Inclusion Strategies for Students with Autism

1. Inclusion Strategies for Students with Autism Presented by MNPS Autism Team

2. A voice from a person with autism: “There is nothing more frustrating than the lifelong accumulation of scars that result from trying to be like normal people and failing daily. It is especially hard when your disability is invisible like mine.” By: Jerry Newport Your Life Is Not a Label

3. Welcome To The Training Hi, welcome to the Inclusion Strategies training. When you’re in this training today you will hear lots of information. When you hear lots of information it’s best that you don’t panic or feel overwhelmed. Your instructors are here to help you.

4. If you start to feel panicked or overwhelmed, you should stand-up and stretch or walk in the hall or write down why you are frustrated on a piece of paper to share with your instructor later. We will take frequent breaks and we will have a lunch break at around 11:30. At the end of the day, you will get to go home – and that’s good.

5. The rules for training are: • Have fun • Participate • Listen • Take a break when you need it.

6. Primary Characteristics of Autism • Impaired Social Relating and Reciprocity • Disordered Language and Communication Development • Restricted Interests and Repetitive Activities

7. Autism Spectrum Disorder • Autism • Asperger’s Syndrome • PDD-NOS (Pervasive Developmental Delay-Not Otherwise Specified) • Non-Verbal Learning Disorder

8. The Continuum of the Spectrum Severe autism Mild autism Low cognitive High cognitive High verbal Low verbal

9. Why Diagnose Autism? • Leads to appropriate treatment planning and intervention • Facilitates communication among professionals and families • Allows access to intervention services • Provides a means for parents to become informed and to join support networks

11. Why Be Concerned? • 1990..... 1 in 2,000 • 2000..... 1 in 600 • 2004..... 1 in 275 • 2007….. 1 in 150

12. 70% of people with Autism are unemployed The higher the functioning, the higher the unemployment!

13. http://modelmekids.com/autism-documentary.html

14. Objectives • To gain an understanding of Autism as it relates to our classrooms. • To understand the social, sensory, and communication difficulties associated with autism and interventions used. • To the importance of visuals as it relates to your classrooms. • To gain ideas on modifying activities to include all students with ASD.

15. Activity #1 • On the paper, list your honest concerns or fears from your experience including children on the spectrum in your educational setting. • What were set backs? • What resources were available to you? • Other? • Get it out of your system!

16. IDEIA Significant changes related to inclusion: 1997 2004 Emphasis on process Emphasis on results “Wait to fail” model Early intervention Dual system Single system Lack of validity Scientifically based Compliance Student achievement LD- IQ discrepancy LD- RTI Mainstreaming Inclusion

17. Mainstreaming Students must “earn” the opportunity to participate in a regular setting by demonstrating the ability to “keep up” with the regular classroom. Students travel to the services. Inclusion The commitment to educate each child in the regular classroom setting, to the maximum extent appropriate. Services are brought to the student. Mainstreaming VS Inclusion

18. What is a modification? A change in what is being taught to the student or what is expected of the student. What is a accommodation? A change that helps a student overcome or work around their disability.

19. Inclusion: What does it mean? Inclusion Means: • Educating all children with disabilities in regular classes regardless of their condition • Supporting regular teachers and principals • Involving students with disabilities in age-appropriate classes • Taking parent’s concerns seriously • Providing an appropriate educational program

20. Inclusion: What does it mean? Inclusion does NOT mean: • “Dumping” students with disabilities into regular programs with no preparation or support • Ignoring student’s individual needs • Placing unreasonable demands on teachers and administrators • Placing students with disabilities in schools or classes that are not age appropriate • Requiring that students be “ready” and “earn” their way into regular classrooms based on cognitive or social skills

21. Modifications can be found at the bottom of the goal pages. Accommodations can be found at the bottom of the goal pages. BOTH can also be found on the modifications page of the IEP. Where do I find them?

22. Where do we begin? • The IEP team needs to work together to promote success for the students in the classroom. • ALL members of the IEP team need to help with modifications and accommodations. It is not a one-man job.

23. Curriculum Modifications

24. Steps for Modifying the Curriculum Can the student do the same activity at the same level as peers? If not…. .

25. Can the student do the same activity with adapted expectations?? EXAMPLE: Less words on the spelling test Can the student do the same activity with adapted expectations and materials? EXAMPLE: Matching the words to the pictures

26. Can the student do a similar activity but with adapted expectations? EXAMPLE: Words that are functional and in the student’s daily environment • Can the student do a similar activity but with adapted materials? EXAMPLE: computer spelling program

27. Can the student do a different, parallel activity? EXAMPLE: learn a computer typing program, write or put pictures in journal • Can the student do a different activity in a different section of the room? EXAMPLE: Water the plants, file for the teacher

28. Can the student do a functional activity in another part of the school? EXAMPLE: help the librarian, office staff, cafeteria workers, or a teacher in a younger grade perform duties. You have to get creative with modifications!! Taken from: David Gaston, Olympia School District Olympia Washington Mary A. Falvey, Ph. D. Professor-California State University, L.A.

29. Reading Kindergarten Standard: Recognize words that have the same beginning and ending sounds. IEP goal: Identify all upper case and lowercase letters of the alphabet.

30. Reading Accommodations: preferential seating and visual schedule How would you modify this goal in the classroom?

31. Mathematics 2nd grade standard: use a variety of strategies and representations to add and subtract two-digit whole numbers IEP GOAL: The student will add and subtract two-digit whole numbers.

32. Mathematics • The accommodations are: visuals, token system, abbreviated assignments, extra grade opportunities. • How would we modify this?

33. Language 7th grade Language: Identify the correct use of prepositional phrases (place correctly according to the words they modify within the sentence) within context. IEP GOAL: The student will identify prepositions in pictures.

34. Language • The accommodations are: communication system, visuals, abbreviated assignments, small group instruction. • How would we modify this?

35. Visual Schedules and Supports What are they? How can I use them effectively?

36. Visual Supports If I can't picture it. I can't understand it. -Albert Einstein I THINK IN PICTURES. Words are like a second language to me. I translate both spoken and written words into full-color movies, complete with sound, which run like a VCR tape in my head. -Temple Grandin

37. Visual Supports are an effective instructional tool… • “Visual supports organize a sequence of events, enhancing the student’s ability to understand, anticipate and participate in those events. • Visual supports supplement verbal instruction, clarifying the information for the student and increasing comprehension. • Visual supports can be used to cue communication, providing reminders of what to do and say in a situation.” Quill, 1995

38. Visual Schedule: What is it? A visual schedule is a set of objects, pictures, or words that communicates a series of activities or steps to the activity. A visual schedule fosters independence in the child with autism because it decreases the need for constant adult attention.

39. Why do they work? • Children with autism have strength in the ability to understand visual information. • Schedules utilize this strength by communicating information that helps children predict and plan their environment.

40. What can I use to make them? Objects Line drawings Written lists Photos Word cards

41. How do they look? • Supports can be used in any situation and are going to vary WIDELY depending on the child. • Can be presented in binders, paper, file folders, schedule boards, etc.

42. Where do I start? • Decide the modality of the schedule. • Choose what the child needs a schedule for. • Write down the steps of your chosen routine on a piece of paper. • Post the schedule up in a logical and easy-to-see place. • TEACH THE SCHEDULE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

43. Visual Schedules • Schedules should be arranged from a "top-to-bottom" or "left-to-right" format • Child should have a way to manipulate the schedule • Child should have a place to put the icon when they are finished with the activity

44. When First Introducing Schedules: 1. A “check schedule” card is kept right next to the schedule. When it is time for the student to transition to the next activity the card is handed to the student with the request to “check your schedule”. The student will bring the card back to the place where it belongs, thus bringing him to his schedule. 2. Once the student is at their schedule they can be cued or physically assisted to take the next card on the schedule. 3. The picture in their hand tells them where they are going. A “receiver envelope” is kept at the site where the activity will occur. The student puts the picture in the envelope and then he is right there where the activity takes place—transition complete! Nathan NATHAN

45. Schedule Examples Individualized Circle Time Schedule

46. Photo Schedule Object Schedule

47. FIRST/THEN VISUAL The first-thenstrategy allows the "first" expectation (whether a task, activity or assignment) to be modified, as needed. The modification is in terms of task completion and amount of prompting, in order to accommodate the student's daily fluctuations in his ability to process in-coming information. Then he can move on to his next visually scheduled task/activity .

48. First Then Boards

49. Improve meaning of abstract tasks with visuals

50. A red X or circle with a line through it placed on a picture gives the child a visual of what the word NO means. Teaching NO!!!!!