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Jay HobbsEducation Officer, Inclusive Education ASD

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Autism Friendly Practice

Summary

+KEY

ELEMENTS

Understand autism

Adjust environment

Support curriculum access

Support management of anxiety

+Autism in Australia

1 in 160, Australian children aged between 6 and 12 years have Autism (Australian Advisory Board on Autism Spectrum Disorders, 2007)

Which constitutes more than the number of children with cerebral palsy, diabetes, who are deaf, or blind and have leukaemia combined.

+Research Indicates In a prospective study of 1,012 children in the United States of

America. Suicide ideation or attempts was found to be 28 times greater in autistic children than that of non autistic children (14% as opposed to 0.5%).

Rates of suicide ideation or attempts increased from 6% to 46% in autistic children with one to three of these comorbidity risk factors (teasing, depression, or behaviour problems).

(Gorman, Research in Autism Spectrum Disorders, 2013)

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… but, people with autism succeed when they:

• understand and manage their strengths and weaknesses

• achieve academically at school

• are accepted by their peers

The diagnosisThe term autism is often

used synonymously

with ASD

High Functioning(Asperger’s Syndrome)

Low Functioning (with II)

Autism Spectrum Disorder

+Characteristics of AutismTriad of Impairments (Wing, 1979)

Communication

Rigid & Repetitive Behaviour

Social

+Educational Impacts Difficulties include

Understanding

CopingFitting In

+SummaryCoping – differences in the brain cause extreme sensory overload or a need for high stimulation coupled with difficulty generating new ideas for what to do in a new situation.

Understanding – differences in processing information (detail focus) causes students to misread or not understand social cues. Students desperately want to have friends but don’t know how to do it.

Fitting in- differences in the brain causes students to feel like they are in a foreign country negotiating a foreign language and culture.

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Understanding Autism at School

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4yAAOI6JUsM

Video

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Chill Zone (Break Space) Where in the school it happens How do you staff it? How does it work?

Lunch Clubs (structured social interaction) Where in the school they happen

How do you staff it?

How does it work?

Evidence Based Key Strategies

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Understanding Autism In the classroom

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=veQKDDE9C_w

+Key StrategiesStrategy ExamplesPriming • Study guides

• Adjustments

Visual Supports • Class schedule for the lesson• Self management tools e.g. Task Steps and Tick’ clock and timing

prompt• Assessment Schedule• Graphic organisers • Social script

Break Space • Option to take a break to avoid anxiety• Take a note to the school secretary

Reinforcement • Verbal acknowledgement• Previously discussed reinforcement of choice• Link to self monitoring

Transitions • Plan protocols: to class, between classes, from one topic to another

+ SummaryEng Arts HPE Design

TechRE Sc’s Math

Coping Prac subjects

Computing

Understand Prac

Theory

Language Language

Fitting in

+Curriculum Access Plan Process:1. Teacher and STIE discuss the impact of

the student’s ASD on learning and together adjustments are chosen.

2. Parents and the student (where possible) are consulted.

3. Adjustments are recorded on a Curriculum Access Plan

4. Adjustments are actioned.

+High Anxiety

Sensory Sensitivity

Communication

Behaviour

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Trigger

RUMBLING RECOVERY

RAGE

The Rage Cycle

+ Understanding Anxiety

Understanding Meltdowns

It is important for school staff to understand that a student ‘meltdown’ is an expression of being overwhelmed by the anxiety that comes with the disability.

The student is not choosing poor behaviour, rather, s/he is not managing anxiety well enough.

+If our student does not know how to: Recognize emotions Match emotions to events Self calm

Whose issue is a meltdown at school?

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Autism & Behaviour

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LK5Pr9h10BY

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When the the rage cycle starts all opportunities for student learning are gone for some time.

+Triggers The trigger refers to the context

(“circumstances” or “situation” ) in which a person behaves.

The trigger is not only the specific stimulus (or event) that immediately precedes the behaviour.

It is just as important to look for triggers that support a student’s appropriate behaviours as it is to look for those that support problem behaviour.

+Adult Curve

Use a quiet calm voicePrevent a power struggleRe-evaluate student goalsBe flexible (the student cannot)Offer an alternative or clear choice

Remain supportive and manage your own curve

+RumblingMost important stage, student has some thinking ability intact, build up to rage

Fidgeting Making noises Refusing to

cooperate Increasing voice

volume Swearing

Antiseptic bouncing Proximity control Support from routine Chill zone (in / out class) Acknowledge student

difficulties

Behaviours Strategies

+Rageshouting, swearing, hitting, out of control neurotransmitters are not working correctly,

Explosive Screaming Self injury Hitting kicking Emotional Destroying property

Protect the student, other students

Don’t discipline during this stage

Remove the audience Follow a plan Call for assistance

Behaviours Strategies

+RecoveryThe beginning of returning to baseline,

Sleeping Potential to return to

rage Fragile May deny rage

behaviours Apologizing

Allow rest, relaxation Do not re escalate

the situation (not time to learn yet)

Do not make excessive demands

Support with structure

Behaviours Strategies

+ Anxiety Management

Teachers need to support student management of their anxiety because: Each meltdown adds to the student’s already poor self

esteem, self concept and sense of control. This combination leads to poor mental health.

Meltdowns disrupt the student’s efforts to be accepted and fit in with peers.

Meltdowns disrupt the learning of other students.

Meltdowns interrupt the student’s own learning

+Meeting the needs of all parties

Student To be understoodTo experience compassionTo understand what is, and was, happeningTo learn better ways of coping with anxiety

Teacher To keep all students safeTo be able to teachTo be supported with a student with ASDTo be successful in managing the student

Other students

To be safeTo be able to learnTo feel that the school manages ASD wellTo know what to do during and after a rage

School leaders To ensure the safety of all studentsTo ensure quality teaching and learning for all To maintain a supportive environment for all

+What reduces anxiety?

• who they are working with

• what the activities and motivators are for that day

Predictability, so the student knows;

+Strategies to overcome sensory sensitivity

+Blutac or fabric ( e.g. felt, fur)

+Self-regulation

+Teaching Social SkillsWhat to do story

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Social Autopsy

Debriefing with a student after a meltdown is a very sensitive process. This is the time for learning to occur

A useful tool to use at this time is the (Social Autopsy in the resources part of your folder)

This is a positive way of identifying the social error and teaching the student what s/he might do next time

Comments?

10 min

+Rewarding appropriate behaviours Must be: Positive (not based on negative consequences) Motivating to student (NOT I will be happy if you) Immediate reward, token, sticker, star, puzzle piece Successful the first few times

Reward idea

+Reward idea

+Teaching Social Skills

Video Modeling with the iPad Video Self Modeling