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Ten Tips for Dealing with Students with Autism

Ten Tips for Dealing with Students with Autism. Presented by: JIM WALSH. Get an Expert. Develop your own expertise. In case of litigation, get someone independent of the school district and follow that person’s advice. A Full Individual Evaluation.

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Ten Tips for Dealing with Students with Autism

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  1. Ten Tips for Dealing with Students with Autism Presented by: JIM WALSH

  2. Get an Expert • Develop your own expertise. • In case of litigation, get someone independent of the school district and follow that person’s advice.

  3. A Full Individual Evaluation • If there is any data indicating a need for special education due to autism, check it out with a proper evaluation. • Legal standard is to evaluate in all areas of suspected disability. • This seems to come up more in autism cases than elsewhere.

  4. Keep the Sloppy Copy • Be prepared to show that the IEP was changed after it was first drafted. • When IEPs are computerized, this may present a challenge. • Forget the environment: PRINT!

  5. Address Extracurriculars • First, ask the student what activities he/she would like to participate in. • Then, identify aids and services necessary for the student to have an opportunity to do so. • This includes accommodations for the tryout process for competitive activities.

  6. ABA • The issue is no longer whether ABA will be used, but rather, how much.

  7. Methodology • Forget about the court cases that say that the school gets to choose the methodology. • IEP Team must be prepared to address this, and explain why it believes that its methodology will enable the student to make progress.

  8. Generalization • Forget about the court cases that say the school has no duty to ensure generalization. • This is litigation strategy and should not influence the development of the IEP. • What parent of any child would not expect to see some generalization?

  9. Predetermination • Run your meeting so that a neutral observer looking over the paperwork a year later will conclude that you had an open mind.

  10. For the Parents • Predetermination is a two-way street. When courts perceive parents to be closed minded and rigid, they will label the parents as “unreasonable” and rule against them. • The process is designed to be collaborative, cooperative, involving some give and take.

  11. Junk Science • All of us have a responsibility to support legitimate research about the causes of autism and the possible treatments. • For example, take a look at www.autismsciencefoundation.org.

  12. Contact Information Jim Walsh Walsh, Anderson, Brown, Gallegos and Green, P.C. P.O. Box 2156 Austin, Texas 78768 P: (512) 454-6864 F: (512) 467-9318 jwalsh@wabsa.com

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