Autism/Asperger’s 101

Presenter:Kathleen Dolbee – Autism Educator

Definition:

A neurobiological disorder

of development that causes

differences in the way

information is processed.

- Understand and use language to communicate.

- Understand and relate to people, events and objects in the sameway as typically developing children.

- Understand and respond to sensory stimuli.

- Learn and think in the same way as typically developing children.

This difference affectsan individual’s ability to:

Autism Spectrum DisorderIncludes:

Autism Spectrum

High-Functioning Autism

Asperger’s Syndrome

PDD-NOS

Important reminder:

Because autism is a spectrum disorder,Because autism is a spectrum disorder,each person with autismeach person with autism

presents differently.presents differently.

Do not define autism based onyour prior experience.

Remember:Remember:““If you know one person with autism,If you know one person with autism,you know one person with autism.you know one person with autism.””

Stephen ShoreStephen Shore

Differences in 4 Main Areas:(4 “core features” of autism)

CommunicationCommunication

SocialSocial

SensorySensory

Behavior (routine oriented/ritualistic/repetitive)Behavior (routine oriented/ritualistic/repetitive)

Examples of CommunicationDeficits:

Student may not know . . .Student may not know . . .

what is appropriate within a certain context.what is appropriate within a certain context.

how to initiate communication.how to initiate communication.

how to stay on topic or end a conversation.how to stay on topic or end a conversation.

how to recognize when a conversation is over.how to recognize when a conversation is over.

More examples . . .

Student may . . .Student may . . .

-- rigidly insist on talking about his favorite topic.rigidly insist on talking about his favorite topic.

--interrupt others or blurt out in class.interrupt others or blurt out in class.

-- try to tell others what to say.try to tell others what to say.

-- appear to have bad manners.appear to have bad manners.

What might a receptive languageWhat might a receptive languagedeficit look like?deficit look like?

Student may be literal.Student may be literal.

Student may misread tone of voice, body language and gestures, vStudent may misread tone of voice, body language and gestures, volume,olume,facial expressions and proximity.facial expressions and proximity.

Student may be unable to derive meaning from environmental conteStudent may be unable to derive meaning from environmental context.xt.

Student may not understand indirect requests.Student may not understand indirect requests.

Student may notStudent may not ““getget”” humor or sarcasm.humor or sarcasm.

Effective Tools to HelpIncrease Communication

1) Physical Structure

2) Flexible Daily Schedule

3) Work Systems

4) Visual Structure

(SEE STRUCTURED TEACHING HANDOUT)

Physical Structure

Helps define space

(1)

(2)

Flexible Daily Schedule

Must be individualized, easily understood andallow for change.

(3)

Work Systems

Visually answers 4 important questions:

1) What work?2) How much work

3) When am I finished?4) What next?

Students can see exactly what they will be doing during group-time

As activities are completed, the teacher can check them off, communicating “Finished”

When everything is finished, the students check their schedules.

A Work System for Group-time

(4)

Visual Structure

Sequences steps, organizes details andhighlights important information.

Effective Tools to IncreaseEffective Tools to IncreaseSocial UnderstandingSocial Understanding

Comic Strip ConversationsComic Strip Conversations™™

Social StoriesSocial Stories™™

Scripts and Role playScripts and Role play

Social Skills GamesSocial Skills Games

Social Behavior MappingSocial Behavior Mapping ™™(Data indicates that these strategies also increase communicatio(Data indicates that these strategies also increase communication)n)

Social Stories™ andComic Strip Conversations™

help students process social situations

Stating the Obvious:

• what is happening

• why this is happening

• identifying the key details in a setting that areimportant to the social situation

• identifying what to do

DO NOT UNDERESTIMATEDO NOT UNDERESTIMATE

Sensory DifferencesSensory Differences

Tactile sensitivityTactile sensitivity

Inconsistent Auditory ProcessingInconsistent Auditory Processing

Visually DistractedVisually Distracted

Sensitivity to Texture and Smell of FoodSensitivity to Texture and Smell of Food

Unusual Pain ThresholdUnusual Pain Threshold

““I THINK NOBODYI THINK NOBODY

APPRECIATES JUST HOWAPPRECIATES JUST HOW

MUCH NOISE THERE ISMUCH NOISE THERE IS””

In their own words:

““My sensory processingMy sensory processingdoesndoesn’’tt

just affect my lifejust affect my life--it sort ofit sort of …… is my lifeis my life””

In their own words:

Most individualsMost individualswith autismwith autism

require extrarequire extraprocessing timeprocessing time

GENERAL RULE:GENERAL RULE:When anxiety goes up, verbal processingWhen anxiety goes up, verbal processing

and communication goes downand communication goes down

((““stressstress--oo--metermeter””,, ““Incredible 5 Point ScaleIncredible 5 Point Scale””))

Social Intelligence & IQ may not berelated

Students on the spectrum often onlyunderstand:

Part of the social interactionPart of social problem solving

Part of communicationPart of the rules

“Even a very bright child may not understandthat his social behavior affects how he is treatedby others.”

(BEHAVIOR MAPPING – MICHELE GARCIA WINNER SLP)

“Even a very bright childmay not understand thathis social behavior affects

how he is treated byothers.”

Behavior Mapping – Michele Garcia Winner, SLP

““I donI don’’t make eye contact real well,t make eye contact real well,but for all know,but for all know,

nobody is making it better than menobody is making it better than me ––but Ibut I’’m not surem not sure

‘‘cause Icause I’’m not looking at themm not looking at them””

In their own words:

In their own words:

“Being autistic doesn’t mean being unable tolearn. But it does mean there are differencesin how learning happens. But what I think is

even more basic, and more frequentlyoverlooked, is that autism involves

differences in what is known withoutlearning.”

Jim Sinclair

What is “The Hidden Curriculum”?

The set of unwritten rulesthat no one has been directly taught,

but everyone knows.Violations of these rulescan make an individual

a social outcast.

Phrases associated with hiddencurriculum:

“I shouldn’t have to tell you…”

“Everyone knows that.”

“It’s obvious…’

“He should know better . . .’

Differences in communication,Differences in communication,social relatedness, sensory processing,social relatedness, sensory processing,

emotional regulation and executive functionemotional regulation and executive functioncan lead to issues withcan lead to issues with

BEHAVIORBEHAVIOR

Executive Functioning:Planning and Flexibility

Rigid

Cannot cope withinterruption

Cannot understand“chunked sequences”

Cannot organizematerials

Cannot create a planof action

Thinking and Learning

Uneven pattern of skill development

Learns skills out of normal sequence

Focus on details – miss connections andrelationships

Relevant vs. irrelevant

Concrete thinking; abstract concepts difficult

Organization and sequencing problem

Thinking and Learning (cont.)

Difficulty solving problems or generatingnew or alternative solutions to situations

Decreased ability to scan environment andidentify important elements

Concept of time is impaired

Language is understood and used literally

Learning Strengths

- Remember information for a long time

-Use visual information meaningfully

- Learn long routines and have motivation torepeat familiar routines

- Understand and use concrete rules

- Concentrate on topics of specific interests

www.autismsociety-nc.org

www.teacch.com

www.bridges4kids.org

www.do2learn.com

Websites: