Autism Spectrum Disorders Academy

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Autism Spectrum Disorders Academy

• Presented by
• Brenda Mast
• Photo by Sarah Smith

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A Child with Autism

• If youve seen one child with autism, youve
  seen one child with autism.
• -Brenda Smith-Myles

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Autism Spectrum Disorders Academy Overview

• Module A Overview and History of Autism
• Myths vs. facts
• History and Definitions
• Common Characteristics
• Research-based interventions

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Academy Overview (cont..)

• Module B Communications
• Speech, language and communication
• Communication deficits
• Supporting communication
• No-tech, low-tech, and high-tech communication
  systems
• Demonstrate a communication device

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Academy Overview ( cont.)

• Module C Visual Supports
• Why visual supports?
• Functions of visual supports
• Illustrate a variety of visual supports
• How visual supports are used with students
• Making visual supports

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Academy overview (cont.)

• Module D Structured Teaching
• Key features of structured teaching
• Physical structures
• Work systems
• Prompting hierarchy
• Discrete trial instruction, errorless learning,
  data collection

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Module E Social Skills

• Social Skills in naturalistic settings
• Joint action routines
• Social stories, rule cards, Power Cards
• Pivotal Response Training

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Questions to Be Addressed in Module A

• What is autism?
• What are the myths and what are the facts about
  autism?
• How has autism been identified throughout the
  years?
• What labels are associated with the autism
  spectrum?
• What causes autism?
• What are the common characteristics of autism?
• What are the research-based intervention for ASD?

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Activity Which Are Myths and Which Are Facts?
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Headline History of Autism

• 1940s
• Roots in medicine and psychiatry
• Emphasis on description
• Not much happens in schools
• 1970s
• First special education law passes
• Emphasis on Child find
• Deinstitutionalization
• Schools gear up
• 1980s
• More research on autism
• Education gets a heads-up
• Mainstreaming is the buzz word
• 1990s
• Autism label is listed as a disability
• Numbers increase drastically

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Whats in a Label?

• Autism
• Asperger Syndrome
• Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD)
• Pervasive Developmental Disorder (PDD)
• Pervasive Developmental Disorder-Not Otherwise
  Specified (PDD-NOS) Atypical Autism
• Childhood Disintegrative Disorder
• Rett Syndrome

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Relationship Among Autism Spectrum
Disorders -adapted from Lord Risi (2000)
Autism
Asperger Syndrome
Childhood Disintegrative Disorder
Rett Syndrome
Pervasive Developmental Disorder- Not Otherwise
Specified PDD-NOS
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Diagnosing Autism Spectrum Disorders

• Difficult to diagnose
• Atypical development in young children my be
  related to other things
• No blood tests
• No DNA makers known yet
• Extensive observation is necessary
• There are so many differences in children with
  ASD that they dont have all the same
  characteristics or behaviors

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Study Group Directions

• Look at handout H9 Study Group Assignments to
  see which interventions or practices your group
  will read about.
• Identify one or two of the most important
  characteristics of the intervention/practice.
• Find the rating the intervention has been given
  and try to understand why it received this label,
  based on the information you are provided.
• Be ready to explain to your Home Group why it
  was given this rating.

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Jigsaw Graphic
1. Home
2. Study Groups
3. Back to Home Group
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Jigsaw Graphic ( cont.)

• 4. Whole- Class Debrief

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Questions to Be Addressed in Module
B AutismB-T1

• What is communication?
• How are speech, language, and communication
  related to one another?
• What problems with communication are sometimes
  evident in students with ASD?
• What can a paraeducator do to support
  communication?
• How can paraeducators assist students who use
  unaided (no-tech), and aided (low-tech) systems?

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What is Communication?

• Communication is when someone sends a message to
  another person and the message is received and
  understood.
• Everyone Communicates!
• Communication is not just speech.
• Communication may occur through behaviors, signs,
  gestures, pictures, pointing, nonverbal body
  language, symbols, vocalizations,etc.
• Communication often relies on language.
• Language is a system of symbols and rules that
  govern the use of the symbols to convey meaning.

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What Communication Problems Are Associated with
ASD?

• Limited inclination to share enjoyment,
  interests, or achievements with other people
• Primary purposes for communication to be
• - requests (get someone to do
  something)
• - protests (get someone/something to stop)

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Communication and Behavior

• Lack of other system of communication few
  words, symbols, signs, or meaningful gestures
  may result in behaviors we consider problematic
• Adults need to understand the behavior look
  deeper to try to understand the communication
  that is occurring
• Behavior may communicate
• - Frustration
• - Fear or other emotional upset
• - Discomfort need to escape noise, light,
  sensory
• irritation, etc.
• - Boredom
• - Physical needs thirst, hunger, bathroom
• - Protest
• - A request
• - Many other things

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Communication Deficits in Students with Autism

• Major Deficits
• 1. The capacity for joint attention
• 2. The capacity for symbol use
• 3. Verbal communication
• 4. Nonverbal communication

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Support Communication

• Everyone communications
• Communicate with students
• Expect them to respond
• Focus on positive aspects of what students can do
• Encourage communication with peers
• Eye contact
• Volume and tone of voice
• Listening and watching
• Other avenues
• Be an interpreter

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Functions of Echolalia

• Some research suggests that echolalia is an
  early, but productive, stage of language
  development
• It may be language learning strategy eventually
  leading to more efficient communication
• It may be childs best effort to communicate
• We should honor the childs effort to
  communicate. Try to understand the intent and
  help the child move forward in language
  development.

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Assisting Students with Echolalia

• Adults can assist a student who is using
  echolalia to communicate
• - Step 1 try to understand the
  communicative intent
• - Step 2 provide supports that help
• her get her message
• across
• Activity Directions
• To learn ways to support students who are
  echolalic
• 1. Form groups of about 5 people.
• 2. Assemble the puzzle pieces in your set.
• 3. When you make a match, stop for a moment,
  read aloud, and discuss the suggested way to
  assist.
• 4. Before you go on to the next piece, stop and
  discuss how you see yourself using this
  suggestion with students you know.

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No-Tech/Unaided Communication Systems

• American Sign Language (ASL)
• Learn 8 signs for common needs
• All done finished
• Pizza
• Work
• Drink
• Bathroom
• Sad
• More
• Cookiie

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Unaided Communications Systems(cont.)

• Signed Exact English
• Home Signs or gestures made up by the student
• Supporting a student who uses ASL, SEE, Home
  Signs, or gestures

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Aided Communication Systems (Low-Tech)

• Involves objects or pictures
• Involve storage of objects or pictures
• Involve displaying objects or pictures that
  communicate purposes

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A Picture-Based Communication Approach

• When using a picture-base communication approach,
  two adults are often involved at the start, each
  in a different role.
• Do not use verbal prompts.
• Present one picture at a time.
• Do not plan to do it all in one session plan
  many sessions across the day.

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Picture Based Communication (cont.)

• Use different items paired with corresponding
  symbols or pictures in different sessions.
• Modify the picture or symbol to match the
  students motor skills
• Use one of the following two teaching methods
• Backward chaining
• Two-person prompting

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Monitoring Progess
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High-Tech Assistive, Alternative, and
Augmentative Communication Devices
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Questions to Be Addressed in Module C

• What are visual supports?
• What do they do?
• Why should a student use visual supports?
• Which visual supports make sense for students
  with ASD?
• How do I get them or make them?
• How do I use them?

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What are Visual Supports?

• Visual supports are things you can see, for
  example.
• You
• You use gestures and body movements to
  communicate
• - smile and frown
• - nod your head
• - shake your head side to side
• - hold out your hand
• - point
• - hold objects for someone else to use

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Visual Supports ( cont.)

• The environment
• Pictures
• Posters
• Photos
• Books
• Labels
• Signs
• Objects
• Logos

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(No Transcript)
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Visual Supports (cont.)

• Things you can make to address student needs
• Schedules
• Calendars
• Choice Boards
• Rule Charts
• Lists
• Instructions
• Behavior clues

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What Do Visual Supports Do for Students with ASD?

• Provide information
• Establish the rules for behavior
• Give directions
• Illustrate what their choices are
• Prepare them for what comes next
• Show what will happen later
• Demonstrate how classes or activities will begin
  and end
• Help them get through the day without adults
  telling them every step

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Show Tell Questions

• Why would a student use this kind of visual
  support?
• How does it work?
• What are the limitations and strengths of this
  type of visual support?
• How did the student first learn to use the device?

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Notes Page for Activity 3.1

• A83.1a
• This is an example of _______________
• A student would use this to_________
• The limitations and strengths are_______
• To teach a student to use this, I would________

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Teaching Students to Use Their Visual Supports

• Introduce
• Demonstrate
• Act it out
• Show video
• Prompt ( Using prompt sequence)
• Use in multiple settings

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Signs that visual supports are working

• Fewer tantrums
• You repeat your directions less
• Student initiates actions
• Student uses more positive social behaviors
• You feel less stressed
• Student feels less stressed
• The day goes better overall
• Others notice that youre smiling more.

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Making Visual Supports

• What kinds of visual supports are necessary?
• When do you make them?
• Where do you get the materials?
• - Develop a relationship with Velcro!
• - Use real objects
• - Use pictures
• Organization
• Lamination
• Simplicity

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Questions to Be Addressed in Module D

• What is structured teaching?
• How can I create structures in unstructured
  situations?
• How do I navigate among the levels of prompting
  and assistance?
• How do I teach students using discrete trial
  methods?
• What is errorless learning?
• How do I document a students progress on lessons
  taught through structured approaches?

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Structured Teaching

• Is an intervention philosophy or approach
• Developed by TEACCH at the University of North
  Carolina
• Allows for numerous instructional methods
• Three key features
• Structures the physical environment
• Incorporates visual instruction, organization and
  clarity
• Employs systematic teaching methods
• Makes it easier to learn
• Decrease confusion/ anxiety
• Provides positive behavioral supports

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Structured Teaching ( cont.)

• Considers a students special interests
• Relies on data to make or change programming
• Increases independent functioning in many
  environments

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Jig for Table Setting
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Physical Structure

• Depends on student needs and environment
• Needs vary
• Some environments provide substantial structure
• Some environments provide little structure
• Fading

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Physical Structure

• Physical structures
• Define where the environment begins and ends
• Clarify what happens in that location
• Protect the students space needs
• Provide a safe place for belongings
• Reduce outside noise
• Limit visual distractions
• Reduce internal distractions

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Physical Structure Room Design

• Provides specific places for activities
• Affects performance of task
• Separates materials for specific functions

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Visual Schedule Example
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Grid Paper
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Visual Example of a Work System
Ben
Rug Rats
Itsy Bitsy Spider
Sleeping Beauty
Take me out to the ballgame
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Examples of a Work System

• 1. Question What work?
• Answer Rug Rats, Itsy Bitsy Spider,
  etc.
• Question How Much Work?
• Answer 4 Things
• Question How do I know Im making progress?
• Answer Take cards off and match to
  corresponding folders that contain work.
• 4. Question What happen next?
• Answer Name card tells me to check my
  schedule.

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Discrete Trial Terms

• Cause-effect learning vs. observational learning
• Discrete trial instructional method
• Stimulus
• Discriminative stimulus
• Verbal promting
• Modeling

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Discrete Trial Terms (cont.)

• Physical prompting
• Gestural prompting
• Positional prompting
• Response
• Reinforcing stimulus
• Response
• Reinforcing stimulus
• Inter-trial interval
• Generalization

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Data Sheets

• Refer to Data Sheet B in your handout

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Word Splash
Stimulus

Modeling
Verbal prompting
Cause-effect learning and observational learning
Response
Physical Prompting
Generalization
Reinforcing stimulus
Discrete trial instructional method
Positional prompting
Gestural prompting
Prompting stimulus
Discriminative stimulus
Inter-trial interval
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Questions to Be Addressed in Module E

• What types of social skills need to be taught to
  students with ASD?
• How can I embed social skills into daily
  classroom routines?
• How do I create and use social stories?
• How do I pair the students special interests
  with social skills to make the skills more
  appealing?
• How do I create and use social scripts and power
  cards?
• How do I keep data on the students use of social
  skills?

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Social Skills

• Social skills impairments are defining
  characteristics of ASD.
• Difficulties include
• -
• -
• -
• May not be motivated by social reinforcement

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Social Skills (cont.)

• LEAP identifies five key social skills to teach
  young children with ASD
• 1. Getting your friends attention.
• 2. Sharing giving a toy
• 3. Sharing requesting a toy
• 4. Play organizer lets play zoo, you
  be the zookeeper
• 5. Giving a compliment

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Age- Equivalent Example of LEAP Social Skills
Older Students
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Other Social Skills Students May Need

• Preschool
• 1.
• 2.
• 3.
• 4.
• 5.

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Elementary School

• 1.
• 2.
• 3.
• 4.
• 5.

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Middle School

• 1.
• 2.
• 3.
• 4.
• 5.

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High School

• 1.
• 2.
• 3.
• 4.
• 5.

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How Do I Include Social Skills into Classroom
Routines?
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Principles of Social Stories

• Social Stories
• Dont work with every student.
• When they do work, they really work!
• Help students understand social situations.
• Include four types of sentences
• 1. Descriptive
• 2. Prescriptive
• 3. Directive
• 4. Affirmative

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Principles of Social Stories (cont.)

• Do
• - Keep it simple.
• - Choose one social situation per story.
• - Write it from the childs perspective.
• - Keep it positive.
• - Include pictures to illustrate the words.
• - Read the story at a teachable moment.
• - Provide repeated exposure to the story.
• - When a problematic situation occurs, remind
  student what to
• do using words from the story.

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Principles of Social Stories

• Avoid
• Trying to do more than one situation in a story.
• A lot of bossy statements.
• Negative statements.

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Special Interests

• Special interests can be
• An object
• A subject
• Students with ASD tend to have interests that are
  different from their peers
• - in focus (pictures of bowling balls)
• - in intensity (they ALWAYS have to play with
• or talk about a particular toy
• Including special interest increases
• - success
• - motivation
• - engagement

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How Do I Create and Use Social Scripts and Power
Cards?

• Social Scripts
• Can be written using the childs favorite cartoon
  character or movie star as the main character of
  the story.
• Can be written in the form of directions for what
  to do in a social situation.
• Can be used to teach a specific skill.

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Power Cards

• Small card that gives the key points of
  navigating a difficult social situation.
• Include a picture or mention of the childs
  special interest.
• Students carry the cards with them and use them
  to remind themselves of what to do in a given
  situation.

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Documenting Use of Social Skills

• Data should inform WHAT is taught.
• Data helps us know HOW we should teach social
  skills by showing us what worked most effectively
  in the past.
• Data helps us know WHEN the skill is mastered and
  therefore, WHEN we can move on.

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Accepting Item

• Objective John will accept a snack item offered
  by the snack captain.
• Criteria 4/5 times a Snack is offered.

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Cooperative Play

• Objective Casesar will play build a tower that
  is 8 blocks in height by taking turns with a peer
  during Block Center.
• Criteria 8 blocks in height, 2 minute duration,
  3/5 times across 3 trials.

Key I Independent G/V Gestural/ Verbal PP
Partial Physical Assistance FP Full Partial
Assistance R Refusal
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Sharing