Autism Information

• What are Pervasive Developmental Disorders?• What are the diagnostic features, how are they

presented and what accommodation do we need to make?

• What Strategies have been successfully used with students identified with ASD?

• What questions should I ask when presented with a student identified with PDD in my class?

Pervasive Developmental Disorders

• Pervasive Developmental Disorders is the heading under which Autism, Asperger Syndrome, Rett’s Syndrome, Childhood Disintegrative Disorder and PDD-NOS are found.

• PDD’s were once consider “low incidence” disabilities, today PDD is the fastest growing group of developmental disabilities.

What are the diagnostic features of PDDs?

• Diagnosis of Pervasive Developmental Disorders is a complex task. Within PDD there are three areas of concern:

Communication

Social Interaction

Behavior

Within each of these areas there are specific features

that are evaluated.

Communication

• Feature– Delays in language

• Presentation– Limited verbal abilities, delays in or an absence of language

– Both expressive and receptive language skills are impacted

• Accommodation/Intervention/Strategies– Alternative forms of communication

– Richly supported environments that offer visually cued communication and props around which communication can take place

Communication

• Feature– Repetitive language

• Presentation– Displays echolalia, either immediate or delayed

– Uses language that is disconnected

• Accommodation/Intervention/Strategies– Assign intent

– Replace the language through shaping techniques

Communication

• Feature– Literal interpretation of language

• Presentation– Frequently responds in unanticipated ways to the directions or

comments of others

• Accommodation/Intervention/Strategies– Refrain from the use of slang, idioms, and cliches

Communication

• Feature– Processing delays

• Presentation– Non-compliance, inability to understand directions

• Accommodation/Intervention/Strategies– Provide adequate time for the student to decode and process the

information

– Provide the information in a channel that the child has better success with, VISUALLY.

Communication

• Feature– Failure to interpret non-verbal cues and lacks eye-contact

• Presentation– Social problems, non-compliance, inattentive

• Accommodation/Intervention/Strategies– Specifically teach those skills that are lacking through the use of

social stories, and role playing

Social Interaction

• Feature– Fails to develop age appropriate relationships

• Presentation– Frequently socializes with much younger children, is easily taken

advantage of

• Accommodation/Intervention/Strategies– Protect from bullying

– Practice social skills with a peer

– Structure social opportunities

Social Interaction

• Feature– Fails to spontaneously share enjoyment

• Presentation– Frequently does not move between environments understanding the

relevance of common information

– View the word as disconnected

• Accommodation/Intervention/Strategies– Develop visual cues that are taken between environments

– Complete”Today at School “ worksheet or activity bags

Social Interaction

• Feature– Inability to sustain conversations

• Presentation– Appears rude or aloof– Conversations seem to be egocentric, driven by the child’s interests

• Accommodation/Intervention/Strategies– Script conversations– Develop social stories that give students specific language– Designate a minimum number of exchanges in which the child needs

to engage

Social Interaction

• Feature– Lack of social reciprocity

• Presentation– Fails to recognize the give and take of social situations

– Mindblindness

• Accommodation/Intervention/Strategies– Positive practice

Social Interaction

• Feature– Lack of imitative play

• Presentation– Does not engage appropriately during unstructured play groups

• Recess

• Freetime

• Accommodation/Intervention/Strategies– Teach appropriate use of toys

– Structure playgroups

Behavior

• Feature– Engages in behavior that is unusual in either intensity or focus

• Presentation– Rituals

– Compulsions

• Accommodation/Intervention/Strategies– Determine the need for the behavior and then accommodate it in a

more appropriate manner, (if possible)

Behavior

• Feature– Insistence on sameness

• Presentation– Quickly becomes bound by routines

– Does not want to end activities

– Transitions are difficult

• Accommodation/Intervention/Strategies– Provide a predictable environment

– Provide a schedule in a useable form

Behavior

• Feature– Stereotyped mannerisms

• Presentation– Hand flapping

– Light filtering

– Spinning

• Accommodation/Intervention/Strategies– Identify the need and provide an appropriate manner in which it

can be fulfilled

Behavior

• Feature– Preoccupation with parts of objects

• Presentation– Taking toys apart

– Fascination with minute details, numbers, letters names, abstract pieces of information

• Accommodation/Intervention/Strategies– shape the behavior into something more useful or manageable

General Information

• Students identified with PDDs frequently seem to have an underlying anxiety.

• A lack of a predictable routine will frequently cause the anxiety to bubble to the surface, sometimes presenting itself in aggressive, self-injurious self-stimulatory ways

• Waiting is frequently a difficult concept for these students to understand

• Students with PDDs are not inferential/incidental learners

General Tips

• Provide a predictable routine

• Be concrete and specific

• Use planted question to solicit involvement

• Develop groups of children in which these students can contribute

• Understand the Premack Principal

• Be affirmative

• Present material visually– written, demonstration, pictures, objects

Questions that need answers

• How does this student communicate and at what level?• What are this students strengths?• Does the student have a behavior management plan?• What data am I responsible for?• What accommodations are identified on the IEP?• In what ways is the student supported in my class?

– Materials need to be modified

– Reinforcement schedules to be followed

– Plans to be implemented

When is the next meeting?

Final Thoughts

• I have taught 16 years, the most intriguing students I have ever worked with have been the students with PDD.

• Treat all students with dignity and respect.

• Learn about the disability, but more importantly learn about the child.

• Teaching children with special needs makes us better teachers by forcing us to use “best practice”.

• Put yourself in the place of the child and the parent.

Empathize don’t sympathize