Educator TrainingA Practical Guide For

Working With Students With Autism Spectrum Disorders

Ruth LeePat KrousonDenisse SantosLeslie Allore

“If you have seen one child with Autism or Asperger’s Syndrome, you have seen

just that….one child with Autism or Asperger’s Syndrome.”

Unknown

What is Autism ?• Complex and Lifelong Developmental

Disability• The Result of a Neurological Disorder That

Affects the Brain• Impacts Development in the Areas of Social

Interaction and Communication Skills• Spectrum Disorder Displaying any

Combination of Stereotyped, Communicative and Social Behaviors

Stereotyped Behaviors• Avoids eye contact• Flicks or flaps hands/fingers in front of face or

at sides• Licking/ smelling objects• Spinning/ turning in circles• Rocks back and forth• Rapid or darting movements• Makes high-pitched sounds or other noised for

self-stimulation• Cognitive Inflexibility (difficulty transitioning,

breaking routine, and concrete language)

Communicative Behaviors• Repeats or echoes words (sometimes over and over

again)• Speaks using abnormal tone or rhythm• Responds inappropriately to simple commands• Avoids looking at speaker when name is called• Does not initiate conversation• Uses “yes”, “no”, and “I” incorrectly• Uses gestures instead of speech or signs to have

wants and needs met• Babbles• Does not “read” non-verbal behaviors of others (facial

expressions, body language)

Social Behaviors• Resists physical contact• Does not imitate others in play• Appears standoffish in social settings• Looks through people• Laughs or cries inappropriately• Uses toys and other objects inappropriately• Has difficulty with change in routine• Does certain tasks repetitively, ritualistically• Lines up objects in orderly fashion, becomes upset if

order is disturbed• Lack of Theory of Mind (Lack of or reduced empathy)

What is Asperger’s Syndrome?• Similar to autism in respect to stereotyped behaviors

and impaired social skills• Not usually a significant language delay• Cognitive development and self-help skills also not

typically delayed

Facts and Statistics• No known cause• No known cure• Known to occur across all racial, ethnic

and socio-economic boundaries• 3 to 4 times more common in boys than

girls• 1 in every 110 births is affected

ASD Students In The School Setting• Self-contained Autistic classrooms• Varying Exceptionality classrooms• ESE Resource classrooms• Inclusion classrooms with/ without

additional support• Regular Education classrooms

Effective Strategies for ASD Students• Behavior Management Systems/

Support• Communication Systems/ Training• Prompting and Fading• Sensory-Motor Training• Social Skills Training• Visual Strategies• Modeling

Additional Supports• Functional Behavior Assessment (FBA)• Behavior Intervention Plan (BIP)• Adult Support• Peer Support• Assistive Technology• Individual Education Plan (IEP)/504 Plan

Communication Systems• Picture Exchange Communication

System (PECS)• Assistive Technology• Verbal Behavior Training• Natural Language Facilitation

Sensory- Motor Training• Many students with autism have difficulty

maintaining their level of sensory stimulation (loud noises, large crowds, light, etc).

• Use of structured physical activities such as rhythm , body awareness, and “heavy work”, can help increase sensory regulation.

• Sensory diet or schedule of specific sensory activities (OT can help).

Social Skills Training• Social Times• Peer mediated strategies• Social Stories• Modeling

ASD to IEP• ASD- Autism Spectrum Disorder• ABA- Applied Behavior Analysis• APE- Adaptive Physical Education• BIP-Behavior Intervention Plan• ESE- Exceptional Student Education• FBA- Functional Behavior Analysis• FIN- Florida Inclusion Network• IEP- Individual Education Plan• OT- Occupational Therapy• PECS- Picture Exchange Communication System• PT-Physical Therapy• S/L- Speech Language

Sources• Twachtman-Cullen, D. (2000). How to be a

Para Pro. Higganum, CT: Starfish Specialty Press.

• Duvall County Schools., Allore L., Prince L., Stidham, J. (2004). Polk County Schools Program Manual for Serving Students with Autism Spectrum Disorders. Bartow, FL: Polk County Schools.