Transcript History of Autism - ePortfolio Home Page

Unlocking the
Puzzle: Educating
Our Students with
Autism in
Elementary
Classrooms
Christina Mikuljan
and Amy Duncan
Today we will…..
• Discover key information about
Autism Spectrum Disorders
• Examine the needs of students with
ASD in the elementary school
setting
• Identify strategies that you can use
tomorrow in your classroom
Accessing Our Expertise…..
What is Autism?
Quiz:
• Write down three things that come
to mind when you hear the word
Autism.
• You have 1 minute!
• Ready, set, …
Group Discussion
• What did you come up with?
• What are some common threads
among our ideas?
So, What is Autism?
• Autism is a complex
developmental disability
• Typically appears during the first 3
years of life
• The result of a neurological
disorder that affects the
functioning of the brain
Educational Definition
• Autism is a developmental disability
that:
– significantly affects verbal and nonverbal communication
– Affects social interaction
– Is generally evident before age 3
– Adversely affects educational
performance
Autism is a puzzle
Social
Age
Communi
cation
Cognitive
Repetitiv
e
Behavior
s
Intervent
ion
Gender
What we do know…
• Worldwide increase in the incidence
of autism in past 10 years
• CDC Study estimates between 5.5
and 5.7 in 1000 school age children
have the diagnosis of autism
• It is estimated that at least 300,00
school age children had autism in
2003-04
(http://www,edc.gov/mmwr/
Statewide growth in California
Ages 0 – 22 years with Autism as the primary
handicapping condition
35000
30000
25000
20000
15000
10000
5000
0
1998 1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004
SELPA vs. County wide growth in California
Ages 0 – 22 years with Autism as the primary
handicapping condition
1400
1200
1000
800
600
400
200
0
2000
2001
2002
2003
2004
Recent Research Indicates….
• Two subtypes:early onset and
regressive
• The distribution of white matter, the
nerve fibers that link diverse parts
of the brain is abnormal
• The immune system may play a
critical role
• Many of the classic “behaviors”
are coping mechanisms
In addition…
• What appears to be lack of
responsiveness or emotion may be
the result of impaired
communication
• The most likely causes are a
combination of genetic
vulnerabilities and environmental
triggers
Brains on the Autism Spectrum
• Grow at an unusual rate by age 2 and have
enlarged frontal lobes
• The corpus callosum is undersize causing poor
coordination between the hemispheres
• Amygdala is enlarged perhaps is response to
anxiety
• Hippocampus is 10% larger perhaps indicating
the need to rely on memory to interpret
situations
• Cerebellum does not support motor planning
and coordination
In short…
• There are too many local
connections and fewer long
distance ones creating processing
that is poorly coordinated.
Autism is a “Umbrella Disorder”
Autism
PDD-NOS
Rhett’s Syndrome
Asperger’s Syndrome
Childhood
Disintegrative
Disorder
Subcategories of Autism
• Autism
• High Functioning Autism
• Asperger’s Syndrome
• Rhett’s Syndrome
• Childhood Disintegrative Disorder
• Pervasive Developmental Disorder
– Not Otherwise Specified (PDDNOS)
Classic Autism
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
Prefer to be alone
Engage in self stimulatory behavior
Limited communication skills
May not want to be cuddled or touched
Like to watch parts of or the same movie over
and over
Routine bound
Prefer sameness
Little or no eye contact
Noticeable physical over activity or extreme
under activity
High Functioning Autism
• Not an official medical term
• Individual with average to above average
IQ
• Can function in the typical settings with
minimal assistance
• Fairly good communication skills
• Verbal skills higher than comprehension
• Often able to decode but has poor
comprehension
• LRE maybe the general ed setting, RSP or
SDC.
Asperger’s Syndrome
• Impairment of two-way social
interaction
• Speech which is odd and pedantic
• Limited non-verbal communication skills
• Resistance to change and enjoyment
of repetitive activities
• Distinct special interests and rote
memory
• Poor motor coordination, with odd gait
and posture and some motor
stereotypes.
What Are
People with
Autism like?
• While we need technical
information to inform our thinking,
sometimes the answers we need
come from the heart.
You can understand what autism is
by what we know about ourselves
Think About It……..
• Do you like to know what you are doing
during the day?
• Do you have a hobby or special
interest?
• Do you like some time to be alone when
you get overwhelmed?
• Do you like roller coasters?
• Do you get into a social situation and
not know what to say or do?
• Do you have days when it really is all
about you?
• Do you think it would be easier if
everyone just could see things your way?
What are the
things you do
right now that
meet the
needs of these
students?
Where should
the
educational
FOCUS be
with students
with ASD?
Impaired Communication
May exhibit the following:
• Non verbal
very verbal
• Echolalia
• Poor receptive/expressive
language
• Oral motor difficulties – apraxia
• Appears “not to hear”
Communication continued…
• Inconsistently shows lack of
communicative intent
• Language used to obtain a “goal”
rather than for a social purpose
• Literal/concrete
• Use of language “scripts”
More Communication
cont…
• Difficulty answering questions
• Difficulty with pronouns,
negatives, and time concepts
• Difficulty switching/staying on
topic
• Limited range of conversational
topics
• Odd rhythm, intonation and/or
volume
Strategies to support
communication…
Rely on visuals
Picture symbol communication
systems (PECS)
• Time to process receptive
language
• Assistive Technology
Vantage Point
The low-functioning child with
autism, “lives in a world of his own,”
whereas the higher functioning
child with autism “lives in our world
but in his own way”. (VanKrevelen,
1991)
Impaired Social Interaction
May exhibit the following:
• Limited eye contact
• Less responsive to social/nonverbal
cues
• Unusual play or limited interests
with toys and objects
• Lack of imaginary play
Social Interaction continued…
• Lack of join attention/joint reference
• Limited social awareness
• Difficulty initiating social interactions or
maintaining reciprocal conversation
• Preference for isolation or parallel play
• Difficulty taking perspective of another,
including their feelings, motives or intent
(Theory of Mind)
• Not seeking comfort when hurt or distressed
• Lack of understanding of social
distance/proximity
More Social Interaction cont…
• Lack of understanding of social
rules and conventions:
–
–
–
–
–
Turn taking
Sharing
Rules of the game
Winning/losing
First/last
Strategies to support students
with ASD…
Teach the social rules
• Structured play/group activities
– Simple board games
• Provide structured peer
interactions
– Schedules
– Teaching the rules
• Social Stories
Sensory Processing Deficits
May exhibit the following:
• Difficulty processing and regulating
sensory information – auditory, visual,
tactile, kinesthetic, olfactory, taste and
environmental conditions
– Hypersensitivity may lead to avoidance of
the source
– Hyposensitivity may lead to seeking or
fluctuating response to the source
• Poorly modulated attention
Strategies to support sensory
needs…
Provide opportunities for sensory
processing regulation (breaks)
Provide “fidgets”
Build sensory diet into the schedule
Teach “self regulation” options
Alternative Learning Styles
May exhibit the following:
• Stronger visual learner
• Rote memory skills are stronger than
conceptual abilities
• Display “splinter” skills
• Functions better with structure and
routine
• Learns by association
Learning Styles continued…
• Uneven developmental patterns
• Difficulty generalizing knowledge
and skills
• Difficulty learning through imitation
and observation
• Poor executive functioning
Strategies to support learning styles
–
–
–
–
–
Visual supports
Organization
Predictable schedules
Reduce auditory processing
Reading and math programs need to
be visual
– Utilize direct instruction
Behaviors are Restrictive and
Repetitive
• Rigidity, inflexibility, adherence to
sameness
• May melt down when sensory needs or
anxiety is increased
• Difficulty with changes in environment
or routine/transition
• Stereotypical behavior
• Non-compliance
More Behavioral Responses
• Self-injurious behavior
• Sudden changes in emotional
states
• Perseveration – high areas of
interests, desires
• Poor organizational skills
Strategies to support positive
behaviors
–
–
–
–
–
Scheduled reinforcement
Framing new activities
Consistency
Building upon Communicative Intent
Implementing behavior plans
Students with ASD need to be
supported in developing…
Flexible responses
–
–
–
–
Provide choices
Allow routines
Respect refusals
Monitor medications and health
issues
Goals for educational services are the
same as those for typically
developing children:
PERSONAL INDEPENDENCE and
SOCIAL RESPONSIBILITY
Educating Children with Autism, National Research Academy, 2002, (birth to
eight years)
What we must remember…
Every person with autism is an
individual, and like all individuals,
has a unique personality and
combination of characteristics.
If children can’t learn the way we
teach, then we’d better teach them
the way they learn.
It is only with the heart that one can
see rightly… what is essential is
invisible to the eye.
The Little Prince
Effective Instruction
If it’s GOOD, it…
• respects neurology of autism
• is structured
• is motivating to child
• is developmental/hierarchical
• is individualized
• facilitates independence
• transitions across contexts
• includes practice of learned skills
• provides positive behavioral supports
Now…
• What are 3 new insights that you
have about students with ASD?
• On your mark
• Get set
• GO!
Cartoon
Effective Programs
Characteristics include:
• staff development and support
• support to families
• comprehensive curriculum
• utilization of effective
instructional strategies
• evaluation of student progress
• structured educational settings
and supports
In Closing…
If children can’t learn the way we
teach, then we’d better teach them
the way they learn.
The Autism Ribbon
References
Thank you
to the
Southern California Autism Training
Consortium
SCAT-C