Supporting Students with Autism in the General Education Setting presented by Heidi Carico, MA, NCSP

1. EXCEPTIONAL CHILDREN
DIVISION
Supporting Students
with Autism Spectrum Disorder in the
General Education Setting
Heidi Carico
NCDPI Consultant for Autism and Charter Schools

2. EXCEPTIONAL CHILDREN
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Objectives
• Participants will increase understanding of Autism Spectrum
Disorder (ASD) as a complex neurodevelopmental disorder
• Participants will identify underlying characteristics of autism
that impact student’s academic and functional performance in
the educational setting
• Participants will identify modifications that can be
implemented to improve outcomes for students with ASD

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Autism:
A Brief Overview

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Understanding Autism
Observable
Features
Underlying Learning
Characteristics

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Many associated medical, psychiatric, and developmental conditions
Social
communication
and
interactions
Restricted,
repetitive patterns
of behaviors,
interests or
activities
Diagnostic Features

6. EXCEPTIONAL CHILDREN
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Social Communication &
Interaction & Restricted
Repetitive Patterns of Behaviors
Interests or Activities
Underlying Learning Characteristics
Differences in learning
Executive functioning and differences in attention
Auditory processing & receptive language
Multiple perspectives & social communication
Differences in sensory processing

7. EXCEPTIONAL CHILDREN
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8. EXCEPTIONAL CHILDREN
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Characteristic of
ASD
Description
Auditory Processing &
Receptive Language
Slower auditory processing, difficulty processing more than one mode of information
simultaneously (i.e. processing visual and auditory at the same time), difficulties
understanding verbal information.
Differences in
Learning
Take in information and generalize/apply the information. Weakness with implicit learning.
Executive Functioning
& Differences in
Attention
Skills needed to organize, monitor, and carry out tasks and daily activities from beginning
to end. May present as difficulty with planning, initiation, organization, sequencing, time
management, shifting and flexibility, goal directed persistence, emotional self-control,
and/or metacognition.
Focus on details rather than the big picture, difficulty shifting attention, dividing
attention, sustaining attention, and understanding what information is relevant.
Multiple Perspectives
Understanding that other people have thoughts, feelings, and perspectives that are different
from one’s own. Difficulties with joint attention and social communication (social initiation,
conversational exchanges, turn taking, appropriateness and maintenance of topic, pragmatics,
and differences in use and understanding of nonverbals)
Differences in Sensory
Processing
Hyper- or hypo-reactivity to sensory input or unusual interest in sensory aspects of the
environment. These may include proprioceptive, interoceptive, and vestibular differences.

9. EXCEPTIONAL CHILDREN
DIVISION
Characteristic of
ASD
Description
Auditory Processing &
Receptive Language
Slower auditory processing, difficulty processing more than one mode of information
simultaneously (i.e. processing visual and auditory at the same time), difficulties
understanding verbal information.
Differences in
Learning
Take in information and generalize/apply the information. Weakness with implicit learning.
Executive Functioning
& Differences in
Attention
Skills needed to organize, monitor, and carry out tasks and daily activities from beginning
to end. May present as difficulty with planning, initiation, organization, sequencing, time
management, shifting and flexibility, goal directed persistence, emotional self-control,
and/or metacognition.
Focus on details rather than the big picture, difficulty shifting attention, dividing
attention, sustaining attention, and understanding what information is relevant.
Multiple Perspectives
Understanding that other people have thoughts, feelings, and perspectives that are different
from one’s own. Difficulties with joint attention and social communication (social initiation,
conversational exchanges, turn taking, appropriateness and maintenance of topic, pragmatics,
and differences in use and understanding of nonverbals)
Differences in Sensory
Processing
Hyper- or hypo-reactivity to sensory input or unusual interest in sensory aspects of the
environment. These may include proprioceptive, interoceptive, and vestibular differences.

10. EXCEPTIONAL CHILDREN
DIVISION
Characteristic of
ASD
Description
Auditory Processing &
Receptive Language
Slower auditory processing, difficulty processing more than one mode of information
simultaneously (i.e. processing visual and auditory at the same time), difficulties
understanding verbal information.
Differences in
Learning
Take in information and generalize/apply the information. Weakness with implicit learning.
Executive Functioning
& Differences in
Attention
Skills needed to organize, monitor, and carry out tasks and daily activities from beginning
to end. May present as difficulty with planning, initiation, organization, sequencing, time
management, shifting and flexibility, goal directed persistence, emotional self-control,
and/or metacognition.
Focus on details rather than the big picture, difficulty shifting attention, dividing
attention, sustaining attention, and understanding what information is relevant.
Multiple Perspectives
Understanding that other people have thoughts, feelings, and perspectives that are different
from one’s own. Difficulties with joint attention and social communication (social initiation,
conversational exchanges, turn taking, appropriateness and maintenance of topic, pragmatics,
and differences in use and understanding of nonverbals)
Differences in Sensory
Processing
Hyper- or hypo-reactivity to sensory input or unusual interest in sensory aspects of the
environment. These may include proprioceptive, interoceptive, and vestibular differences.

11. EXCEPTIONAL CHILDREN
DIVISION
Characteristic of
ASD
Description
Auditory Processing &
Receptive Language
Slower auditory processing, difficulty processing more than one mode of information
simultaneously (i.e. processing visual and auditory at the same time), difficulties
understanding verbal information.
Differences in
Learning
Take in information and generalize/apply the information. Weakness with implicit learning.
Executive Functioning
& Differences in
Attention
Skills needed to organize, monitor, and carry out tasks and daily activities from beginning
to end. May present as difficulty with planning, initiation, organization, sequencing, time
management, shifting and flexibility, goal directed persistence, emotional self-control,
and/or metacognition.
Focus on details rather than the big picture, difficulty shifting attention, dividing
attention, sustaining attention, and understanding what information is relevant.
Multiple Perspectives
Understanding that other people have thoughts, feelings, and perspectives that are different
from one’s own. Difficulties with joint attention and social communication (social initiation,
conversational exchanges, turn taking, appropriateness and maintenance of topic, pragmatics,
and differences in use and understanding of nonverbals)
Differences in Sensory
Processing
Hyper- or hypo-reactivity to sensory input or unusual interest in sensory aspects of the
environment. These may include proprioceptive, interoceptive, and vestibular differences.

12. EXCEPTIONAL CHILDREN
DIVISION
Characteristic of
ASD
Description
Auditory Processing &
Receptive Language
Slower auditory processing, difficulty processing more than one mode of information
simultaneously (i.e. processing visual and auditory at the same time), difficulties
understanding verbal information.
Differences in
Learning
Take in information and generalize/apply the information. Weakness with implicit learning.
Executive Functioning
& Differences in
Attention
Skills needed to organize, monitor, and carry out tasks and daily activities from beginning
to end. May present as difficulty with planning, initiation, organization, sequencing, time
management, shifting and flexibility, goal directed persistence, emotional self-control,
and/or metacognition.
Focus on details rather than the big picture, difficulty shifting attention, dividing
attention, sustaining attention, and understanding what information is relevant.
Multiple Perspectives
Understanding that other people have thoughts, feelings, and perspectives that are different
from one’s own. Difficulties with joint attention and social communication (social initiation,
conversational exchanges, turn taking, appropriateness and maintenance of topic, pragmatics,
and differences in use and understanding of nonverbals)
Differences in Sensory
Processing
Hyper- or hypo-reactivity to sensory input or unusual interest in sensory aspects of the
environment. These may include proprioceptive, interoceptive, and vestibular differences.

13. EXCEPTIONAL CHILDREN
DIVISION
Characteristic of
ASD
Description
Auditory Processing &
Receptive Language
Slower auditory processing, difficulty processing more than one mode of information
simultaneously (i.e. processing visual and auditory at the same time), difficulties
understanding verbal information.
Differences in
Learning
Take in information and generalize/apply the information. Weakness with implicit learning.
Executive Functioning
& Differences in
Attention
Skills needed to organize, monitor, and carry out tasks and daily activities from beginning
to end. May present as difficulty with planning, initiation, organization, sequencing, time
management, shifting and flexibility, goal directed persistence, emotional self-control,
and/or metacognition.
Focus on details rather than the big picture, difficulty shifting attention, dividing
attention, sustaining attention, and understanding what information is relevant.
Multiple Perspectives
Understanding that other people have thoughts, feelings, and perspectives that are different
from one’s own. Difficulties with joint attention and social communication (social initiation,
conversational exchanges, turn taking, appropriateness and maintenance of topic, pragmatics,
and differences in use and understanding of nonverbals)
Differences in Sensory
Processing
Hyper- or hypo-reactivity to sensory input or unusual interest in sensory aspects of the
environment. These may include proprioceptive, interoceptive, and vestibular differences.

14. EXCEPTIONAL CHILDREN
DIVISION
Impact on Student
Academic and Functional Performance
● Problem-solving
● Decision making
● Organization skills
● Difficulty drawing conclusions from facts
● Difficulty engaging in group work
● Difficulty with independence
● Generalizing skills

15. EXCEPTIONAL CHILDREN
DIVISION
Understanding Autism
Observable
Features
Underlying
Learning
Characteristics
Individualized
Visual Supports
Improved Classroom
Performance and Behavior

16. EXCEPTIONAL CHILDREN
DIVISION
Individualized
Visual Supports
Material
Design
Visual
Schedule
Environmental
Design
Activity System

17. EXCEPTIONAL CHILDREN
DIVISION
What are some essential questions you need answered to
proceed through your day?
What Makes You Successful Each Day?

18. EXCEPTIONAL CHILDREN
DIVISION
Essential Questions We All Need Answered
Where?
● Where am I supposed to go throughout the
day?
● Where do my things go?
When?
● When do I do what throughout the day?
What? How Much?
● What do I have to do while I’m here?
● How much do I have to do while I’m here?
● How to know when I am finished here?
● What happens next, when I leave here?
How?
● How do I start the task?
● How do I do the task?
● How do I know I am making
progress through the task?
● How do I know when I am finished
with the task?
ENVIRONMENTAL DESIGN &
SCHEDULE
SCHEDULE
ACTIVITY SYSTEM
MATERIAL DESIGN

19. EXCEPTIONAL CHILDREN
DIVISION
Visual Supports:
● Where do I go?
● Where do my
things go?

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21. EXCEPTIONAL CHILDREN
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22. EXCEPTIONAL CHILDREN
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Visual Supports:
● Where do I go?
● When do I go there?

25. EXCEPTIONAL CHILDREN
DIVISION
Class Schedule vs. Individual Schedule
Are most students (80% or more) independently
getting where they need to go?
• YES! Then your class schedule is working
• NO! Then rethink the design of your class
schedule.
Are my student(s) with ASD able to
independently get where they need to go?
• YES! Great, your class schedule is
meaningful for your students with ASD too!
• NO! Consider creating individual schedules
for your student(s) with ASD.

26. EXCEPTIONAL CHILDREN
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Schedule Examples

27. EXCEPTIONAL CHILDREN
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Visual Supports:
● What work?
● How much work?
● How do I know when
I’m finished?
● What happens next?

28. EXCEPTIONAL CHILDREN
DIVISION
Communication
Journal
Math
Activity System

29. EXCEPTIONAL CHILDREN
DIVISION
Activity
System

30. EXCEPTIONAL CHILDREN
DIVISION
Activity Systems

31. EXCEPTIONAL CHILDREN
DIVISION
Visual Supports:
How do I do the
activity?

32. EXCEPTIONAL CHILDREN
DIVISION
Visual Instructions Visual Clarity Visual Organization
Communicates how the
activity should be completed.
Enhances the most
relevant information.
Organizes for clearer
understanding, efficiency
and focus.
Identify/Change Form:
Written, Picture, Picture with
Text, Object, Task Itself
Add Instructions
Simplify Instructions
Sequence Instructions
Highlight
Underline
Add Border
Change Font: Color, Size,
Type, Bold, Italics
Organize Work Space
Organize Materials:
Segment, Stabilize, Group
Add a Graphic Organizer
Present in a New Format
Individualizing Material Design: Components

33. EXCEPTIONAL CHILDREN
DIVISION
Visual Instructions Visual Clarity Visual Organization
Communicates how the
activity should be completed.
Enhances the most
relevant information.
Organizes for clearer
understanding, efficiency
and focus.
Identify/Change Form:
Written, Picture, Picture with
Text, Object, Task Itself
Add Instructions
Simplify Instructions
Sequence Instructions
Highlight
Underline
Add Border
Change Font: Color, Size,
Type, Bold, Italics
Organize Work Space
Organize Materials:
Segment, Stabilize, Group
Add a Graphic Organizer
Present in a New Format
Individualizing Material Design: Components

34. EXCEPTIONAL CHILDREN
DIVISION
Visual Instructions
Walk in place
10 Seconds
Hands above
head 5 times
Twist at waist
5 times
Return to Seat

35. EXCEPTIONAL CHILDREN
DIVISION
Visual Instructions

36. EXCEPTIONAL CHILDREN
DIVISION
Visual Instructions

37. EXCEPTIONAL CHILDREN
DIVISION
Visual Instructions Visual Clarity Visual Organization
Communicates how the
activity should be completed.
Enhances the most
relevant information.
Organizes for clearer
understanding, efficiency
and focus.
Identify/Change Form:
Written, Picture, Picture with
Text, Object, Task Itself
Add Instructions
Simplify Instructions
Sequence Instructions
Highlight
Underline
Add Border
Change Font: Color, Size,
Type, Bold, Italics
Organize Work Space
Organize Materials:
Segment, Stabilize, Group
Add a Graphic Organizer
Present in a New Format
Individualizing Material Design: Components

38. EXCEPTIONAL CHILDREN
DIVISION
DIRECTIONS:
Write the answer on the RED line.
Visual Clarity

39. EXCEPTIONAL CHILDREN
DIVISION
Visual Instructions Visual Clarity Visual Organization
Communicates how the activity
should be completed.
Enhances the most relevant
information.
Organizes for clearer
understanding, efficiency and
focus.
Identify/Change Form: Written,
Picture, Picture with Text,
Object, Task Itself
Add Instructions
Simplify Instructions
Sequence Instructions
Highlight
Underline
Add Border
Change Font: Color, Size,
Type, Bold, Italics
Organize Work Space
Organize Materials: Segment,
Stabilize, Group
Add a Graphic Organizer
Present in a New Format
Individualizing Material Design: Components

40. EXCEPTIONAL CHILDREN
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__ About Me (Yellow)
__ Reading (Orange)
__ Partners Group
__ Break
__ Math (Clear)
__ Lunch
__ Science (Red)
__ Spanish 1
__ Band
__ Social Studies (Blue)
__ Break
Subjects/Folders Labeled and Color Coded
Visual
Organization

41. EXCEPTIONAL CHILDREN
DIVISION
Visual Organization

42. EXCEPTIONAL CHILDREN
DIVISION
Name: _______________ Date: _____________
Title: ___________________________________
Author: _________________________________
First: ___________________________________
Next: ___________________________________
Then: __________________________________
Finally: _________________________________
Visual Organization

43. EXCEPTIONAL CHILDREN
DIVISION
Images by Vimeo licensed under CC BY
Visual
Organization

44. EXCEPTIONAL CHILDREN
DIVISION
Instructions
Task itself
Balls in the containers
Clarity
Red square = wait
Two white rectangles for
feet
Organization
Containers with balls
Finished container
Hula hoop
Spotting
Material Design

45. EXCEPTIONAL CHILDREN
DIVISION
Instructions
Written
Added direction
Clarity Highlight
Organization
Clearly defined space for
student’s response
Answers written on tabs
Spotting Material Design

46. EXCEPTIONAL CHILDREN
DIVISION
Applying Visual Supports
Know the goal of the task (let go of what is
not critical to the goal)
Focus on making changes to visual
instructions, clarity, and organization that
support the student being successful with the
goal based on their unique strengths and
needs.
Keep in mind:
• Task Initiation & Clear Finished
• Organization
• Need for Explicit Directions
• Attention

47. EXCEPTIONAL CHILDREN
DIVISION
Predict what
might be
difficult for
student with
ASD…

48. EXCEPTIONAL CHILDREN
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Add Visual
Clarity

49. EXCEPTIONAL CHILDREN
DIVISION
Add Visual
Organization

50. EXCEPTIONAL CHILDREN
DIVISION
Predict what
might be
difficult for a
student with
ASD…

51. EXCEPTIONAL CHILDREN
DIVISION
Add
Visual
Clarity

52. EXCEPTIONAL CHILDREN
DIVISION
Add Visual
Organization

53. EXCEPTIONAL CHILDREN
DIVISION
Predict what
might be
difficult for
student with
ASD…

54. EXCEPTIONAL CHILDREN
DIVISION
Simplify the
Visual
Instructions
__Read “It’s not the End of the World” about Prince Henry on page
1.
__Read “Vasco da Gama, No Simple Feat” about Vasco da Gama
on page 2.
__Read “Early Explorers about Ferdinand Magellan on page 2-3.
__Color each of the following facts using the this key:
Red= Prince Henry
Green= Vasco da Gama
Blue= Ferdinand Magellan

55. EXCEPTIONAL CHILDREN
DIVISION
Add Visual
Clarity
__Read “It’s not the End of the World” about Prince Henry on page
1.
__Read “Vasco da Gama, No Simple Feat” about Vasco da Gama
on page 2.
__Read “Early Explorers” about Ferdinand Magellan on page 2-3.
__Color each of the following facts using the this key:
Red= Prince Henry
Green= Vasco da Gama
Blue= Ferdinand Magellan

56. EXCEPTIONAL CHILDREN
DIVISION
Add Visual
Organization

57. EXCEPTIONAL CHILDREN
DIVISION
BEFORE AFTER

58. EXCEPTIONAL CHILDREN
DIVISION
Predict what
might be
difficult for
student with
ASD…

59. EXCEPTIONAL CHILDREN
DIVISION
Simplify
Visual
Instructions

60. EXCEPTIONAL CHILDREN
DIVISION
Add Visual
Clarity

61. EXCEPTIONAL CHILDREN
DIVISION
Add Visual
Organization

62. EXCEPTIONAL CHILDREN
DIVISION
Predict what
might be
difficult for a
student with
ASD

63. EXCEPTIONAL CHILDREN
DIVISION
Add Visual
Instructions

64. EXCEPTIONAL CHILDREN
DIVISION
Add Visual
Organization

65. EXCEPTIONAL CHILDREN
DIVISION
Supporting Students in Group
Work

66. EXCEPTIONAL CHILDREN
DIVISION
Supporting Students in
Group Work: Roles
● Assign roles with student
strengths in mind
● Make roles explicit

67. EXCEPTIONAL CHILDREN
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Supporting the Social Aspects
of Group Work

68. EXCEPTIONAL CHILDREN
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Incorporating Student Interests

69. EXCEPTIONAL CHILDREN
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Key Takeaways
• Use visual supports to increase engagement
and improve classroom outcomes
• Individualize the supports based on student’s
unique strengths and needs
• Supports need to be functional and
meaningful not pretty and perfect

70. EXCEPTIONAL CHILDREN
DIVISION
Q&A

71. EXCEPTIONAL CHILDREN
DIVISION
Contact Information
Contact Information
Heidi Carico
Consultant for Autism and Charter Schools
NC Department of Public Instruction
Office of Exceptional Children
Northwest & Western Regions
heidi.carico@dpi.nc.gov
(984) 236-2620