Autism

 

 

Exceptional Children and Youth

Fulton County Board of Education

Fall, 2008

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 


Table of Contents


I. Legal Definition

II. Parent Resources

III. Student Resources

IV. Teacher Resources

V. Teaching Strategies

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 




 

 

 

 

Legal Definition


Federal Definition/Criteria for Autism
(As cited by IDEA and the Georgia Department of Education)
34 CFR 300.7(c)(1)(i)


Autism is a developmental disability, generally evident before age three, which adversely affects a student's educational performance and significantly affects developmental rates and sequences, verbal and non-verbal communication and social interaction and participation. Other characteristics often associated with autism are unusual responses to sensory experiences, engagement in repetitive activities and stereotypical movements and resistance to environmental change or change in daily routines. Students with autism vary widely in their abilities and behavior. The term does not apply if a student's educational performance is adversely affected primarily because the student has an emotional and behavioral disorder.

 

 

Common Definition

A child who displays difficult in the following areas:

·         language disorder or delay

·         limited repertoire of activities and interests

·         delayed or absent social skills

·         unusual response to the environment or sensory stimuli

·         uneven rates of development: areas of advanced skills and areas of depressed development

Types of Autism Spectrum Disorders

·         Pervasive Developmental Disorder (PDD)

·         Asperger’s Syndrome

·         Rhett’s Syndrome

·         Savant

·         Childhood Disintegrative Disorder (CDD)

 

Parent Resources

Parent resources should be focused on a number of different areas including diagnosis, education, support for the child, and support for the parents.  The Autism Society of America website – http://www.autism-society.org  provides resources in all of these areas.  Other valuable websites will also be listed.

Many parents who have a child, or children, with autism report that they knew something was wrong with their child but they didn’t know what it was or where to start with a diagnosis.  This is especially true with the first child.  Although sometimes the onset is obvious, this is not always true especially with higher functioning children.   This is especially important due for early intervention which is of utmost importance for this disability.   

The following are very early warning signs.  They do not definitely mean the child has autism but do indicate further examination.  (http://www.autism-society.org/site/PageServer?pagename=about_whatis_signs)

Additional signs include:  (http://www.cdc.gov/ncbddd/autism/ActEarly/autism.html)

Once a diagnosis is made, finding the right school for their child is the next challenge.  Sometimes children can get the services they need through their public school but sometimes they need, or the parents want, a private school.  Some information about private schools in the Atlanta area is included here.   These schools tend to be small and very specialized.  They do not always advertise so it is sometimes difficult to find out about them.

Regardless of which school is chosen, it is important to have a good working relationship with the teachers or teaching teams.  In fact, this parent/teacher partnership was a pivotal component of IDEA 2004, the Individuals with Disabilities Education Improvement Act.  The following are some web-based resources related to this topic.

 

1.       http://www.doe.k12.ga.us/ci_exceptional.aspx?PageReq=CIEXCPartner – Describes parent/teacher relationships as defined by the State of Georgia Department of Education

2.       http://www.autism-pdd.net/autism-tips.html - A comprehensive list of tips for parents regardless of the type of school. 

3.       http://www.doe.k12.ga.us/ci_exceptional.aspx?PageReq=CIEXCAutism  – State of Georgia Department of Education information on Autism

The following is a list of general resources that are not specific to education.

1.       “Kids Enabled” is an Atlanta-based publication that is a wonderful and comprehensive resource.  They have a website as well as a regularly published magazine.

2.       Autism Speaks
http://www.autismspeaks.org/

3.       Centers for Disease Control (CDC)
http://www.cdc.gov/ncbddd/autism/

4.       Mayo Clinic
http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/autism/DS00348

5.       National Institute of Neurological Disorders
http://www.ninds.nih.gov/disorders/autism/detail_autism.htm

6.       The Emory Autism Research Center is located at the Clairmont Campus is the only Georgia resource that provides a comprehensive continuum of services specially designed to meet the needs of children and adults with autism and their families. The Center helps place and maintain school-aged children in a mainstream educational environment through the Elementary School Inclusion Program. And for adults with autism, the Adult Community Assistance Program provides services to help them as well.

7.       The Beyond Words Center is both a center for social skills training and a center for psychological services. They provide a variety of services to both children and adults struggling with a variety of psychological or social issues. They also offer specialized programs for children with AD/ADHD, nonverbal learning disabilities, Asperger's syndrome, and other Pervasive Developmental Disorders. They also offer programs for non-diagnosed children who need some extra help developing social skills. They have an excellent summer "camp" for children. It is located at the intersection of Clairmont Road and I-85.

8.       Michael Goldberg’s blog  - Michael Goldberg is the parent of a child with autism.  He started this blog as a resource for parents.

9. 2. http://www.autismteachingtools.com - This is a resource for teachers, parents and students.

10. http://maapservices.org/index.html - MAAP Services for Autism and Asperger’s Syndrome is a nonprofit organization dedicated to providing information and advice to families dealing with Autism, Asperger’s syndrome, and Pervasive developmental disorder (PDD).

11. http://www.chiro.org/research/ABSTRACTS/Autism.shtml - This is an interesting site about chiropractic treatment and autism.  It provides some evidence of "scientific" studies but I am unsure how controversial this is.

12.  http://groups.msn.com/theautismhomepage/ignoring.msnw - This is some specific advice for parents in dealing with non-injurious behaviors such as temper tantrums.

 

 

The following are some private schools and other facilities in the Atlanta area that provide services for people with autism. 

1. The Keystone Center for children with autism is a school for children with Autism Spectrum Disorders. They are dedicated to the educational and social development of the child as well as providing support for families affected by Autism. They use the most up-to-date methods to maximize the potential of each student. It is located in Alpharetta, Georgia.

 

2. The Lionheart School – Combines the area's finest Special Education teachers, Speech, Occupational and Music Therapy professionals and concerned and active parents.   These individuals together with the parents cooperatively work to educate the child.

 

3.       Gables Academy  - provides a full spectrum of educational services for special needs students ages 9 – 18.

 

4. Hi Hope Center   The Hi Hope Center is located in Stone Mountain and provides comprehensive services to adults with developmental disabilities

Text Box: including autism. Text Box:  

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Resources for Teachers

The following are some web-based resources that provide guidance for teachers for addressing the needs of students with autism.

 

1.       http://www.polyxo.com – Teaching Children with Autism by Jason Wallin 

2. http://www.autismteachingtools.com - This is a resource for teachers, parents and students.

3 http://www.udel.edu/bkirby/asperger/moreno_tips_for_teaching.html - This is specifically for teaching students with Asperger's.

4. http://www.cindysautisticsupport.com/asteachersites.html - This was developed by a support teacher but has resources for both teachers and students.

5. http://www.brighttots.com/teaching_playskills - This is specifically for teaching "play" skills.

6. http://www.modelmekids.com/ - These are teaching materials available for purchase.

7. http://www.lessontutor.com/autismgenhome.html - This doesn't have a lot of material but has some interesting and practical ideas and anecdotal stories.

8. http://www.cdc.gov/excite/ScienceAmbassador/ambassador_pgm/lessonplans.htm - This site includes lesson plans for teaching about Autism to middle and high school students.   

9. http://www.udel.edu/bkirby/asperger/karen_williams_guidelines.html - This gives some background information about Asperger's as well as some suggestions for teaching and handling the issues that students with Asperger's typically have in school.  

10. http://www.newhorizons.org/spneeds/autism/may.htm - This is a research paper by a graduate student that is over three years old, however, it is very detailed and still relevant.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Resources for Students

1.       Virtual reality technologies can help children with autism - http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/24100671/.

2.       Robot Playmates may help children with autism - http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/07/080722143659.htm

3.       A website by a young man with autism and the story of his life.

http://www.taylorcrowe.com/

4.       Temple Grandin is a well-known and respected academic who has autism.  http://www.templegrandin.com/

5.        http://www.autismteachingtools.com - This is a resource for teachers, parents and students.

6. http://www.udel.edu/bkirby/asperger/moreno_tips_for_teaching.html

7. http://www.cindysautisticsupport.com/asteachersites.html - This was developed by a support teacher but has resources for both teachers and students.

8. http://www.cdc.gov/ncbddd/kids/kautismpage.htm - This is a webquest to teach students about autism.

9.  http://www.filmbaby.com/films/982 - The Hi Hope are an autistic music group who has been performing for over 30 years.  This web site shows a video clip and a place to order a DVD. 

10. http://www.learner.org/resources/series142.html - This site features a video about Temple Grandin - #29.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Teaching Strategies for Asperger's Syndrome

 

    As Autism is a spectrum disorder, the disability presents itself in so many different ways that it is impossible to present teaching strategies that work for all parts of the spectrum.  I have chosen for the purpose of this assignment to focus on students with Asperger's Syndrome.  I chose Asperger's for a number of reasons.  Although I am not a classroom teacher, I have had the experience of working with a student with Asperger's so I understand some of the challenges.  The challenges for numerous because much of what is involved in dealing with these students has to do with social interaction and communication which involve every aspect of activity in the classroom including the physical space, schedule, peer interactions, as well as academics.  As it is not such an apparent disability, it is often difficult for other children to understand how debilitating it is.

 

Routines

·       Routines are very important for the child with Asperger's in order for them to feel safe.

·       The environment should be predictable and safe.  The classroom should very organized with specific, regular routines. 

·       If there are transitions during the day, the student with Asperger's should be given extra attention and support.  An example would be transitioning from the regular classroom to special activities - art, music, PE, etc.

·       If there is a special activity planned for the day - a speaker, program, etc., it is best to prepare the student in advance.  This can be done by explaining verbally or showing the student something about the new activity.  Children with Asperger's tend to become anxious and worry about such changes.


Social interactions

·       Children with Asperger's lack social skills but they want to have friends.

·       Teacher can help by guiding the student in modeling socially acceptable ways of interacting with students

·       For older students, finding the right "buddy" to befriend the student can also help.  This gives the student a "safe" place within the social hierarchy.

·       Put the student with Asperger's in situations where they can show off the knowledge and skills they do have in front of their peers.  This will help their self-confidence as well as enable the other students to see that they are good at some things.

·       Encouraging small group interaction facilitated by a teacher or aide is another way to facilitate and model for the student with Asperger's.

·       Positive reinforcement when the student responds positively in this area are very useful for the student.

Range of Interests

·       People with Asperger's usually fixate on a certain area of interest.  It may be animals, water, cars, trains, etc. 

·       Teachers should try to encourage expanding the areas of interest especially to include the variety of subjects covered in school.

·       Positive reinforcement for showing interest in other areas is important.

·       The teacher may designate a certain time of day that the student is allowed to talk about his or her obsessive area of interest.

·       The teacher may try to connect the student's area of interest to something relevant in the classroom - ie. how trains were involved in the expansion of the western United States. 

·       Some students may be more determined to stick to their area of interest than others.


Attention Issues in the Classroom

·       Just as the student with Asperger's has difficulty with social cues, this also translates into not understanding what is important in the context of classroom learning which includes a difficulty with organization.

·       The classroom needs to be very structured with tasks for the student broken down in to very specific parts with monitoring and re-direction provided, if necessary.

·       Seating the child in the front of the classroom and coming up with a non-verbal cue for refocusing can help.  This might include a gentle touch of the shoulder, for example.  Calling attention to the student verbally will cause the student to retreat even further.

·       Accommodations or even modifications maybe be needed for longer, more complicated assignments.  These students often have difficulty with higher level thinking and comprehension.


Motor Skills

·       Students with Asperger's should not be forced to participate in competitive sports PE programs.

·       They are often clumsy and awkward with additional problems in the area of fine motor skills including writing.

·       Due to the problems with hand-writing, students may need modifications for test-taking including additional time.


Academics

·       Students with Asperger's are very good at rote memorization but they don't always comprehend what they area or told; they simply repeat it back.  It is important to know what they really understand.  Abstract concepts need to be taught by breaking them down in to smaller components.

·       With regard to writing and consistent with other presentations of their disability, students often don't know the difference between their own personal information and general knowledge.

·       Any type of social interaction or nuances in books is difficult to comprehend for these students.  The relationships between characters will need to be explained and can be helpful for these students to understand.

·       It is difficult for the student with Asperger's to apply themselves to school work in areas in which they are not interested.  Teachers should be very firm in expressing expectations that the student must do the work.  They are capable of it; they are just not interested but this should not be an excuse.  This will often be a struggle.


Emotional Well-being

·       This is the area that is most fragile in children with Asperger's.  The school experience is an important one as it is such a large part of a child's life and can have a huge impact both negative and positive.  The teacher is a big part of this and can really make a difference in the child's life.

·       Providing predictability to avoid distressing situations while also providing a way to help the child cope when this is not possible.  There are going to be some surprises during the school day that just can't be avoided.  In addition, when the child goes out in to the world, they will need to have these coping mechanisms.

·       Adolescent students with Asperger's are often prone to depression although they do not usually recognize this feeling.  Teachers should be mindful of this report any symptoms to the child's parents or therapist. 

·       Middle and high school students with Asperger's should have an adult in the school building with whom they check in at least once a day or when needed.