Supporting Students with ASD

Supporting Students with

ASDHigh School Autism Point Person

Training #210/22/12

Sabrina Beaudry & Pam Leonard

Today we will…O Review points from last training and hear your thoughts.

O Share homework assignments.

O Apply our knowledge of characteristics by practicing observing & describing.

O Introduce a process for deciding how to support a student.

O Introduce a system for planning and teaching supports.

O Apply to a student you know.

In Review…We discussed different ways to describe

autism:

1. Based on DSM criteria/descriptions

2. Based on personal accounts

3. Based on Psychological/ Brain Based Theories

In Review We:O Described students based on their

individual characteristics of autism.

O Began to understand how students with ASD THINK DIFFERENTLY due to neurological differences.

O Had an assignment to apply the knowledge of characteristics in hopes of changing how another staff member might think about someone on the spectrum.

Let’s Share Assignment Experience:

O Did you find yourself describing a student a little differently than you would have in the past?

O How was your experience comparing descriptions of a student with another staff member?

O Do you feel you made an impact in how someone else thinks of student challenges?

Let’s begin to talk about Supports

Where do we start?

We start with a process

O Knowledge base of disability including strengths

O Assess= observing/describingO Determine NeedsO Decide how to support needsO Put supports in across the day

TEACCH- The Philosophy Behind our Process

1. Use your understanding of the characteristics of autism as a means of understanding the autistic student's behavior and learning style,2. Build new skills by developing each student's strengths and interests,3. And using visual information to help students understand their schedule, academic content, or behavioral expectations.

Recommendations For Students with High Functioning Autism by Kerry Hogan

Before we check off the first step of the process, let’s be sure to talk

STRENGTHSO Processing visual informationO Attention to details or selected areas of

interestO Sensory perception (touch, smell, sight,

taste)O Simple memoryO Rule learningO Formal languageO Visuospatial processingO Visual perceptual skillsO Routine learning

Communication

Social Cognitive EmotionalRegulation

Sensory

We’ve used our knowledge base to help us describe, now let’s use

it to observe

Observe and DescribeO Max comes home

O Max with cousin

O Max wants a dog

Communication

Social Cognitive EmotionalRegulation

Sensory

What Characteristics did you see?

Communication

Social Cognitive EmotionalRegulation

Sensory

Take your characteristics and define the needs (challenges)

We have now completed the first three steps

O Knowledge base of disability including strengths

O Assess= observing/describingO Determine NeedsO Decide how to support needsO Put supports in across the day

Take a Break

What Next?

Now let’s figure out how to support the students with

the information about characteristics,

strengths and needs in mind!

We all use supports

Let’s begin by talking about how we (NT’S) think about our activities of

the day, and the skills we have that let us deal with our daily activities.

No one taught us to use these skills, we just innately use them!

An Overview of Today

O Supporting ASD=Positive Behavior Supports

First…Where am I going?:

As NT’s we:1. Figure out where we are going

O Old fashion paper/pencil plannersO A calendarsO I phonesO Computer- outlook calendars

Next, when I get there, I like to know:

O What I will have to do and how do I start

O The amount I will have to do, or how long I will have to do something

O When I will be done

O What I will do nextAs NT’s, we intuitively figure this out

In Other Words…

SADNStart

AmountDoneNext

Knowing SADN Allows All of Us:

O To feel calm

O To focus on what we should be focusing on

O To act appropriately

O To remain “regulated”

How do NT’s Know What “SADN” is?:

For NT’s:1. SADN information might be given to us

O Course syllabusO Meeting agendaO Conference scheduleO Workout plan

2. We use knowledge from past experiences

What SADN is cont…

3. We work to find out SADN on our ownO Ask someone for the informationO Look up/research the information we need

4. We use coping strategiesO Zone out O Decide our own SADNO Become disengaged- think about other things

Now, let’s take a look at some other skills we (NT’s) innately use to deal with our day…

How will I communicate (expressive/receptive language)

when I get there?

As NT’s we:O Have reciprocal exchanges with

others using age-appropriate language skills/vocabulary.

O Have an understanding of advanced language and ability to use it.

How will I know how to act when I get there?

As NT’s we:O Understand the hidden social rules of our

society

O Pull from past experiences with a variety of contexts/situations/interactions, etc.

O Intuitively use skills from the cognitive processes related to theory of mind, executive functioning, & central coherence

What will I do if something goes wrong when I am there?

As NT’s we:O Use problem solving skills

O Use coping strategies

O Use calming strategies

What if my body does not feel right, or I can’t focus?

As NT’s we:O Use natural regulation strategies to

maintain focus, etc.O Shake legO Twirl hairO Excuse self for quick “break”O DoodleO Drink a lot of coffee, chew gum, etc.

So, the question is:

How do we support students with ASDto do all of these

things when it is not intuitive to them??!!

Let’s Take A Look at our Chart Again

O Supporting ASD=Positive Behavior Supports

How do we help students with ASD know where to go?

O Individual Schedules

O Individual Planners

O Individual Calendars

We have to teach them to use independently

Examples:O DJ's schedule

How do we help students with ASD know what to do in a given place or

context?(“SADN”)

O Task Organizers

O Countdowns

O Timers

We have to teach them to use independently

Examples:O General Classroom Task Organizer

O Detailed Classroom Task Organizer

O Grading your work

O Outing organizer

LUNCH

How do we help students with ASD communicate?

O Provide augmentative expressive language supports.O Low techO High tech- voice output

O Provide augmentative receptive language supports.O Visual supports for understanding of language

We have to teach them to use independently

Examples

I’ll be back

How will we support students with ASD in knowing how to act?

O Social Communication & Social Thinking SupportsO “Reminder” notebooks with social phrases and social rules for

challenging contexts

O Use of technology with an area for “reminders”O ItouchO iphone

O Social Scripts

O Social Stories

O Social Behavior Maps

O Video Modeling

O Structured teaching built into dayO MGW concepts/curriculumO Hidden Social Curriculum

We have to teach them to use independently

Examples:O Social Behavior Map- Class Group

O Social Behavior Map- Brown Cow

O Circles Program- definitions

O Social Behavior for Interviewing- ILAUGH model

O Teaching to use support "Reminders"

How will we support a student with ASD in knowing what to do when things go wrong?

O Provide calming routines

O Provide relaxation techniques

O Provide coping strategies

O Provide strategies to improve awareness of emotions/behavior

O Provide a problem solving process

We have to teach them to use independently

Examples:O 3 Point Scale for Impulsivity

O Zones of Regulation Example- General

O Zones of Regualtion for Riding Public Transportation

O Bookmark with calming routine

O SOCCSS template

How will we support students with ASD in knowing how to regulate their bodies

or focus?

O Sensory “diets”

O Regulation scales

Examples

SO in Summary! For our students with ASD….We want to:

O Provide a way for them to know where to go/when to go

O Provide SADN supports for when they get there

O Provide a communication support systemO Provide a social communication support

systemO Provide a social emotional support

systemO Provide a sensory support system

SummaryOne Last Look

O Supporting ASD=Positive Behavior Supports

When Supports Are In Place

Communication and

Language Supports

Sensory Regulation Supports

Social Emotional Supports

Social Thinking and

Social Communication Supports

It allows for expected behavior

Which allows for instructional control

SADNSupports

We have now completed the fourth step of the process!

O Knowledge base of disability including strengths

O Assess= observing/describingO Determine NeedsO Decide how to support needs

Your assignment is to complete the fifth step for a student

Today…Pick a student and describe what supports are in place:O ScheduleO SADNO CommunicationO Social Thinking and Social

CommunicationO Emotional RegulationO Sensory Regulation

How do you teach these supports?

How does the student use these supports across

their day?

What knowledge base do their teachers have of their support systems?

Can they help them access them?

For Next Time:

O Observe how independently a student uses his/her supports.

O Would you decide to do more teaching to the support?

ResourcesSocial Communication/ Social Thinking:

O Michelle Garcia Winner resources:O www.socialthinking.com- NewsletterO Inside OutO Social ThinkingO Thinking About You, Thinking About MeO Social Behavior MappingO Social Thinking WorksheetsO Socially Curious and Curiously SocialO Sticker Strategies

O Hidden Curriculum- Brenda Smith Myles, etc.

O Social Stories- Carol Gray

ResourcesSocial Communication/ Social Thinking:

O Comic Strip Conversations

O Building Social Relationships- Scott Belini

O Jed Baker resources

ResourcesSocial Emotional Regulation

O 5 Point Scale

O Zones of Regulation

O SOCCSS strategy

Website ResourcesO www.iidc.indiana.edu/ircaO www.maapservices.orgO www.tonyattwood.comO www.autism-society.orgO www.teach.comO www.thegraycenter.orgO www.autismsociety-nc.orgO www.socialthinking.comO www.udel.edu/bkirby/asperger (O.A.S.I.S.)O http://www.asw4autism.orgO www.Do2Learn.com

See you next time!