Pennsylvania Training and Technical Assistance Network

Transition to Community Based Employment for Students with Autism

Spectrum Disorder

July 21, 2011

Kathryn Poggi, Educational Consultant, PaTTAN - Pittsburgh

Suzanne Laird, Educational Consultant, PaTTAN - Pittsburgh

PaTTAN’s Mission

The mission of the Pennsylvania Training and

Technical Assistance Network (PaTTAN) is to support the

efforts and initiatives of the Bureau of Special Education, and to build the capacity of

local educational agencies to serve students who receive special education services.

PDE’s Commitment to Least Restrictive Environment (LRE)

Our goal for each child is to ensure Individualized

Education Program (IEP) teams begin with the general

education setting with the use of Supplementary Aids and

Services before considering a more restrictive

environment.

Participant Learning Objectives:• Review Facts about Students with Autism Spectrum

Disorder (ASD) including Specific Characteristics

• Describe the Purpose of the PDE Performance Grants and Data Collected to Support Students with ASD Entering the Community Workplace

• Discuss how the Components of the Career Implementation Plans including Instructional Strategies: Communication/language, Auditory Processing, Assistive Technology and supports apply specifically to students with Autism in the Workplace

• Hear a Parent’s Perspective about the Importance of Early Transition Planning Leading to Independence in the Work Place after High School

Some Facts about Autism Spectrum Disorder to be Considered in School and

Workplace• Neurobiological Disorder that is usually lifelong

• Appears to be evenly distributed across Social Economic Status and educational levels

• Many characteristics and behaviors associated with ASD can improve with early intervention

• 70% – 80%- of children have average intelligence

General Autism Spectrum Characteristics to Prepare

for Workplace • Sequential and order skills should be targeted through

mass trials and repeat practice intervals in school and workplace

• Learners on the spectrum often have very literal thinking. Input and feedback must be highly considered to prevent discouragement and frustration

• Reinforce every effort the learner has to experience success and to create motivation for them to continue working on the designated task/skill

The Autism Characteristics(continued)

• Attempts should be made to allow each task/skill and content area to be presented positively and to create motivation

• Autism characteristics may lend themselves to increased instances of ill-timed behavior, awkwardness, and sometimes total misunderstandings

• Every effort should be made to support the learners’

self-esteem and to ensure that a mistake is not viewed as them being any less of a success. Approximations should be celebrated and highly praised in the process

Characteristics and Effect on Learning in a Community Workplace

• Assess in school and workplace so instruction is skill based and meets the needs in a variety of environments.

• Implement the components of the Systematic Career Development Plan which targets the students skill deficits and builds on the strengths

• We MUST be prepared for this!

So, what can we do to assist the learners?• Daily observation and ongoing assessment and

progress monitoring are essential

• Areas of behavior, communication, language and auditory processing are crucial points to consider. It is imperative to continually assess and incorporate instructional strategies that are functional and readily translate to the workplace

• Teaching strategies must rely on solid foundations of mastered skills. Fluency that is noted through skill competence lends itself to ongoing reinforcement

Some key points to remember

• Individuals with Autism Spectrum Disorders frequently have difficulties understanding language and processing both verbal and nonverbal social exchanges

• Receptive skills and problem solving are areas that tend to require repeated practice and scaffold levels of support

How did Pennsylvania school districts, intermediate units, charter and private schools get support to bridge the gap in their programming for students with

ASD?

• The PA Department of Education, Bureau of Special Education Performance Grants addressed the challenges facing school entities for their educating and including students with ASD into the community and workplace!

• A Request for Proposals(RFP) was sent via Penn Link to school entities to develop and submit a grant to address a career development plan for students with Autism Spectrum Disorder leading from school to community workplace experiences

2007 -2011 Transition to Community Based Employment for

Students with Autism Spectrum DisorderPurpose

– Establish or expand transition programming from school contexts to employment sites for students with Autism Spectrum Disorders

– Unite youth and families, educational, agency, and business partners to develop and implement systematic career development strategies with a strong emphasis on assessment specific to students with Autism Spectrum Disorders

– Evidenced based data collected from Grantees

Pennsylvania Performance Grant: Transition to Community Based Employment for Students with ASD• Targeted students between 14 and 21

• Assessment for interest and preference

• Linkages with businesses for job shadowing, vocational training and ultimately have a job with pay based on their Post Secondary Goals

• Required evidenced based data collection

• Implementation of a Career Development Plan

Transition from School to Community Based Employment for Students with Autism Spectrum

DisorderFinal Summary of Evidenced Based Data Collection

429 Students with Autism Spectrum Disorder were targeted.

Students with an Employment Goals - 202

Students with a Post Secondary Education and Training Goals - 82

Student with Independent Living Goals –111 (goal added in 2008)

Students participating in community based assessment - 191

Students participating in community vocational training - 151

Students participating in community paid work experiences – 206

* Graphic Organizer to Assist is Career Development

Systematic Career Development Plan

. Develop an implementation plan to include components of Systematic Career Development – * Fishbone Graphic Organizer

• Form a Career Team or Advisory Board• Target Student and Engage Family• Comprehensive Autism Assessment (CAA tool)• Transition/career assessment(s)• Continuum of evidenced based instructional strategies• Business and family partnerships, interagency

collaboration• Travel/Transportation • Staff/professional/ family professional development• Marketing/ Outreach/Sustainability

What a Systematic Career Plan Looks Like!!

• Actual video clips of students in vocational assessment, training leading to paid work!

How the Career Plan ‘fits” to Meet Specific Student Needs

More in depth information for success in the workplace:• Communication/language strategies for verbal and non

verbal students- (Picture cues and flowcharts)• Language and auditory processing practice – multiple

step directions.• Bridging the language gaps in the workplace for verbal

and non verbal students• Generalization• Inner and external environment• Structure, schedules, predictability• Additional tips and considerations

Points to consider-What if the student has language?

• A large vocabulary and being verbal – does not equal success in understanding all that is heard

• Learning is based on focus, experiences, and sensory input

Bridging the communication/language gap in the workplace• Examine the way that you and the employer

communicate- do some self-evaluation – the outcome will boost our learners’ success

• Directions that have the fewest words are always the best

• We need to slow down….notice how we use words, how we explain and provide information

• Our learners are relying on us to guide them through the steps and to develop the confidence to remain engaged with the task

A few more tips to REMEMBER:

• The pace of our speech is a critical factor

• We must also pay great attention to what we are communicating nonverbally

• Nonverbal communication is an area of difficulty for learner’s on the spectrum: body language and facial expressions are not readily understood

• Additional self monitoring on our part is needed for sarcasm, humor, idioms, and slang

A little more about language• Your choice of words is very important- remember

that the learner is often very literal and concrete with word definitions

• Once the learner understands what you are saying and the directions to complete the task - you may then begin to teach new and varied ways of saying it- GENERALIZE

Language and processing• It may take the learner longer than anticipated to

process verbal information

• Remember to always –pause and wait in silence before expecting a reply

• Avoid repeating yourself-unless the learner asks

• The pause may feel like an ETERNITY, but in reality, it isn’t

Language strategies• It is important to remember to slow down and to only

use the words that are necessary

• Avoid being “too wordy”

• Try to get in the habit of speaking in a calm and matter-of-fact tone of voice. This tone is beneficial when teaching and reacting to situations that may have prompted escalation in the past

• When Praising and Reinforcing always be very genuine and animated. Your feedback is critical in keeping the learner motivated and to continue task engagement

Additional tips for community and workplace

• Pay attention to the surroundings and the environment when providing directions or expecting a response. Provide necessary wait time and/or move to a lesser busy context to allow for concentration and checks for understanding

• Always be aware of DISTRACTIONS

• Implement strategies that have worked and that you know the learner is familiar with

Autism: inner and external environment• Try to be aware of your learners’ “inner environment”

and notice when they are becoming distracted or anxious

• You can be a very effective buffer and can signal when a break is needed or when moving to an alternative activity will be beneficial

• Be aware of thresholds and tolerances to set the stage for your learner’s success

Ways to create structure in the workplace

• Utilize a daily schedule to manage distractions

• Call upon visual skills and instruction that uses pictures, symbols, and sequential photographs

• Prompting may become a self-initiated sequence via the use of flowcharts and reminder pictures/directions to help maintain engagement and see a task through to completion

Additional supports that lead to successful outcomes:• Continually assess interests, strengths, and needs

with regard to targeted duties

• Establish support systems in the workplace context

• Use rehearsals and ongoing practice routines

• Use desensitization when necessary

Additional considerations for making the community job placement “fit”

• Social awareness and communication skills

• Cognitive skills

• Technical and motor-related skills

• Appropriate behaviors and environmental skills

• Calming and de-escalating skills

Parent’s Perspective of Autism: Career in the Workplace

• Role of the student and parent

• Role of the school district

• Supports and Linkages

• Responsibilities after High School: Preparation of a journal or portfolio – capturing success and also noting areas of challenges

Poster Session Follows….. You are invited to the Senate Room to talk

with the granteees and see innovative grant materials, including

the use of Universal Design for Learning (UDL)

Questions……Comments??

Thanks for your attention!

Contact Information www.pattan.net

Kathryn Poggi 1.800.446.5607 x6857kpoggi@pattan.net

Suzanne Laird1.800.446.5607 x6865slaird@pattan.net

Commonwealth of PennsylvaniaTom Corbett, Governor

Pennsylvania Department of EducationRonald J. Tomalis, Secretary

Dr. Carolyn Dumaresq, Deputy SecretaryOffice for Elementary and Secondary

Education

John J. Tommasini, DirectorBureau of Special Education

Patricia Hozella, Assistant DirectorBureau of Special Education