Employment for Individuals with Autism who use AAC

1. Employment for Individuals with Autism who use AAC David McNaughton Janice Light Stephanie Gulla The Pennsylvania State University

2. What is known • Very small numbers of people with autism employed • Traditionally, low expectations for employment • OVR • Recently, increasing expectations • IDEA Individual Transition Plan • ADA • Work in a variety of positions • Most frequently food service

3. Who is most likely to have a job? • Productive (strong work ethic) • Communication skills • Communicate basic needs and wants • Understand simple instructions • Social behaviors • Low rate or absence of antisocial behaviors • Some positive pro-social behaviors

4. What kind of jobs work well? • Good job match • Clearly defined work task and work area • Supports in place • Predictable (not repetitious) • Receptive employer and coworker

5. Positive aspects of work? • Income and independence for individual with autism • Reduced stress for family members • Benefit to employer

6. Negative aspects of employment • Increased stress for family • ongoing support? • Safety issues for individuals with autism • Increased demands for employer and co-workers

7. Barriers • Lack of support services • Transportation • Workplace training and supervision • Public attitudes • Limited education/experiences of individuals with autism

8. Supports • Personal characteristics • Personal support networks • Identify jobs that match strengths and weaknesses of individual with autism • Receptive co-workers and employers

9. DO-IT!

10. Peter • 31, lives at home with father • Follows 2-3 step commands, some speech understood by familiar partners • Uses a “Hip Talk” programmed with 6-8 phrases (“How are you?”) • Strengths: attention to detail, enjoys routines • Challenges: Safety issues, lack of assertiveness

11. Peter • Describe goal • Be out of house for 4 hours per day • Earn money for social activities

12. Peter • Outline lots of ways to meet goal • Clean tables at school • Stock shelves at “$ Store” • Bag groceries

13. What would be a good job match? • Be around other people • Good receptive vocabulary • Small expressive vocabulary • Value meticulous work • Allowed to work at slow steady pace • From Goals: 4 hours, some $

15. Peter • Take action: Bagging groceries • Fast lane - slow lane • Collect data on other workers • emphasize on time, attendance • Programmed HipTalker

16. Larry • 32, lives in his own apartment • Follows 2-3 step commands, reads • Use some sign, write messages • Strengths: • motivated by opinion of others, socially appropriate, knows when to ask for assistance • Weaknesses: • limited expressive communication, can be distracted by others

17. Jim • 34, lives at home with his parents • Good receptive language • Some speech, good reading and writing skills • Strengths: Very sociable, strong work ethic • Weaknesses: no fear of danger, slow rate of work, slow to learn some work-place social skills, some compulsive behaviors

18. How To Identify Prospective Employers “Workers with autism can utilize the same methods of finding employment as workers without disabilities” (Smith, Belcher, Juhrs, 2000)

19. The Job Search Networking • Utilizing contacts / relationships with others to connect to potential jobs • Family • Friends • Business acquaintances • Clubs • Churches

20. The Job Search Printed Material • Local newspapers / want ads • Yellow Pages • Trade journals • Business newsletters

21. The Job Search Job fairs • Offer face to face interaction with potential employers • For local job fairs contact: Chamber of commerce Local government agencies

22. The Job Search Job Canvassing • A “door to door” approach targeting local businesses • Face to face interaction offers an opportunity to discuss the details and nature of the job and company. • A good chance to assess the actual workplace.

23. The Job Search Seasonal Opportunities • Holiday times, summer jobs, company’s “busy season” • Serve as good temporary positions to test out employment potential • Late summer/early fall are ideal times to find jobs because many high school & college students leave positions to return to school.

24. The Job Search The Initial Contact • Educate the employer on the value of hiring an individual with autism. It can be valuable to the company. • Explain strengths, skills, performance of the individual with autism. (e.g., very task oriented, very timely, can pick up a skill after being shown one time) • Identify the supports that are available for the employers (e.g, job coach, Office of Vocational Rehabilitation, family support)

25. The Job Search The Follow-Up • Answer any remaining questions the employer may have. • Refocus the employer to the possibility of the hire (e.g., reemphasize the positive qualities of the individual, the value they would be to the company) • Keep a detailed log of who, what and when communication was made to employers

26. The Job Search Things to Keep In Mind • Larger companies have been found to have more knowledge of the American with Disabilities Act as it relates to the workplace. • The percentage of employers who claim to have made an accommodation for an employee with a disability increased from 51% in 1993 to 81% in 1995 (National Organization on Disability).

27. Dealing with Challenging Behaviors in the Workplace Possible Challenging Behaviors Include: • Difficulty with change • Maladaptive behaviors • Rituals/Compulsions • Inattention

28. Dealing with Challenging Behaviors in the Workplace Possible Solutions: • Conduct a vocational assessment • Assure a good job match • Implement behavior management program • Manage behavior, don’t eliminate it. • Make adjustments to job, as needed

29. Dealing with Challenging Behaviors in the Workplace Vocational Assessment A vocational assessment can include evaluation of: • The individual’s abilities, strengths, weaknesses, interests, social & communication skills • Required job tasks • Workplace atmosphere • Accessibility of job location • Overall suitability of job Conducted through: • Reviewing past records, observation, interviews, • Trial & error placement

30. Dealing with Challenging Behaviors in the Workplace Behavior Good job match Jeff does not accept change or a new schedule Job with strict routine, same schedule every day (e.g., collecting bus tickets) Cathy yells or shrieks when she’s excited Job in a busy, noisier workplace, where her noise won’t bother co-workers (e.g, factory or warehouse) Chris paces hallways Job requiring walking a consistent path, (e.g, delivering mail though out an office building.) Assure a good job match

31. Dealing with Challenging Behaviors in the Workplace Implement a behavior management program • Assess meaning /purpose for the behavior (e.g., gain attention, seek help, avoid situation) • Provide individual with alternative means to express that purpose. • Provide positive reinforcement for positive behaviors • Praise, appropriate reinforcement, verbal prompts, written schedules, picture schedules, checklists, and self-evaluation of behavior may all prove helpful. Conducted via: • Job coach • Employer • Direct Supervisor • Co-Worker

32. Dealing with Challenging Behaviors in the Workplace Manage behaviors, don’t eliminate them Problem: • Amy scratches her skin as a form of self-stimulation. Solution: • Amy is provided with hand lotion to rub on her arms every 2 hours as an alternate form of stimulation.

33. Dealing with Challenging Behaviors in the Workplace Make Adjustments to Job As Needed Problem: • Due to poor communication/social skills, Mark was very anxious with customers who approach him with questions while he stocked shelves in a large department store Solution: • Mark wore plain clothes instead of the store uniform so customers would be less likely to approach him. • He was taught to direct customers to front desk for help.

34. TEACCH at University of North Carolina Mobile crew (all autism, move from site to site) Dispersed enclave(2-5 spread out at a worksite) Individual placement (1 at a worksite)

35. What does it take? • Good job match • A willing employer and co-workers • Intensive early support • Ongoing support (at reduced levels) • Workplace advocate

36. References • Smith, D.M., Belcher, R., & Juhrs, P. (1995). A guide to successful employment for individuals with autism. Baltimore, MD: Paul H. Brooks, Publishing Co. • Burt, D., Fuller, P., & Lewis (1991). Brief report: Competitive employment of adults with autism. Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders, 21 (1), 237-241. • Keel, J., Mesibov, G., & Woods, A. (1997). TEACCH-Supported employment program. Journal of Autism and other Developmental Disorders 27 (1), 3-9.