Autism Employment Consideration

1. AutismEmployment Consideration Ronda Feterl Black Hills Special Services Cooperative

2. Learner Objectives • Understand some fundamental characteristics of autism spectrum disorder • Basic knowledge of three types of thinking • Employment preparation • Employment accommodations to consider • Potential Employment considerations

3. What is Autism Spectrum Disorder • Impairment in Social Communication Interaction • Restricted, Repetitive Patterns of Behavior, Interests, or Activities • Symptoms are present in early childhood • Symptoms together limit and impair everyday functioning. (Executive functioning)

4. Impairment Social Interaction • “I’m observing the girls in my class to find one with ASD so I can watch her closely for her values and morals so that when we get out of high school I can ask her to marry me and not mess with having to date her first.”

9. 30 Years of Research • Limbic System affected: There might be differences in (arousal, motivation, social interactions) • Lower brain is affected as well: Emotions • Higher brain/Cortex IS NOT AFFECTED: Memory/Information • Right Brain Thinkers are Visual Thinkers…… Specific to General • Left Brain Thinkers are Verbal Thinkers…..General to Specific

10. Related Concerns • Co-existing Diagnoses • Attention Deficit Hyperactive Disorder • Obsessive Compulsive Disorder • Depression • Anxiety

11. In addition • Cognitive disability • “Splinter skills” • Language comprehension less than vocabulary suggests • Short attention span • Impulsivity • Four times more in Males than Females • Temper tantrums • Exaggerated Reactions to lights, odors, touch, sound • Eating abnormalities • Sleep disorders • Fear • Anxiety • Depression

12. Autism Statistics • Autism statistics from the U.S. Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) identify around 1 in 88 American children on the autism spectrum disorder. • A 10 fold increase in 40 years. • Found in all cultures and economic groups • Studies show ASD is 4-5 times more common in boys. An estimated 1:54 boys and 1:252 girls in the United States. ASD affects over 2 M individuals in the U.S.

13. What causes Autism? • There is no one cause of autism just as there is no one type of autism • Over the past 5 years, a number of rare gene changes or mutations associated with autism. • Most cases of autism, appears to be caused by a combination of autism risk genes and environmental factors influencing early brain development. • Current hypothesis: genetic etiology causing neurological and brain abnormalities

14. 3 Types Specialized Thinkers • Visual: • Love art/building (legos/magnetics) • Math concepts are a challenge • Drawing 1 thing @ • Music/Math • Patterns of pictures • #’s/musical notes • Savant type calculations • Playing song/video clip of movie after hearing it once • Verbal Logic Thinkers • Loves lists • Memorizes bus routes, timetables, historical events, sports stats

15. Employment Preparation • Social interaction through shared interest • School Clubs • Hobbies • Careers • Classes that are of high interest • Social and job skills to consider • Turn taking in conversations and activities • Being on Time • Do things that are asked of them • Saying please and thank you

16. Employment accommodations • Sensory and Neurological Problems that may need accommodations • Screams when the fire alarm rings • Tantrums at the supermarket • Cannot tolerate scratchy clothes • Poor handwriting • Tantrums or hyperactive under florescent lights • Difficulty multitasking • Difficulty with long verbal directions

17. Most of us use some type of visual supports to organize our daily lives • Calendars, daily planners • Schedules, TV guides, theater guides • Shopping lists, notes, menus • Signs, labels • Maps • Checkbooks, phone books • Assembly or operating instructions

18. Visual Supports • Many people use a few of these techniques • Few people use many of them

19. Top to Bottom Object Schedule

20. Full Day Photo Schedule

21. Picture Symbol Schedule

22. Written Schedule

23. Written Schedule-Part Day • 9:00 Work 1 • 9:45 Work 2 • 10:30 Break • 10:45 Volunteer) • 11:15 Lunch • 11:45 Break • 12:00 Work 3 Done _______ Done _______ Done _______ Done _______ Done _______ Done _______ Done _______

24. Participants Agenda • 8:30 Welcome-Overview-Housekeeping • 8:45 Page 7-needed qualities; p 10-priorities, P12-Interview sequence • 9:00 Rate the written narrative • 9:10 Sharing scores and discuss • 9:20 Applied Humanism-the sermon • 9:30 Enduring success • 10:00 Promoting Independence • 10:15 Break • 10:30 Promoting Independence

25. Participants Agenda • 8:30 Lecture • 10:15 Break • 10:30 Lecture • 12:00 Lunch • 12:45 Lecture • 2:00 Break • 2:15 More Lecture • 4:00 Done

26. Schedules…. • Schedules Generate Predictability: Lessen Anxiety • Schedules are NEVER faded from people • Schedules are Tools for LIFE-LONG Independence • Schedule Design Grows with the Person • Schedules establish Routines and Consistency

27. Jobs for Visual Thinkers • Computer network specialist • Computer troubleshooter • Graphic Arts • Drafting (electrician, plumber) • Auto mechanic • Equipment design • Photographer • Animal trainer

28. Jobs for Music and Math Thinkers(pattern thinkers) • Math teacher • Scientific researcher • Electronics technician • Music teacher • Chemist • Computer programmer • Engineer • Physicist • Statistician

29. Jobs for Verbal Thinkers(Translation) • Bookkeeper and record keeper • Budget analysis • Book indexer • Legal researcher • Inventory Control Specialist • Accountant • Stocks and bonds analysist

30. Jobs for People with Poor Verbal Skills or Non-Verbal • Shelve Library Books • Factory Assembly Work • Fast Food Restaurant Work • Data Entry • Lawn and Garden Work • Recycling Plant • Stocking Shelves • Inventory Control • Warehouse

31. Remember….. • Weaker Areas • Abstract • Auditory • Reasoning • Judgment • Imitation • Generalization • Stronger Areas • CONCRETE • VISUAL • DETAILED • SPECIFIC • GESTALT-CHUNKS