families, and youth.6. Identify strategies to measure progress over time.

Draft Report

IEP & Transition Services

Beginning at 16, the IEP must include a statement of transition:

describe the curriculum that the student will access and participate in to attain his or her transition goals;

list the coordinated set of activities, with measurable outcomes, that will enable the student to move from school to post-school activities; and

when appropriate, this statement should include inter-agency responsibilities (i.e., which agency is going to take on specific roles and responsibilities).

Excerpt from “The Autism Transition Guide”

The Role of a “Coach”

• Know the job duties, requirements, expectations• Teach by modeling, demonstrate desired responses• Provide constructive feedback (before, during, after)• Identify “difficult steps”, determine how best to instruct• Be a liaison between the individual and employer for success• Catch small problems before they become big problems• Facilitate social interactions, cooperation, relationships• Step-in, step-back, as needed, become invisible too• Length of involvement may be short or long

The Importance of Social Support

• Don’t make assumptions• Prepare individual in advance• Rehearse, practice, teach, instruct, give feedback, etc.• Use video modeling techniques• What’s “right” vs. “wrong” scenarios, pictures, etc.• Use visual reminders• Jobs lost due to poor social skills, not actual performance• Difficulty with perspective-taking and anticipating events• Teach personal safety skills

Visual Support Strategies

• Visual “mapping” can depict a process, activity, task, etc.• Use to illustrate conversations, social exchanges, roles, etc.• Use calendars, charts, diagrams, etc., to depict events• Plan ahead for potential changes, (un)anticipated events• Use visuals as a link to bridge ideas, concepts, relationships• Helpful for teaching or illustrating choices, consequences• Teaches similarities, differences, shared characteristics• Tools for expanding areas of interest, things to learn about• Incorporate assistive technology and devices to augment• Can be simple, inexpensive

Mapping, Example

Common “Pitfalls”

• Refusal (which is not necessarily “what it looks like”)• Social avoidance (anxiety and other fears may interfere)• “Rudeness” (failure to understand social conventions)• Verbally states expectations, however still fails to perform• Verbal vs. performance (failure to fully understand, do)• Say “yes”, but still may not fully understand or comprehend• Overly compliant, subject to victimization, exploitation• Beware of assumptions, “obvious” is not always so obvious• Failure to recognize unwritten “rules” or expectations

Other Suggestions

• Make use of visual analyses for specific job duties• Consider “role-reversal” for specific team members• Learn from “Nick” and his experiences (“Today’s Man” DVD)• Consider person-centered planning to gather information• Make use of assistive technology whenever possible• Don’t over-estimate individual capabilities or knowledge• Create “job maps” (flow charts) of specific jobs, duties• Think creatively, don’t rely on employers’ ability to “get it”!• Enlist “stooges” or pseudo-patrons whenever possible

Resources

• “Today’s Man” (DVD)• “Understanding Autism for Dummies” (Shore & Rastelli)• “Autism & The Transition to Adulthood” (Wehman, et. al)• “Life Beyond the Classroom” (Wehman, et. al)• “Asperger Syndrome and Adolescence” (Myles & Adreon)• “The Autism Transition Guide” (Bruey & Urban)• Oregon Autism Library (via Northwest Regional E.S.D.)• Oregon Department of Education• Oregon Autism Commission

Thank you!

Thank you for your willingness to serve young adults who experience Asperger’s Syndrome and Autism Spectrum Disorder. Their success in adulthood is directly related to your concerted efforts and commitment to help them achieve a successful transition.

EES

Eivind-Erik Sorensen

Autism Specialist, Willamette E.S.D.eivind.sorensen@wesd.org

503-588-5330

Co-Instructor, Western Oregon University“Secondary Transition and Community-Based Instruction”

(Autism Certification Course, Spring 2011)

E. Sorensen/Associateseivinderik@aim.com

503-540-9000

Quote

“If you don’t know where you are going, you will probably end up somewhere else.”

Lawrence J. Peter

Excerpt from “The Autism Transition Guide”

Thank you!

Thank you, Peter Fitzgerald and YTP/OVRS Staff, for making this presentation possible.

EES