AUTISM

SPECTRUM DISORDER
BY: AUDREY JOHNSON AND SANDRA ORTIZ

WHAT IS AUTISM SPECTRUM DISORDER?

DEFINITION ACCORDING TO IDEA:

AUTISM MEANS A DEVELOPMENTAL DISABILITY SIGNIFICANTLY AFFECTING VERBAL AND NONVERBAL
COMMUNICATION AND SOCIAL INTERACTION, GENERALLY EVIDENT BEFORE AGE THREE, THAT
ADVERSELY AFFECTS A CHILD'S EDUCATIONAL PERFORMANCE. OTHER CHARACTERISTICS OFTEN
ASSOCIATED WITH AUTISM ARE ENGAGEMENT IN REPETITIVE ACTIVITIES AND STEREOTYPED
MOVEMENTS, RESISTANCE TO ENVIRONMENTAL CHANGE OR IN DAILY ROUTINES, AND UNUSUAL
RESPONSES TO SENSORY EXPERIENCES (FRIEND 2014, PG. 318).

DEFINITION ACCORDING TO THE AMERICAN PSYCHIATRIC ASSOCIATION:

AUTISM IS A TYPE OF PERVASIVE DEVELOPMENTAL DISORDER (PDD), A TERM IN WHICH CHILDREN AND
YOUTH "ARE CHARACTERIZED BY SEVERE AND PERVASIVE IMPAIRMENT IN SEVERAL AREAS OF
DEVELOPMENT: RECIPROCAL SOCIAL INTERACTION SKILLS, COMMUNICATION SKILLS, OR THE
PRESENCE OF STEREOTYPED BEHAVIOR, INTEREST, AND ACTIVITIES" (FRIEND 2014, PG. 318).

HTTP://YOUTU.BE/RTA5OV3YJBM

HTTP://WWW.DISCOVERYFITANDHEALTH.COM/TV-SHOWS/PSYCH-WEEK/VIDEOS/THIS-IS-AUTISM.HTM

HTTP://WWW.YOUTUBE.COM/WATCH?V=NWNLWX4IYJ4

Characteristics of Autism
Cognitive
Academic
Social

Emotional
Behavior

STUDENT BACKGROUND
NAME: MELODY
o 16 YEARS OLD
o 11TH GRADE STUDENT
o DIAGNOSED WITH AUTISM AND HAS A SPEECH IMPAIRMENT
-SLP HAS RELEASED MELODY FROM SPEECH SERVICES DUE TO HER DEMONSTRATING FUNCTIONAL
LANGUAGE SKILLS FOR THE CLASSROOM ENVIRONMENT

o BLACK AMERICAN
o FEMALE
o MAINSTREAMED STUDENT
o LOVES ATTENDING SCHOOL TO LEARN

STUDENT BACKGROUND
MELODY LIVES WITH HER MOTHER AND GRANDMOTHER. MELODY
DOES HAVE SOME FRIENDS AT SCHOOL THAT INITIATE CONTACT AND
CONVERSATION, BUT SHE IS USUALLY BY HERSELF. SHE ENJOYS USING
THE COMPUTER, COOKING, AND WATCHING TELEVISION.

ACCOMMODATIONS
o PROVIDE PREFERENTIAL SEATING

o CHECK OFTEN FOR UNDERSTANDING/REVIEW/COMPREHENSION

o SEAT STUDENT NEAR A PEER MODEL WHO CAN CLARIFY INFORMATION
o CALCULATION DEVICES
o EXTRA TIME
o SUPPLEMENTAL AIDS

o PROVIDE STUDY GUIDES AND PRACTICE TEST PRIOR TO THE TEST

SPECIFIC CHALLENGES
o COGNITIVE
o ACADEMICS

o SOCIAL SKILLS
o EMOTIONAL/BEHAVIOR

COGNITIVE
BASED ON TAKS/STANFORD-10 SCORES
AND WJ III TESTING THE COGNITIVE
PATTERN OF STRENGTHS AND WEAKNESS
INDICATE THAT MELODY HAS A WEAKNESS
IN THE AREA OF COMPREHENSIONKNOWLEDGE, WHICH IMPACTS HER
ACADEMIC ACHIEVEMENT IN THE AREAS OF
READING AND LANGUAGE.

WHAT STRATEGIES CAN BE USED TO ADDRESS

MELODYS COGNITIVE CHALLENGES?
o CLEAR, SIMPLE REQUESTS OR INSTRUCTIONS, ONE AT A TIME
o TASK ANALYSIS - TO ENSURE TASKS ARE MANAGEABLE AND WITHIN
THE CHILD'S ATTENTION SPAN

o ALWAYS CHECKING FOR UNDERSTANDING AND

REPEATING/REPHRASING INSTRUCTIONS AS NECESSARY
o USING VARIOUS MEANS OF PRESENTATION, SUCH AS VISUAL,
PHYSICAL GUIDANCE, PEER MODELLING

ACADEMICS
MELODY HAS DIFFICULTY WITH THE
FOLLOWING:
o VOCABULARY DEVELOPMENT
o ANSWERING FACTUAL
QUESTIONS

o COMPREHENDING ORAL AND

WRITTEN LANGUAGE
o MAKING PREDICTIONS

o FINDING AN IMPLIED MAIN IDEA

o STUDYING WORD MEANINGS

WHAT STRATEGIES CAN BE IMPLEMENTED TO

SUPPORT MELODY WITH HER ACADEMIC
CHALLENGES?
o TEACHING WHAT 'FINISHED' MEANS, AND ENSURING THAT THE
CHILD KNOWS WHAT TO DO ON THE COMPLETION OF A
GIVEN TASK
o SPECIFIC TEACHING OF COMMON SIMILES AND METAPHORS,
TO REDUCE OVER-LITERALNESS AND DEMONSTRATE THAT
WORDS ARE NOT ALWAYS TO BE TAKEN AT FACE VALUE

o SEEK TO LINK WORK TO THE CHILD'S PARTICULAR INTERESTS

o SIMPLE AND SHARED CHARTS TO RECORD PROGRESS, AND
REGULAR USE OF PRAISE OR MORE TANGIBLE REWARDS TO
MARK GOOD PERFORMANCE

STRATEGIES TO ADDRESS ACADEMICS

CONTINUED
o EXPLORING WORD-PROCESSING, AND COMPUTER-BASED
SCHEMES FOR LITERACY DEVELOPMENT
o GRADUALLY INCREASING THE COMPLEXITY OF READING
MATERIAL (AND USING BOOKS DESIGNED FOR SLOWER
READERS BUT WITH A MORE 'GROWN-UP' CONTENT)
o REMOVAL OR MINIMIZING OF DISTRACTORS, OR PROVIDING
ACCESS TO AN INDIVIDUAL WORK AREA, WHEN A TASK
REQUIRING CONCENTRATION IS SET
o PROVIDE VOCABULARY WORDS FOR EXPRESSION OF IDEAS

o PROVIDE GRAPHIC ORGANIZERS

SOCIAL SKILLS
o MELODY SHOWS DEFICITS IN SOCIAL INTERACTIONS
AND COMMUNICATION. SHE SHOWS MARKED
IMPAIRMENT IN THE USE OF MULTIPLE NONVERBAL
BEHAVIORS SUCH AS EYE-TO-EYE GAZE, FACIAL
EXPRESSION, BODY POSTURES, AND GESTURES TO
REGULATE SOCIAL INTERACTION.

o MELODY FAILS TO DEVELOP PEER RELATIONSHIPS.

SHE FREQUENTLY RESPONDS INAPPROPRIATELY TO
SIMPLE COMMANDS.

o MELODY SOMETIMES BABBLES TO HERSELF AND

REPEATS WORDS AND PHRASES OVER AND OVER.

WHAT STRATEGIES CAN BE USED TO

IMPROVE MELODYS SOCIAL SKILLS?
o TEACH SOCIAL SKILLS DIRECTLY IN DIFFERENT SETTINGS
o FACILITATE UNDERSTANDING OF SOCIAL SITUATIONS,
ROUTINES, AND THE MEANING OF LANGUAGE USED
o SEAT STUDENT NEAR A PEER MODEL WHO CAN CLARIFY
INFORMATION

o USE SOCIAL STORIES

EMOTIONAL/BEHAVIOR
o MELODY IS EASILY IRRITATED AND LOSES HER
TEMPER. SHE WILL OFTEN RESPOND WITH VERBAL
AGGRESSION.
o MELODY HAS ISSUES WITH NOISES THAT DISTURBS
HER WHILE SHE IS WORKING AND CAUSES HER TO
GET FRUSTRATED AND VERBALLY YELL OUT IN CLASS.
o STUDENTS ON OCCASION WILL INTENTIONALLY
PROVOKE HER SO THAT SHE WILL REACT .
o MELODY STATES THAT SHE LOVES COMING TO
SCHOOL BUT SHE DOES NOT LIKE BEING TEASED
AND BULLIED BY HER CLASSMATES.
o MELODY OFTEN SITS ALONE AT LUNCH TIME.

WHAT STRATEGIES CAN BE USED TO ADDRESS

MELODYS BEHAVIOR?
o PROVIDE CLEAR EXPECTATIONS OF BEHAVIOR
o USE POSITIVE/PROACTIVE LANGUAGE
o REWARD FLEXIBILITY AND CONTROL
o TEACH SELF-REGULATION AND DE-ESCALATION STRATEGIES

o ORGANIZE AND PROVIDE STRUCTURE

PRACTICES FOR CHALLENGING BEHAVIOR: HTTP://YOUTU.BE/LK5PR9H10BY

Inclusion strategies for students with autism spectrum disorders

http://www.learnnc.org/lp/editions/every-learner/6692

REFERENCES
WHAT ARE THE POSITIVE STRATEGIES FOR SUPPORTING BEHAVIOR
IMPROVEMENTS
HTTP://WWW.AUTISMSPEAKS.ORG/SITES/DEFAULT/FILES/SECTION_5.PDF
CONNER, MICHAEL. (2010) CHILDREN ON THE AUTISTIC SPECTRUM: GUIDELINES
FOR MAINSTREAM PRACTICE.
RETRIEVED NOVEMBER 8, 2014 FROM HTTP://WWW.MUGSY.ORG/CONNOR2.HTM

FRIEND, M. (2014) SPECIAL EDUCATION: CONTEMPORARY PERSPECTIVES FOR

SCHOOL PROFESSIONALS. BOSTON: PEARSON EDUCATION