Supporting Success: Autism Spectrum Student Strategies

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ACCOMMODATIONS FOR STUDENTS WITH AUTISM SPECTRUM
DISORDER
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Introduction
Anyone on the IEP team can suggest
accommodations Teachers, behavior analysts,
speech-language pathologists, occupational
therapists, and even parents and administrators.
Each student should have accommodations in place
to best support their unique needs. Common
adaptations fall into the cognitive, sensory,
behavioral, emotional, and communication domains.
Children with ASD often qualify for an
Individualized Education Plan (IEP) or a Section
504 plan. Each of these programs promotes support
for students to access their learning environment.
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• Pre-teaching. This involves giving children a
  heads-up before diving into a lesson or new
  routine. You can use this accommodation to
  pre-teach an upcoming fire drill, a new teacher
  joining the classroom, or novel lesson concepts.
• Provide short, concise directions. Clear
  directions that are understandable to the student
  can give a child a successful start and reduce
  confusion.
• Visuals cues. Picture cues are essential for
  children who are not reading independently.
  Visuals are often used as schedules that children
  can reference with independently or with support.
• Active learning opportunities. This might include
  experiential learning, incorporating movement, or
  selecting materials that align with the childs
  interests.
• Break down large tasks. Rather than providing the
  child with a 10-step sequence, break down
  intimidating tasks into smaller, more manageable
  chunks.

Cognitive
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Sensory

• Reduction of visual clutter. Students
  overresponsive to visual input can become highly
  distracted by busy posters, toy shelves, and
  excess writing on a printed page.
• Access to a quiet space or noise-canceling
  headphones. This will allow the child to regulate
  if the classroom feels too loud.
• Flexible seating. The opportunity to move and
  change positions can help many children with ASD
  self-regulate and attend.
• Provide directions to more than one sense. This
  often looks like a teacher presenting verbal
  directions and a visual cue simultaneously.
  Communicating to two different senses helps
  children understand what is expected.

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Behavioral

• Preferential seating. Specify if the student
  needs to sit near a teacher, facing away from a
  visually stimulating area or somewhere else.
• Consistent programming among adults. Children
  with ASD thrive off of routines. Adults should be
  consistent with scheduling, rules, and
  expectations.
• Positive reinforcement. Reward appropriate
  behavior with praise, incentives, or a token
  system.
• Small group instruction. This can be a behavioral
  or academic accommodation and reduces sensory and
  social demands.

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Communication

• Modeling. A common strategy that is often
  included in an IEP is adult modeling for peer
  interactions or self-talk.
• Assistive technology. One essential accommodation
  for children with autism spectrum disorder
  involves communication devices. Both low and
  high-tech devices help a child communicate.
• Be specific in the language of this accommodation
  by specifying if a child needs a PECs system, an
  alternative and augmentative communication
  system, or another device.

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Emotional

• Deep pressure breaks. Deep pressure helps many
  children feel calm and connected. You can carry
  out deep pressure by giving the student a
  weighted ball massage, presenting a weighted lap
  pad, or letting them wear a Lycra body sock.
• Zones of Regulation. The Zones curriculum can be
  carried out across school and home environments
  and give children the language and tools to
  practice self-regulation.

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Creating IEP accommodations is a collaborative
process. Different disciplines will bring a
unique perspective on supporting the child with
an autism spectrum disorder. It is helpful to
attend the meeting with suggestions and ideas but
stay open-minded to hear views from the entire
team.
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Contact Us
www.cbstherapy.com
401-952-4160
peter_at_cbstherapy.com
845 North Main Street, Providence, Rhode Island
02904