No IEP in Prison: Addressing Challenging Autistic Behaviors, now Wendela Whitcomb Marsh, BCBA, LEP, RSD Diane Cords Hagood, MA, MS CASP 2015

No IEP in Prison:

Addressing Challenging Autistic Behaviors, now

Wendela Whitcomb Marsh, BCBA, LEP, RSDDiane Cords Hagood, MA, MS

CASP 2015

Visual Schedule

1. Welcome and Introductions2. Current criminal justice data related to autism3. What can be done within the justice system?4. What can be done within the school system?5. BREAK 6. Addressing behaviors across the tiers, related to:

a. Verbal communication deficitsb. Nonverbal communication deficitsc. Social interaction deficitsd. Repetitive behaviorse. Stereotyped movementsf. Resistance to changeg. Unusual sensory responses

7. Wrap up and Q & A

Current criminal justice data related to autism

Research indicates that people with autism spectrum disorders

and other developmental disabilities will have up to

seven times more contacts with law enforcement during their lifetimes,

than members of the general population.

There is no evidence to suggest that autistic people

will commit crimes at a higher rate than the general population.

What can be done within the

justice system?

Training is needed for all law enforcement personnel who may come into contact with

our autistic students.Law Enforcement Officers

Emergency RespondersFire Fighters

Private Security FirmsCourt Personnel

Jail or Prison Personnel

Autism & Law Enforcement:25 Field Response Tipsby Dennis Debbaudt

1. Make sure the person is unarmed and maintain a safe distance because they may suddenly invade your personal space.

2. Talk calmly and softly.3. Speak in direct, short phrases such as, “Stand up

now,” or “Get in the car.”4. Avoid slang expressions, such as “What’s up your

sleeve?” or “Are you pulling my leg?”

5. Allow for delayed responses (10 – 15 seconds) to your questions or commands.

6. Repeat or rephrase.7. Consider use of pictures, written phrases/commands,

sign language or computer images.8. Use low gestures for attention; avoid rapid pointing

or waving.9. Examine for presence of medical alert jewelry or tags,

or an autism handout card.10. Model calming body language, (such as slow

breathing and keeping the hands low.)

11. Model the behavior you want the person to display.12. A person with autism may not behave well to

changes in routine or the presence of strangers, even a uniformed responder.13. Officers should not interpret the person’s failure to

respond to orders or questions as a lack of cooperation or a reason for increased force.

14. Seek information and assistance from parent or others at the scene about how to communicate with and de-escalate the person’s behavior.

15. Avoid stopping repetitive behaviors unless there is a risk of injury to yourself or others.

16. If the individual is holding and appears to be fascinated with an inanimate object, consider allowing the subject to hold the item for the calming effect (if officer safety is not jeopardized by doing so.)

17. Evaluate for injury: person may not ask for help or show any indication of pain, even though injury seems apparent.

18. Be aware that the person may be having a seizure.

19. Be aware of person’s self-protective responses and sensitivities to even usual lights, sounds,

orders, touches, and animals – canine or mounted patrol.20. If possible, turn off sirens and flashing lights and

remove canine partners, crowds, or other sensory stimulation from the scene.

21. If a person’s behavior escalates, use geographic containment and maintain a safe distance until any inappropriate behaviors lessen.

22. Remain alert to the possibility of outbursts or impulsive acts.

23. Use your discretion. If you have determined that the person is unarmed and have established geographic containment, use all available time to allow the person to deescalate themselves without your intervention.

24. If in custody, alert jail authorities. Consider initial isolation facility. Person would be at risk in general prison population.

25. REMEMBER: Each individual with autism is unique and may act or react differently. PLEASE contact a parent or other who is familiar with autism.

What can be done within the

educational system?

Training is needed for all school personnel

who may interact with autistic students:Teachers

Aides / ParaprofessionalsPrincipals / Vice PrincipalsSchool Security Personnel

Secretaries / Front Office PersonnelCafeteria / Yard Duty WorkersCustodial / Maintenance

We need to address behaviors early,focusing on

behavior excessesand behavior deficits

related to all characteristics of autism,across all tiers.

(after the break)

Addressing ChallengingAutistic BehaviorsAcross the Tiers

Characteristics of Autism

VerbalCommunication

NonverbalCommunication

SocialInteraction

RepetitiveBehaviors

StereotypedMovements

Resistanceto Change Unusual

SensoryResponses

BehaviorExcesses

BehaviorDeficits

Tier 2

Tier 3

Tier 1

Verbal Communication

Deficits

TANTRUMSrelated to inability to communicate

STUDENT• Seen as immature,

inappropriate, “naughty” • Risk of loss of educational

benefit due to removal from the classroom

ADULT• Seen as threatening, out of

control, “dangerous”• Risk of arrest and potential

incarceration for assault

Behavior Excess

TANTRUMSrelated to inability to communicate•Be aware of developmentally-appropriate

tantrum behaviors.• Stop reinforcing tantrum behaviors.•Teach functional communication skills; proactively

reinforce and shape attempts to communicate. • Implement a program for Time Out (Time Away

from reinforcement.)

Tier OneBehavior Excess

TANTRUMSrelated to inability to communicate

• Ensure access to functional communication system all day.• Train staff so they do not inadvertently reinforce

unwanted behaviors.•Begin taking data on the frequency of the tantrums.• Consider implementing a token economy system.

Tier TwoBehavior Excess

TANTRUMSrelated to inability to communicate• Collect data on antecedents and consequences as

well as frequency, intensity and duration of tantrum behaviors.• Analyze data.• Conduct a Functional Behavior Assessment and

Behavior Intervention Plan as needed.• Monitor for treatment fidelity.

Tier ThreeBehavior Excess

WORK REFUSALrelated to inability to understand• Review class-wide assessment data to determine whether the work being presented is at the student’s ability level.• Provide repetition and clarification of directions if needed, and ask student to restate directions to help determine comprehension.• Provide visual aids to back up and support verbal directions.

Tier OneBehavior Deficit

WORK REFUSALrelated to inability to understand

• Identify any deficits in prerequisite skills, and fill in learning gaps.• Increase use of visual supports.• Accept alternate methods of demonstrating knowledge acquisition.

Tier TwoBehavior Deficit

WORK REFUSALrelated to inability to understand• Monitor progress; be willing to reconsider the

hypothesis that this work refusal is related to inability to understand. • Consider evaluating or re-evaluating student to

determine eligibility and need for special education services.• If needed, consider change of classroom placement,

with peers with similar educational needs.

Tier ThreeBehavior Deficit

Nonverbal Communication

Deficits

FIGHTINGrelated to misreading nonverbal cues

STUDENT• Seen as a “trouble maker”

or “bully”• Risk of loss of recess

privileges, suspension, expulsion

ADULT• Seen as a dangerous “hot

head”• Retaliation and escalation

lead to risk of incarceration for assault and battery.

Behavior Excess


• Reminders of appropriate ways to handle playground disputes just before recess.• Classroom conflict resolution / communication sessions



•Group discussions about understanding facial expressions and tone, related to literature standards and assignments.• Social stories related to situations around

misunderstanding nonverbal cues• Prior to recess, remind student of what to do (instead

of fighting) if they feel they are being bullied or threatened.


FIGHTINGrelated to misreading nonverbal cues• One-on-one, individualized social story about what to

do, (based on student’s history of response)• Role-play how to respond if the student feels

threatened, in class and in situ.• If needed, conduct a behavioral assessment &/or

positive behavior support plan; determine whether the fights were, in fact, due to misreading nonverbal cues.•ADDRESS BULLYING IF THIS IS WHAT IS HAPPENING.


WITHDRAWALrelated to confusion regarding nonverbal cues

STUDENT

• Seen as a “loner,” assumed to prefer solitude• Risk of not making friends,

being excluded from social events

ADULT

• Seen as a potentially “creepy loner”• Risk of being over-identified

by suspicious neighbors as a “person of interest”

Behavior Deficit


• Describe and discuss nonverbal communication (gestures, facial expression, tone) as noticed in grade-level literature• During drama literature activities, focus on nonverbal cues as well as spoken lines



• In small groups, provide practice identifying and responding to nonverbal cues.• Encourage student to approach classmates to play, and monitor for misunderstandings.



• Write individualized Social Stories for various nonverbal communications the child has a history of misunderstanding.• Identify peers or cross-age tutors who can participate with the student in a lesson about identifying facial expressions or gestures.


SocialInteraction

Deficits

VULNERABLEbehaviors that increase risk for being targeted for bullying attempts

STUDENT

• Seen as “wimpy,” “asking” to be bullied• Risk of both individual and

group bullying

ADULT• Seen as weak, a “walking

target”• Risk of repeated

victimization, increasing potential suicide risk

Behavior Excess


• Read literature that addresses bullying in class, such as The Juice Box Bully by Sornson and Dismondy• Class discussions about bullying safety and prevention, including how not to look like a target



• Practice walking tall and strong through peer or video modeling and role play• Examine school culture for bullying and consider increasing school-wide bullying prevention programs as needed



• Increase individual sessions of teaching, modeling and role-play practice of how to walk tall and strong and how to respond to bullying attempts.• Use Social Stories personalized for your student.• Address bullying in the IEP.


LIMITED SELF CONTROLthat may result in bullying attempts toward others

STUDENT• Seen as a bully; the behavior

of peers that triggered the retaliation often goes unseen• Risk of suspension,

expulsion

ADULT• Seen as a “hot head,”

dangerous• Risk of incarceration (or

worse) following retaliation attempts

Behavior Deficit


• Post and review classroom rules about appropriate responses to bullying attempts• Remind class to stay away from “blind” (unsupervised)

areas• Believe students who report bullying; don’t tell them

to ignore it or expect them to “toughen up;” protect them.



• Increase supervision to provide a witness to bullying that may trigger retaliation• Read and review Social Stories about responses to bullying• Provide an open door and listening ear so students feel comfortable reporting bullying attempts



• Individually Teach, Model, and Role Play responses to bullying• If student is medicated for impulsivity, is it being administered regularly as prescribed?• Take data to help monitor medication effectiveness• Determine need for FBA


RepetitiveActivities

COMPETING REPETITIVE BEHAVIORSinterfere with task completion

STUDENT• Seen as “fidgety,”

noncompliant• Risk of loss of educational

benefit if the student spends more time lining up pencils than doing schoolwork

ADULT• Seen as “persnickety” or

“crazy” • Risk of social ostracization,

profiling

Behavior Excess


• Post visual cue of task, i.e., write the page numbers to be done on the board• Generalized reminders; when students are off-task, point to the assignment written on the board



• Use a “secret code” to return student to task, such as tapping a corner of the desk• If a particular set of items is problematic, such as needing a set of colored pencils to be all the same length or lined up according to height, consider storing those items away from the child’s desk



• Allow a limited amount of time to be spent in repetitive behaviors prior to beginning task•Use the desired repetitive behavior as a reinforcer; for example, after student completes task allow him to arrange all of the classroom markers according to color


LACK OF FOCUSdue to repetitive thought patterns

STUDENT• Seen as a daydreamer, poor

study skills• Risk of loss of educational

progress due to extensive time off-task

ADULT• Seen as a poor worker, or a

stalker if overly focused on a person• Risk of loss of employment or

incarceration due to harassment

Behavior Deficit


• Reduce visual and auditory distractions in the classroom• Provide classroom cues to return to task as needed


LACK OF FOCUSdue to repetitive thought patterns• Visual reminder of tasks to be completed on the desk• Individual cues to return to task• Provide a distraction-free study carrel• Practice strategies for keeping oneself on task, such as self-talk



• Consider token economy to reinforce on-task behaviors• Allow specified time to focus on preferred, repetitive

interests•Teach self-talk and other strategies for bringing

oneself back to task when distracted


StereotypedMovements

UNUSUAL MOVEMENTSmay cause negative peer attention

STUDENT

• Seen as “weird”• Risk of being socially

ostracized; targeted for bullying

ADULT• Seen as “creepy,” possibly

dangerous• Risk of social isolation; odd

hand movements may be misinterpreted as threatening

Behavior Excess


• Observe to determine how far outside the norm the student’s mannerism is, and the degree to which it is already accepted by peers.• Use group responses that include age-appropriate gestures of approval to teach “fist pump,” “thumbs up,” etc.



• Determine whether movement may be due to excitement, stress, or boredom, and address those issues.• Rather than, “Nice hands,” introduce more socially

appropriate ways to express these needs.• Address tolerance of different individual styles with the

entire class.



• Ensure that the student has a communication system.• Use Social Stories, video modeling and role play to teach more acceptable expressions.•Depending on the degree of atypicality and potential adverse affect on social and academic functioning, consider a FBA.


SUPPRESSION OF MOVEMENTinterferes with attention

STUDENT• Seen as off-task, “in a

trance”• Risk of missing the lesson

due to being overly focused on keeping “nice hands.”

ADULT• Seen as stiff, “stick-like,”

unapproachable• Risk of doing poorly in job

interviews, loss of employment opportunities

Behavior Deficit


• Allow quiet movement, fidgeting or doodling during lectures, as long as nearby students are not being touched.•Don’t demand eye contact as your only measure of whether or not a student is paying attention.



• Provide quiet, age-appropriate fidget items or a classroom “sensory basket” all students may use when it helps them focus.• Allow some students to stand at a desk in the back of the class to listen rather than staying seated.



• Use Social Stories, video modeling, and role playing to address a student’s need to move.• Teach that sometimes it’s okay to move in class, as a way of respecting one’s own learning style and educational rights.


Resistanceto Change

ACTING OUT BEHAVIORSrelated to resistance to change

STUDENT• Seen as stubborn, “bossy”• Risk of loss of class time,

suspension, and/or loss of friendships

ADULT• Seen as overly controlling,

manipulative• Risk of loss of employment,

relationships, or arrest if in response to police

Behavior Excess


• Prepare class for known changes• Remind class of rules regarding talking out/talking back



• Tell student individually in advance of expected changes, and give reminders• Allow some choice• Provide a visual reminder or Social Story about the upcoming change


ACTING OUT BEHAVIORSrelated to resistance to change• Use individualized Social Stories• Provide a transitional object as needed and appropriate• Rehearse in advance of change; use video modeling and role play


SHUTTING DOWNrelated to resistance to change

STUDENT• Seen as willfully defiant,

manipulative• Risk of loss of class time

and availability for learning

ADULT• Seen as a loafer, malingerer• Risk of loss of employment;

in police situations silence may be seen as suspicious or evidence of guilt

Behavior Deficit


• Refrain from talking to the student in a “shut down” to avoid escalation into a “melt down.”• Permit student to go to a “safe place” such as a library corner to regroup



• Ensure all staff members know to allow the student some quiet space with no one talking to him at these times.•Provide a sensory basket or sensory area where student can “stim” in private if needed.



• Provide a quiet, partially dark, safe place where student may take the time needed to recover.• Understand that the recovery time may be lengthy, and that there is no way to rush it.


Unusual Responses to Sensory Experiences

ACTING OUTrelated to sensory seeking or sensory overload

STUDENT

• Seen as intentionally “naughty,” willfully disobedient• Risk of loss of class time

ADULT• Seen as dangerous• Risk of incarceration for

assault, battery, destruction of property

Behavior Excess


• Utilize existing classroom behavior strategies• Reduce extraneous sensory input when possible• Permit student to self-isolate to self-soothe when needed



• Monitor classroom for potential sensory problems and reduce when possible• Provide a dark, quiet place for student to retreat to (under a desk or table can be labeled “Australia”)• Make a sensory basket available



• Consider placement in a small, special class that can be more scrupulously monitored for potential sensory overload, regardless of student’s academic achievement• Provide sensory activities throughout the day


WITHDRAWALrelated to sensory overload

STUDENT

• Seen as overly shy, “stuck up”• Risk of being misunderstood

in social situations, loss of education when “checked out”

ADULT• Seen as a “creepy loner,”

suspicious character, “vegetable”• Risk of arrest if

nonresponsive to police questions

Behavior Deficit

WITHDRAWALrelated to sensory overload• Become aware of the difference between just sitting quietly in class, and being shut down and non-responsive• Do not push ask questions or for a response• If you know what caused the sensory overload, try to alleviate it



• When possible, be proactive in preventing sensory overload• Refrain from interacting with the student until later



• Prior to potential overload, use Social Stories about sensory experiences (field trips, assemblies)• Ensure a familiar adult is nearby in situations with a high sensory component• Allow plenty of down time before and especially after sensory experience


YOUcan make a difference

at your schoolsfor your students!

Resources are available.

www.autismriskmanagement.com

www.autism-community.com/autism-and-law-enforcement

www.autism.outreach.psu.edu/2014-presenter/dennis-debbault

www.anne.org/asperger_resources/articles/miscellaneous/as_in_the_criminal_justice_system.html

www.researchgate.net/publication/235996329_Autism_Spectrum_Disorders_A_Special_Needs_Subject_Response_Guide_For_Police_Officers_

Novel: House Rules by Jodi Picoult

Novel (and Broadway play) : The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time by Mark Haddon

http://www.autismriskmanagement.com/

http://www.autism-community.com/autism-and-law-enforcement

http://www.autism.outreach.psu.edu/2014-presenter/dennis-debbault

http://www.anne.org/asperger_resources/articles/miscellaneous/as_in_the_criminal_justice_system.html

http://www.anne.org/asperger_resources/articles/miscellaneous/as_in_the_criminal_justice_system.html

http://www.researchgate.net/publication/235996329_Autism_Spectrum_Disorders_A_Special_Needs_Subject_Response_Guide_For_Police_Officers_

http://www.researchgate.net/publication/235996329_Autism_Spectrum_Disorders_A_Special_Needs_Subject_Response_Guide_For_Police_Officers_

THANK YOU!

[email protected]@gmail.com

Documents

No IEP in Prison: Addressing Challenging Autistic Behaviors, now Wendela Whitcomb Marsh, BCBA, LEP, RSD Diane Cords Hagood, MA, MS CASP 2015