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![Page 1: Unlocking the Puzzle: Educating Our Students with Autism in Elementary Classrooms Christina Mikuljan and Amy Duncan.](https://reader030.fdocuments.in/reader030/viewer/2022032723/56649d1a5503460f949f061c/html5/thumbnails/1.jpg)
Unlocking the Puzzle:
Educating Our Students with
Autism in Elementary Classrooms
Christina Mikuljan and Amy Duncan
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Today we will…..
• Discover key information about Autism Spectrum Disorders
• Examine the needs of students with ASD in the elementary school setting
• Identify strategies that you can use tomorrow in your classroom
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Accessing Our Expertise…..
What is Autism? Quiz:• Write down three things that
come to mind when you hear the word Autism.
• You have 1 minute!• Ready, set, …
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Group Discussion
• What did you come up with?
• What are some common threads among our ideas?
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So, What is Autism?
• Autism is a complex developmental disability
• Typically appears during the first 3 years of life
• The result of a neurological disorder that affects the functioning of the brain
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Educational Definition
• Autism is a developmental disability that:– significantly affects verbal and non-
verbal communication – Affects social interaction – Is generally evident before age 3– Adversely affects educational
performance
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Autism is a puzzle
Social Cognitive
Age Repetitive Behaviors
Gender Communication
Intervention
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What we do know…• Worldwide increase in the incidence
of autism in past 10 years• CDC Study estimates between 5.5
and 5.7 in 1000 school age children have the diagnosis of autism
• It is estimated that at least 300,00 school age children had autism in 2003-04
(http://www,edc.gov/mmwr/
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Statewide growth in CaliforniaAges 0 – 22 years with Autism as the primary handicapping condition
0
5000
10000
15000
20000
25000
30000
35000
1998 1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004
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SELPA vs. County wide growth in CaliforniaAges 0 – 22 years with Autism as the primary handicapping condition
0
200
400
600
800
1000
1200
1400
2000 2001 2002 2003 2004
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Recent Research Indicates….• Two subtypes:early onset and
regressive• The distribution of white matter,
the nerve fibers that link diverse parts of the brain is abnormal
• The immune system may play a critical role
• Many of the classic “behaviors” are coping mechanisms
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In addition…
• What appears to be lack of responsiveness or emotion may be the result of impaired communication
• The most likely causes are a combination of genetic vulnerabilities and environmental triggers
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Brains on the Autism Spectrum
• Grow at an unusual rate by age 2 and have enlarged frontal lobes
• The corpus callosum is undersize causing poor coordination between the hemispheres
• Amygdala is enlarged perhaps is response to anxiety
• Hippocampus is 10% larger perhaps indicating the need to rely on memory to interpret situations
• Cerebellum does not support motor planning and coordination
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In short…
• There are too many local connections and fewer long distance ones creating processing that is poorly coordinated.
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Autism is a “Umbrella Disorder”
Autism
Rhett’s Syndrome
PDD-NOS Asperger’s Syndrome
Childhood Disintegrative Disorder
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Subcategories of Autism
• Autism• High Functioning Autism• Asperger’s Syndrome• Rhett’s Syndrome• Childhood Disintegrative Disorder• Pervasive Developmental
Disorder – Not Otherwise Specified (PDD-NOS)
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Classic Autism• Prefer to be alone• Engage in self stimulatory behavior • Limited communication skills• May not want to be cuddled or touched• Like to watch parts of or the same movie
over and over• Routine bound • Prefer sameness• Little or no eye contact• Noticeable physical over activity or extreme
under activity
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High Functioning Autism• Not an official medical term • Individual with average to above average
IQ • Can function in the typical settings with
minimal assistance• Fairly good communication skills • Verbal skills higher than comprehension• Often able to decode but has poor
comprehension• LRE maybe the general ed setting, RSP or
SDC.
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Asperger’s Syndrome• Impairment of two-way social interaction• Speech which is odd and pedantic• Limited non-verbal communication skills• Resistance to change and enjoyment of
repetitive activities• Distinct special interests and rote
memory• Poor motor coordination, with odd gait
and posture and some motor stereotypes.
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What Are People with Autism like?
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• While we need technical information to inform our thinking, sometimes the answers we need come from the heart.
You can understand what autism is by what we know about ourselves
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Think About It……..• Do you like to know what you are doing
during the day?• Do you have a hobby or special interest?• Do you like some time to be alone when
you get overwhelmed?• Do you like roller coasters?• Do you get into a social situation and
not know what to say or do?• Do you have days when it really is all
about you?• Do you think it would be easier if
everyone just could see things your way?
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What are the things you do right now that meet the needs of these students?
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Where should the educational FOCUS be
with students
with ASD?
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Impaired Communication
May exhibit the following:• Non verbal very verbal• Echolalia • Poor receptive/expressive
language• Oral motor difficulties – apraxia• Appears “not to hear”
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Communication continued…
• Inconsistently shows lack of communicative intent
• Language used to obtain a “goal” rather than for a social purpose
• Literal/concrete• Use of language “scripts”
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More Communication cont…• Difficulty answering questions• Difficulty with pronouns,
negatives, and time concepts• Difficulty switching/staying on
topic• Limited range of conversational
topics• Odd rhythm, intonation and/or
volume
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Strategies to support communication…Rely on visualsPicture symbol communication systems (PECS)• Time to process receptive
language• Assistive Technology
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Vantage Point
The low-functioning child with autism, “lives in a world of his own,” whereas the higher functioning child with autism “lives in our world but in his own way”. (VanKrevelen, 1991)
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Impaired Social Interaction
May exhibit the following:• Limited eye contact• Less responsive to
social/nonverbal cues• Unusual play or limited interests
with toys and objects• Lack of imaginary play
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Social Interaction continued…• Lack of join attention/joint reference• Limited social awareness• Difficulty initiating social interactions or
maintaining reciprocal conversation• Preference for isolation or parallel play• Difficulty taking perspective of another,
including their feelings, motives or intent (Theory of Mind)
• Not seeking comfort when hurt or distressed
• Lack of understanding of social distance/proximity
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More Social Interaction cont…
• Lack of understanding of social rules and conventions: – Turn taking– Sharing– Rules of the game– Winning/losing– First/last
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Strategies to support students with ASD… Teach the social rules• Structured play/group activities
– Simple board games
• Provide structured peer interactions– Schedules– Teaching the rules
• Social Stories
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Sensory Processing Deficits
May exhibit the following:• Difficulty processing and regulating
sensory information – auditory, visual, tactile, kinesthetic, olfactory, taste and environmental conditions– Hypersensitivity may lead to avoidance of
the source– Hyposensitivity may lead to seeking or
fluctuating response to the source• Poorly modulated attention
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Strategies to support sensory needs…Provide opportunities for sensory
processing regulation (breaks)Provide “fidgets”Build sensory diet into the
scheduleTeach “self regulation” options
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Alternative Learning Styles
May exhibit the following:• Stronger visual learner• Rote memory skills are stronger than
conceptual abilities• Display “splinter” skills• Functions better with structure and
routine• Learns by association
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Learning Styles continued…
• Uneven developmental patterns• Difficulty generalizing knowledge
and skills• Difficulty learning through
imitation and observation• Poor executive functioning
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Strategies to support learning styles
– Visual supports– Organization – Predictable schedules– Reduce auditory processing– Reading and math programs need to
be visual – Utilize direct instruction
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Behaviors are Restrictive and Repetitive
• Rigidity, inflexibility, adherence to sameness
• May melt down when sensory needs or anxiety is increased
• Difficulty with changes in environment or routine/transition
• Stereotypical behavior• Non-compliance
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More Behavioral Responses
• Self-injurious behavior• Sudden changes in emotional
states• Perseveration – high areas of
interests, desires• Poor organizational skills
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Strategies to support positive behaviors
– Scheduled reinforcement– Framing new activities– Consistency– Building upon Communicative Intent– Implementing behavior plans
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Students with ASD need to be supported in developing…Flexible responses
– Provide choices– Allow routines– Respect refusals– Monitor medications and health
issues
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Goals for educational services are the same as those for typically developing
children:
PERSONAL INDEPENDENCE and SOCIAL RESPONSIBILITY
Educating Children with Autism, National Research Academy, 2002, (birth to eight years)
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What we must remember…
Every person with autism is an individual, and like all individuals,
has a unique personality and combination of characteristics.
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If children can’t learn the way we teach, then we’d better teach them
the way they learn.
It is only with the heart that one can see rightly… what is
essential is invisible to the eye.
The Little Prince
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Effective InstructionIf it’s GOOD, it…• respects neurology of autism• is structured• is motivating to child• is developmental/hierarchical• is individualized• facilitates independence• transitions across contexts• includes practice of learned skills• provides positive behavioral supports
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Now…
• What are 3 new insights that you have about students with ASD?
• On your mark• Get set• GO!
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Cartoon
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Effective Programs
Characteristics include:• staff development and support• support to families• comprehensive curriculum• utilization of effective
instructional strategies• evaluation of student progress• structured educational settings
and supports
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In Closing…
If children can’t learn the way we teach, then we’d better teach them the way they learn.
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The Autism Ribbon
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References
Thank you to the
Southern California Autism Training Consortium
SCAT-C