Autism Overview
Transcript of Autism Overview
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