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
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
Refrain from the use of slang, idioms, and cliches

Communication
Feature
Processing delays
Presentation
Non-compliance, inability to understand directions
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
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
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
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
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
Positive practice

Social Interaction
Feature
Lack of imitative play
Presentation
Does not engage appropriately during unstructured play groups
Recess
Freetime
Teach appropriate use of toys
Structure playgroups

Behavior
Feature
Engages in behavior that is unusual in either intensity or focus
Presentation
Rituals
Compulsions
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
Provide a predictable environment
Provide a schedule in a useable form

Behavior
Feature
Stereotyped mannerisms
Presentation
Hand flapping
Light filtering
Spinning
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
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

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Autism Overview

by lstickle on Nov 02, 2007

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Autism Overview — Presentation Transcript