Autism

Chapter 10 Objectives

At the end of this presentation you should be able to:

Describe characteristics of autism.

Discuss and understand how autism is identified and what causes have been
linked to autism.

Identify the needs of a student who is autistic in the classroom and larger
community.

Understand the benefits of collaboration and communication across settings.

Connect knowledge to specific case studies.

Discuss and understand how instructional and curricular choices can support
students with autism in progressing through the general education curriculum.

Chapter Objectives

Autism
Chapter 10

Who Is Jeremy Jones?

Jeremy is a 13-year-old boy with excellent mapping skills.

He rehearses his necessary social skills without prompting.
Using schoolwide positive behavior supports, Jeremy has been included in the
general curriculum.
He exhibits some common characteristics typical of students with autism.

Connect knowledge to specific case studies.

How Do You Recognize Students

with Autism?

Defining Autism

How Do You Recognize Students with Autism?

IDEA Autism is a developmental disability that affects children prior to the

age of three.
It most significantly affects three areas:
Verbal & nonverbal communication
Social interaction
Academic performance

Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders pervasive

developmental disorder
Autism is a spectrum disorder, including Aspergers Syndrome

videoclip
http://pbssafvirage.com
Describe characteristics of autism.

Autism Spectrum Disorder

Pervasive Developmental Disorder

Autistic Disorder
Retts Disorder
Childhood Disintigrative Disorder
Aspergers Disorder
Pervasive Developmental Disorder Not
Otherwise Specified

Describing the Characteristics

How Do You Recognize Students

with Autism?

Language Development ranging from no verbal communication to complex

communication
Delayed Language
Echolalia

Social Development delays in social interaction and social skills

Impaired use of nonverbal behavior
Lack of peer relationships
Failure to spontaneously share enjoyment, interests, and achievements
with others
Lack of reciprocity

Describe characteristics of autism.

Describing the Characteristics

Repetitive behavior
Obsessions, tics, and perseverations

Problem behavior

Self-injurious behavior

Aggression

stereotyped behavior (internal) vs. fixation (external)

Need for environmental predictability

Sensory and movement disorders (44-88%)

Intellectual functioning

Describe characteristics of autism.

How Do You Recognize Students

with Autism?

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Theory of Mind
Lack of understanding that beliefs, desires,
intentions are different from those of others
Interferes with reciprocal relationships
Small social networks

How Do You Recognize Students

with Autism?

Identifying the Causes &

Prevalence

Causes

Historical perspectives on causes

Refrigerator mothers

Prevalence has grown over the last

decade to 7.5 children for every
10,000 children born

Males outnumber females 4 to 1

Biomedical causes
Abnormalities in brain
development
Neurochemistry
Genetic factors

Prevalence

Videoclip

http://www.rain-man.mov

Immunization
http://www.childadvocate.net/autis
m_and_immunizations.htm

Describe characteristics of autism and discuss what causes have been linked to autism.

Evaluating Students

Figure 10-1

Discuss and understand how autism is identified.

How Do You Evaluate Students with

Autism?

Determining the Presence

How Do You Evaluate Students with

Autism?

Usually occurs in early childhood

Often uses some of the same tests given to students with mental
retardation and severe/multiple disabilities
Criteria may include:
Speech and language
Academic achievement
Cognitive functioning
Medical physical status
Autism Diagnostic Interview - Revised

Discuss and understand how autism is identified.

Determining the Nature and

Extent of Services

How Do You Evaluate Students with

Autism?

Functional assessment an ecological assessment

Describe the nature of the behaviors

Gather information from interested parties
Determine why the student engages in problem behavior
Hypothesize relationship between behavior and events before, during,
and after the behavior
Incorporate functional assessment information into the IEP
Help student develop alternative behaviors

Identify the needs of an autistic student in the classroom and larger community.

How Do You Ensure Progress in the

General Curriculum?

Including Students

Figure 10-2

Identify the needs of an autistic student in the classroom and larger community.

Planning Universally
Designed Learning

How Do You Ensure Progress in the

General Curriculum?

Augmenting curriculum and instruction

Positive behavior supports
Create a positive learning context for all students
Group support
Individual support

Augmenting instruction
Social stories

Discuss and understand how instructional and curricular choices can support students with autism in
progressing through the general education curriculum.

Augmenting Instruction
Social stories

Descriptive sentences
Perspective sentences
Directive sentences
Control sentences

Positive Behavior Support

80% reduction in problem behavior

Functional assessment
Focus on individual and significant persons
Reorganization of environment
Effective for pervasive and intermittent problems

Positive Behavior Support

Three components
Universal support
Group support
Individual support

Universal Support

Clearly defined expectations

Instruction of expectations
Acknowledgement of appropriate behavior
Evaluate and adapt programs as needed
through team approach
Target support for intense skill development

Group Support

Observation
Personal interviews
Development of hypothesis
Teaching of expected behaviors

Individual Support

Functional assessment
Development of positive support plan
Incorporation into IEP
Allow access to general curriculum

Positive Behavior Support Plan

Describe behavior
FBA findings
Hypothesis
Desired behavior
IEP goals and objectives
Interventions
Crisis management
Monitoring procedures

Collaborating to Meet
Students Needs

How Do You Ensure Progress in the

General Curriculum?

Make instruction across school, home, and community settings coherent

Key people in each setting must collaborate
Collaboration across disciplines
Students may have sensory and movement disorders
Educators, occupational therapists, speech and language therapists,
physical therapists, adaptive physical educators, students, and families
must collaborate to provide effective intervention in sensory processing.
Occupational therapy is very common for children with autism.
Sensory processing
Coordination
Fine-motor skills

Understand the benefits of collaboration and communication across settings.

What Can You Learn from Others

Who Teach Students with Autism?

Early Childhood

What Can You Learn from Others Who Teach Students with Autism?
Early Childhood

Early intervention is crucial for children with autism.

Program staff conducts a functional behavioral assessment:
Nature of the behavior
Context in which behavior occurs
Antecedents and consequences of behavior
Communicative functions of behavior
Requires collaboration from family and all specialists to develop a behavioral
plan to be used in all settings.

Connect knowledge to specific case studies.

What Can You Learn from Others

Who Teach Students with Autism?

Elementary

Elementary Years

Tiffany Park Elementary, Seattle, WA

Utilized individual positive behavior supports
A collaborative team worked to determine the functions of the behavior of one
student, Sam.
The team restructured Sams environment, collected data, communicated daily
with each other, and used the same consistent responses to behaviors.
Sam succeeded and became an honor student who participates in ageappropriate activities with peers who do not have disabilities.

Connect knowledge to specific case studies.

What Can You Learn from Others

Who Teach Students with Autism?

Middle and Secondary

Middle and Secondary Years

Use of social stories

A process that results in a product for use by the individual student with
autism
A short story that describes a situation, concept, or social skill that needs
reinforcement
Allows the child to be familiar with the situation and know the appropriate
behavioral response
Utilize both individual and schoolwide positive behavior support.

Connect knowledge to specific case studies.

Transitional and Post Secondary

What Can You Learn from Others

Who Teach Students with Autism?

Transitional and Post-Secondary Years

Community Services for Autistic Adults and Children (CSAAC)

Serves adults and students to allow them to remain in their communities to
work, live, and spend recreational time
Believes all persons with autism can be contributing members of their
community with the proper supports
Provides job coaches and residential support

Connect knowledge to specific case studies.

A Vision for Jeremys Future

A Vision for Jeremys Future

Plans to continue on to his local high school

Possible opportunities to work with the local weatherman
May be able to use the local bus system to get around the city and volunteer in
the family church with his parents
Seems likely he can become part of the neighborhood Chamber of Commerce
activities
He could possibly go on to attend the local community college to develop a
career utilizing his strong mapping skills.

Connect knowledge to specific case studies.