TAESE August 2008 Newsletter
Focus: Autism
Table of Contents
Director's Corner
Combating Autism Act
The National Professional Development Center on Autism Spectrum Disorders
Nebraska's Autism Spectrum Disorders (ASD) Network
Making It Happen with a Little Help from Your Friends
Are There Superior Interventions for Children with Autism?
Autism and Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA); It's More Than You Think!
"How Can We Help You Learn?" It's Much More Than Just M&Ms: Autism, Learning and Applied
Behavior Analysis
Teacher Provides Structure
Amazing Story of Stephen Wiltshire
Raise Staff Awareness About Idiosyncracies, Needs
Across the MPRRC States
Selected Autism Websites
Selected Autism Resources
Upcoming Teleconference Calls
Dear Mrs. Johnson,
I just wanted you to know that you have been the best teacher ever! I really enjoyed the stories you read and your jokes
made me laugh. Your smile always made me feel warm. I will always remember you.
Love, Hannah
This was a letter recently shared with me from a second grade teacher in Utah. There have probably been thousands upon
thousands of similar letters given by children to teachers throughout the country. Notice key words in this letter: "best,"
"enjoyed," "read," "laugh," "smile," and "warm." There was little mention of math scores, content subjects or Statewide
assessments. The focus of the letter was how the teacher made the child feel. As each child moves into the future, they
may forget much of what a teacher taught them, but they never forget the way someone made them feel. Hannah, in her
simple, but thoughtful letter to Mrs. Johnson captured the very essence of teaching-touching a child's heart is the key
to their mind.
This edition of the TAESE newsletter will focus on the topic of autism. The incidence of children with autism continues to
increase. There is a tremendous amount of research being conducted on the topic. We have some answers, but there are more
questions than answers. Parents of children with autism need support and understanding from school staff. The best approach
is still taking one child at a time, intervening early using research based strategies, determining their unique needs, and
working as partners with parents in providing an appropriate educational program for the child. The goal, as with Hannah, is
to reach this child's heart and mind.
The purpose for this TAESE newsletter is to build our capacity around the topic of Autism and services for children and
youth with autism.
In December of 2006, President Bush signed into law the Combating Autism Act (Public Law 109-414). This Act authorized
expanded activities related to autism research, prevention, and treatment through FY 2011.
Provisions in the Act include the following:
Requires the Secretary of Health and Human Services, acting through the Director of the National Institutes of
Health (NIH), to develop and implement a strategic plan to conduct and support autism spectrum disorder research.
Requires the Director of NIH to award grants or contracts for centers of excellence on environmental health and
autism spectrum disorder.
Requires the Secretary, acting through the Director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), to
establish mechanisms and entities to collect, store, coordinate, and make publicly available data collected by the
centers of excellence and data generated from public and private research partnerships.
Directs the Secretary to establish a program under which samples of tissue and genetic and other biological
material are donated, collected, preserved, and made available for autism spectrum disorder research.
Allows the Secretary, acting through the Director of CDC, to awards grants or cooperative agreements for the
collection, analysis, and reporting of State epidemiological data on autism spectrum disorder and other developmental
disabilities.
Requires the Secretary, acting through the Director of CDC, to award grants or cooperative agreements for the
establishment of regional centers of excellence in such disabilities to collect and analyze information on the number,
incidence, correlates and causes of such disabilities.
Requires the Secretary to establish and evaluate activities to: (1) Inform and educate on such disabilities to
increase awareness of developmental milestones; (2) Promote research into the development and validation of reliable
screening tools for such disabilities; (3) Promote early screening of individuals at higher risk for such disabilities;
and (4) Increase the number of individuals who are able to confirm or rule out a diagnosis of such a disability and
provide evidence-based interventions for individuals diagnosed with such disabilities.
Directs the Secretary to provide culturally competent information regarding such disabilities and evidence-based
interventions for individuals and their families through State and federal programs and community organizations, and
requires States to provide individuals with information about State and local resources.
Requires the Secretary to: (1) Develop a curriculum for continuing education to assist individuals in recognizing
the need for, and using, valid and reliable screening tools; (2) Collect, store, coordinate, and make publicly available
such tools and other products that are used by federal programs; (3) Expand existing interdisciplinary training
opportunities or opportunities to increase the number of sites able to diagnose individuals with autism spectrum
disorder or other developmental disabilities; (4) Promote research into additional tools for shortening the time
required to confirm diagnoses of such disabilities and for detecting individuals with such disabilities at an early
age; and (5) Promote research to determine evidence-based practices for interventions for such individuals, develop
guidelines for those interventions, and disseminate information related to such research and guidelines.
Requires the Secretary to establish the Interagency Autism Coordinating Committee to: (1) Coordinate all efforts
within HHS concerning autism spectrum disorder; (2) Make recommendations concerning the strategic plan; (3) Develop and
update advances in research; and (4) Make recommendations to the Secretary regarding public participation in decisions
relating to such disorder and sets forth reporting requirements.
To view the Act in its entirety, go to GovTrack.us. S. 843--109th Congress (2005): Combating Autism Act of 2006, GovTrack.us
(database of federal legislation) located at
http://www.govtrack.us/congress/bill.xpd?bill=s109-843&tab=summary
The National Professional Development Center on Autism Spectrum Disorders, supported by the U.S. Department of Education,
Office of Special Education Programs (OSEP), is a multi-university center developed to promote the use of evidence-based
practices for children and adolescents with autism spectrum disorders. The program began in July of 2007 and provides
resources, professional development, and technical assistance to States to enable them to increase the number of highly
qualified personnel serving children and youth with Autism Spectrum Disorder.
The sites for the Center are located at the FPG Child Development Institute at the University of North Carolina, the Waisman
Center at the University of Wisconsin at Madison, and the M.I.N.D. Institute at the University of California/Davis Medical
School.
The Center offers States an opportunity to participate in a professional development opportunity. Currently, three
States-Indiana, Wisconsin, and New Mexico-are participating and a total of nine additional States will be selected for
participation over the next four years.
Each of the three regional centers collaborates with selected States for a period of two years in order to provide
resources, professional development, and technical assistance that will increase the number of highly qualified personnel
serving children and youth with ASD.
The Center work with State personnel to develop a system of professional development and technical assistance for
practitioners and teachers. The system includes the selection of model sites for evidence-based practices at the early
intervention/preschool, elementary, and middle/high school levels. During the first year of the project, the Center and
State personnel begin building the infrastructure for this collaborative endeavor by forming a planning group of key
stakeholders that includes families, identifying a training team, and completing a review of State capabilities and needs
assessment for professional development and technical assistance for personnel who serve children and youth with autism
spectrum disorders and their families.
Additionally, the Center staff collaborates with State personnel to plan, implement, and continually monitor and evaluate
a State plan for addressing technical assistance and staff development needs. Through web-based and hands-on professional
development resources and activities, the Center staff and State personnel conduct intensive training with a selected group
of practitioners in the first year, followed by provision of on site technical assistance and consultation.
During the second year of the project, State personnel plan and provide training and on-site technical assistance in their
State with the assistance of Center staff. The Center staff also assists in assessing and monitoring child, family,
practitioner, and systems level outcomes.
For more information regarding the National Professional Development Center on Autism Spectrum Disorders, including the
State application process, visit their website:
http://www.fpg.unc.edu/~autismpdc
Or call: 888.718.7303
Nebraska ASD Network History
The incidence of Autism Spectrum Disorders (ASD) has increased nationally, and Nebraska is no exception. In the late 1990s,
educators and parents requested the Special Education Office of the Nebraska Department of Education (NDE) to take a lead
role in assisting school districts in providing appropriate services for students with ASD. The Special Education Advisory
Council appointed an ad hoc committee comprised of educators, parents, university, and State agency representatives to create
a Nebraska State Plan for Autism Spectrum Disorders (ASD). The implementation of the State Plan was initiated in 2002.
Nebraska ASD Network Composition
The Nebraska Department of Education, Special Education Office, manages the Nebraska ASD Network in collaboration with the
University of Nebraska System and Educational Service Units. There are five ASD Regions that have been established to serve
regional needs. Each region has a Regional Director and Coordinator who oversee the training and technical assistance needs
of their area. The State ASD Network Coordinator coordinates State and regional training and implements the components of
the State Plan.
Nebraska ASD Network Goals
The goals of the Nebraska ASD Network are as follows:
Build and enhance the capacity of Nebraska schools and families in supporting children across the spectrum of autism
disorders
Offer training and technical assistance to Nebraska educators providing services to students across the autism
spectrum from birth to age 21.
Some of these services include consultation service, information dissemination, and workshops and training.
Consultation Services
Upon request, the five regional ASD Network Teams are available to provide training and technical assistance to local school
districts in these areas:
Assessment and verification of ASD
Program planning, including the identification and implementation of appropriate strategies and interventions for
students with ASD
Information Dissemination
Each region has a lending library consisting of books, videos, and other resources that are available to school districts
and parents upon request.
Workshops & Training
The ASD Network provides ASD training for Nebraska educators and parents on regional and State levels. Some of the training
consists of building local capacity of school teams as well as providing ongoing information and change of knowledge and
skills training. The ASD Network does not provide direct services to students with autism. The local school districts
continue to be responsible for ensuring children with ASD have available a free appropriate public education that includes
special education and related services to meet their unique needs.
For additional information about Nebraska's ASD Network, contact Teresa Coonts, Program Specialist, Nebraska Department of
Education at 402-595-1810 or teresa.coonts@nde.ne.gov.
The ASD Network website can be found at
http://www.nde.state.ne.us/autism/network.html
Autism is a complex developmental disability that typically appears during the first three years of life and affects a
person's ability to communicate and interact with others. Autism is defined by a certain set of behaviors and is a "spectrum
disorder" that affects individuals differently and to varying degrees. There is no known single cause for autism, but
increased awareness and funding can help families today.
In February 2007, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention issued their ADDME autism prevalence report. The report,
which looked at a sample of 8 year olds in 2000 and 2002, concluded that the prevalence of autism had risen to 1 in every
150 American children, and almost 1 in 94 boys. The issuance of this report caused a media uproar, but the news was not a
surprise to ASA or to the 1.5 million Americans living with the effects of autism spectrum disorder. Nonetheless, the
spotlight shown on autism as a result of the prevalence increase opens opportunities for the nation to consider how to
serve these families facing a lifetime of supports for their children.
Currently, ASA estimates that the lifetime cost of caring for a child with autism ranges from $3.5 million to $5 million,
and that the United States is facing almost $90 billion annually in costs for autism (this figure includes research,
insurance costs and non-covered expenses, Medicaid waivers for autism, educational spending, housing, transportation,
employment, in addition to related therapeutic services and caregiver costs).
Know the Signs: Early Identification Can Change Lives
Autism is treatable. Children do not "outgrow" autism, but studies show that early diagnosis and intervention lead to
significantly improved outcomes.
Here are some signs to look for in the children in your life:
Lack of or delay in spoken language
Repetitive use of language and/or motor mannerisms (e.g., hand-flapping, twirling objects)
Lack of interest in peer relationships
Lack of spontaneous or make-believe play
Persistent fixation on parts of objects
Reprinted with permission from the Autism Society of America (Copyright 2008)
"Evidence Based Practice," "Research Based," "Scientifically Supported," or "Best Practice" — all of these are the
mantras of individuals trying to convince us that whatever they have to sell works well and is supported by research. This
is especially true in the autism treatment area that is rampant with fads and ineffective interventions (Heflin & Simpson,
1998; Jacobson, Foxx, & J. A. Mulick, 2005).
What does this all mean? Are there standards for research? Are there interventions for children with autism that are clearly
superior to others? In this article, because of space limitations, we will try and answer these questions in two basic
intervention areas: (1) early intensive interventions and (2) the teaching and generalization of social skills for children
with autism.
Yes, there are standards for evidence-based practice (EBP). One set of standards for treatment has been set forth by the
American Psychological Association (Divisions 53 and 16). Essentially, the standards indicate that an intervention is deemed
effective if it is based on a series of group or single subject research design studies, that these studies have control
subjects or control groups for treatment comparison, the research subjects were randomly assigned, and (for replication
purposes) there is a treatment manual documenting how the treatment was implemented. A recent improvement in the standards
for EBP proof is meta-analytic evaluation research where all the studies meeting a research inclusion criterion for an
extended period of time (generally 10 to 20 years) are analyzed and compared for effectiveness (Stoiber & Kratochwill,
2000). "Meta" means big and this research generally compares multiple treatment studies based on hundreds of subjects. In a
meta-analysis, the unit of improvement (effect size) is a one standard deviation improvement over the untreated subjects. If
there is a one standard deviation improvement (i.e., an effect size of 1) then the treated subjects are approximately 85%
better or improved when compared to the untreated subjects. Medicine uses meta-analyses to determine EBP for treatments for
colon cancer, the effectiveness of antidepressants, or (recently) the chances of getting certain types of blood cancers from
frequent hair dying. There are now meta-analyses on interventions for autism showing EBP interventions. Many of these new
meta-analyses are from the autism working group at the University of Utah and from other major research universities.
Is there one superior early intervention for autistic children? Hourmanesh (2006) conducted a meta-analysis from the years
1965-2005 to assess the effectiveness of intensive early intervention in three basic areas: IQ, language, and adaptive
behavior scores. IQ and language are still the best predictors of long-term outcomes for autistic children. In 40 years,
only 19 studies (which included 374 subjects) met the research inclusion criteria (i.e., included autistic children from 18
to 84 months, they were group studies with control subjects, and treatment was provided for least 15 hours per week).
Seventeen of these studies were applied behavior analytic (ABA) (with 11 Lovaas focused studies and 6 non-Lovaas, ABA studies)
and two were developmental treatment (Piagetian based) studies. The treatment effect sizes for the combined ABA approaches
were 1.0 for IQ improvement, .98 for language improvement, and .77 for adaptive behavior. These are all large and clinically
significant improvements. The effect sizes for the developmental treatments were .03 for IQ and .08 for language showing no
improvements. There were no research studies for TEACCH, Floor Time, or sensory integration studies over 40 years that met
the minimal inclusion criteria required to be in this meta-analysis research. Other findings from this meta-analysis showed
that there is an early "window of opportunity" to get maximum treatment effects for autistic children. In addition, treatment
should be at least 25 hours per week for approximately 18 months to show these effects. Less hours or a shorter duration will
not produce these improvements.
There are three common criticisms of the ABA treatment research. The first criticism is that there are no long-term studies
documenting the treatment staying power of the ABA treatments. McEachin, Smith, and Lovaas (1993) conducted a nine-year
follow-up to the Lovass (1987) initial study showing that not only were the IQ, language, and social gains maintained, but
they appeared to improve while the non-treated autistic children continued to deteriorate and have poor outcomes. The second
criticism is that any type of treatment that is given with the intensity of 30 to 40 hours per week would produce similar
treatment results to ABA. Howard, Sparkman, Cohen, Green, and Stainslaw (2005) compared an ABA-only program to an eclectic
program that included discrete trial training, TEACCH interventions, and sensory integration. Both treatments were done
intensely for 30-40 hours per week, for 14 months, and both had similar staffing ratios. The ABA group improved
approximately 27 IQ points (about 2 standard deviations) above the eclectic group with similar gains in language. The third
criticism is that the there have been no replication studies especially of the early Lovaas (1987) ABA results. This is
clearly not the case, with multiple replications, from multiple studies, done by multiple independent researchers (see
Butter, Mullick, & Metz, 2006; Hourmanesh, 2006).
Another area of controversy for EBP interventions for autistic children is social skills training. Poor social relating is
the main behavioral symptom of the autistic spectrum disorder. However, the problem is not just teaching social skills to
autistic children but rather the generalization of those skills to other environments and people. Two meta-analyses (Miller,
2005; Bellini, Peters, Benner, & Hope, 2007) have shown that the least effective way to teach and generalize social
skills for autistic children is to pull them out of their classrooms and use an adult to try and teach them social skills. A
far more effective approach is to use non-autistic peers to mediate or teach social skills in the autistic child's natural
classroom environment. Two other approaches have been identified by meta-analyses to greatly enhance social skills
generalization. One is through combining social skills training with self-management training (Suk-Hyang, Simpson, &
Shogren, 2007) and the other is the use of video modeling (Bellini & Akullian, 2007). In my opinion, one of the best
EBP social skills manuals that includes these research-based techniques is Scott Bellini's book, Building Social
Relationships: A Systematic Approach to Teaching Social Interaction Skills to Children and Adolescents with Autism Spectrum
Disorders (Bellini, 2006).
In conclusion, research does show there are superior early interventions and social skills treatments for autistic children,
and they are ABA based. Similarly, meta-analytic research has shown that behavioral/ABA approaches are also superior in
teaching language (Goldy, 2007; Wendt, Schlosser, & Lloyd, 2004) and managing difficult behaviors such as
self-stimulation (Steffy, 2006) and self-injury (Christiansen, 2006) for children with autism. We are fortunate in Utah to
have exemplary ABA programs at the Pingree Center for Children with Autism and the ASSERT program at Utah State University.
To claim that all autism interventions are equally effective gives license for some to use ineffective and unproven
techniques with autistic children. This wastes valuable time and precious resources of autistic children and their families
and leads to unnecessarily poorer outcomes.
References available upon request from the Utah Personnel Development Center. Used with permission.
AUTISM AND APPLIED BEHAVIOR ANALYSIS (ABA); IT'S MORE THAN YOU THINK! — Thomas S. Higbee, Associate Professor, Department of Special Education and Rehabilitation, Director, ASSERT Autism Program, Utah State University
For many special educators who work with students with autism spectrum disorders (ASD) and related disabilities, the initials
"ABA" immediately conjure up images of a teacher and a student seated across a table from one another in highly structured
and rapidly paced one-on-one instruction. Others images brought to mind might include teachers giving precision commands
such as "look at me" or "get ready" while physically prompting students to comply. While these techniques are, or have in
the past been, important components of the "ABA" approach to teaching students with ASD, they no longer define the approach.
In fact, the science of Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA) provides a much broader range of techniques for addressing the
academic, social, communicative, and behavioral challenges of students with ASD.
Discrete Trial Teaching (DTT) is the structured teaching method that many educators think about when they hear "ABA." DTT is
a much-researched approach that has been shown to be highly effective in teaching many skills to students with ASD (see
Remington et al. 2007 as a recent example of the positive outcomes produced by DTT). The basic logic of DTT involves
presenting students with repeated opportunities to practice specific skills and receive feedback and reinforcement from an
instructor based on their performance. These opportunities to practice skills and receive feedback and reinforcement are
called "discrete trials." The basic structure of each discrete trial is as follows: 1) the teacher obtains student's
attention, 2) the teacher presents an instruction, 3) the teacher waits for the student to respond to the direction and
provides additional assistance in the form of prompts if necessary, and 4) the teacher provides a consequence based on how
the student responds (reinforcement for correct responses, corrective feedback for incorrect responses).
DTT has been and continues to be an important component of modern comprehensive ABA programs for students with ASD.
It is a very effective and efficient teaching strategy for teaching a variety of skills. DTT is not, however, well suited
for teaching certain kinds of social and communication skills, such as social initiations, spontaneous language, and other
critical social and play behaviors that are often missing in students with ASD. Thankfully, behavior analytic researchers
have developed other teaching techniques designed specifically to address these social and communication deficits.
One of these techniques, social scripting/script fading, has been shown to be effective at increasing both social initiations
and other spontaneous language in students with ASD. Social scripting involves creating "scripts" of appropriate language
for students with ASD to use in specific social situations. In a recent study completed at the ASSERT program, we created
three play-related scripts for students to use while engaging in cooperative play with their mothers (Reagon ∧ Higbee,
in press). For example, for a toy set that included cars and ramps to drive them on, we created scripts such as "Beep! Beep!
Here I come!" and "My car goes fast!" We programmed these phrases into small voice recorder devices that would say the phrase
each time the child pushed the button.
We then taught the child to push the button and repeat the phrase. Once the child reliably pushed the button and said the
phrase, we began the script fading procedure by removing the last word of the script (e.g., when the child pushed the button
it would say, "My car goes..."). Even with the last word removed, the children continued to repeat the entire script. Over
the course of a few sessions, we continued to remove words from the script until the script was no longer present. In
addition to recording whether or not the student used the scripted responses, we recorded other appropriate play-related
speech and saw large increases compared to baseline conditions with the addition of the social scripting/script fading
procedures. After learning the scripts (we taught three), students began to re-combine the various scripts as well as
integrate them with statements made by their mothers to produce new play-related speech. As a result of the social
scripting/script fading intervention, the children also increased their play-related speech in the presence of other toy
sets that had never been associated with scripts, demonstrating that the skills they had learned were generalizing to
new situations. We have also used social scripting/script fading techniques to teach students with ASD to make social
initiations, such as asking another child to play a board game during free play time.
Another technique for teaching social, play, and other skills that comes from the ABA research literature is called video
modeling. In video modeling interventions, footage is created that depicts one or more individuals engaging effectively in
a sequence of play, social, or other behaviors (the "video model"). The learner views the videotape/DVD and is then given
the opportunity to imitate the behavioral sequence. Video modeling procedures have been used to teach learners with ASD
and related disabilities a variety of skills including perspective taking (e.g,. Charlop-Christy & Daneshvar, 2003),
language (e.g., Charlop & Milstein, 1989), daily living skills (e.g., Charlop-Christy, Le & Freeman, 2000), play
(e.g., Reagon, Higbee, & Endicott, 2006), and academic skills (Kinney, Vedora & Stromer, 2003). Researchers have
shown that participants rapidly acquire the target skills and demonstrate skill maintenance over long periods of time
(e.g. Charlop & Milstein, 1989).
Technological advances have made video modeling more accessible by decreasing the cost and level of expertise necessary for
creating video models (e.g., Charlop-Christy et al., 2000). On the technology side, all that is now required is a digital
video camera and a computer with a DVD burner and basic video editing software (often included in software packages
shipped with new computers). Of course, sufficient time, patience, and motivation to learn how to use the camera and video
editing software are also required.
ABA researchers have also developed techniques to promote independence in students with ASD. Photographic activity schedules
are one such tool that has been developed to increase the independent play, academic, and leisure skills of students with
autism. Photographic activity schedules are composed of a sequence of pictures that serve as cues for children with
disabilities to independently complete complex chains of behaviors (McClannahan & Krantz, 1999). Initial schedules are
often constructed by taking pictures of the activities to be included in the schedule and mounting each on a separate page
and placing them inside a three-ring binder. Students are taught to follow the schedules using physical prompts and
graduated guidance to assist them to open the schedule, touch the picture of the activity, obtain the necessary materials,
complete the activity, return the materials to their proper location, and return to the schedule to turn the page and start
the process again until the schedule is completed. No verbal prompts or instructions are provided as this can build
dependence on the instructor instead of the schedule. As students learn to follow the schedules, they can become more
compact and can even be composed of written words instead of pictures (like a "to do" list) when students acquire sight-word
reading skills.
Social interactions can also be built into activity schedules using social scripting/script fading and related techniques.
In fact, we recently completed a study at ASSERT in which we taught pairs of students with ASD to follow a joint activity
schedule that cued them to play a sequence of interactive games together (Betz, Higbee, & Reagon, in press). Students
who exclusively engaged in noninteractive parallel play during baseline learned to follow the schedule together and take
turns obtaining the materials.
Mand training is another ABA technique for teaching students to make appropriate requests. Mand training takes advantage of
naturally occurring student motivation to request preferred items/activities (often edibles in early stages of training). The
student is prompted to make an appropriate communicative response via vocal speech, sign, or picture exchange (depending on
the communication level of the student) and then the requested item is provided following the student's response. Once the
student reliably makes requests, the instructor can add an eye contact requirement in addition to the communicative response.
Thus, in order to obtain the requested item, the student must provide eye contact while making the communicative response.
Over time, prompts are faded until the student spontaneously requests preferred items in their presence and then later in
their absence.
In summary, the science of Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA) provides teachers with a wide variety of tools for addressing the
educational and behavioral needs of students with ASD. For more information about these and other ABA techniques, or to
schedule a visit to the ASSERT program, visit the ASSERT website at:
http://sped.usu.edu/ASSERT
References available upon request from the Utah Personnel Development Center. Used with permission.
Applied behavior analysis (ABA) has been described in many ways in recent years. One interesting description suggests ABA is
"just giving students M&Ms." Other descriptions include, "great for animal training" or a specific "treatment for autism."
Some people also suggest that behavior analysis is a dying field, which is slowly (or not so slowly) fading away. Since this
edition of the Utah Special Educator is dedicated to educating students with autism, it is worth taking a closer look at
these perspectives on ABA. More importantly, it is worth considering how they are related to teaching students with autism.
ABA is a science of learning and behavior. It is not a specific training or teaching procedure-there is not an "ABA curriculum"
for students with autism. Relative to learning and teaching, ABA has principles of learning and behavior that are
individualized to specific situations by examining when students succeed and when they need additional help. These principles
may also be helpful with typical children, employees, athletes, and even spouses. ABA has been especially effective in
helping individuals with developmental disabilities succeed. It is because of this success that ABA is being incorporated
into more and more settings. ABA is in fact growing. This growth is important, because it means that an additional
perspective that has proven to be effective is incorporated to help students succeed.
Teachers have traditionally been very successful in educating the vast majority of students who enter their classrooms. This
is true for both general and special educators. These educators create learning opportunities that both enrich their
students' lives and give them the skills to be successful. It is the rare exception that teachers, paraprofessionals, or
other educational staff are not able to have this positive impact on the students with whom they work. Even when students
may not make as much progress as their teachers hope, they do make progress.
It is when students are not making progress that additional perspectives can help. It is unreasonable to think that any
professional, in education or elsewhere, can succeed without at least occasionally collaborating with other professionals.
Collaboration becomes especially important when common teaching practices are not helping a student succeed. This does not
mean the teacher or common practices are ineffective, if they learned in the same way as their peers, they would be making
similar progress.
Students with autism learn differently than their typical peers. Equally important, students with autism often learn very
differently than other students with autism. It is this wide range of learning styles that makes working with students with
autism so different from working with other students.
Students with autism also have unique interests. These interests can range from talking about specific topics, to only
playing with certain toys, or interests in unusual and repetitive body movements (stereotypes). The challenge then becomes
how to effectively teach such a diverse and unique group of students who are not successful with common teaching procedures.
Many claims have been made about certain curricula being effective with all or at least most students with autism, yet it is
not likely that any single teaching method will be successful with students who learn so differently from one another. It is
across these diverse and unique situations that ABA can help.
ABA cannot be used to develop the "one and only" teaching strategy for students with autism.
ABA can, however, support teachers in looking at the current teaching situation and modifying the situation to help a given
student succeed. These successes, or lack of success can be in academic, social, behavioral, emotional, or other areas.
Success is fostered by asking questions about what is working, what is not working, and what the goals are. These are not
new questions, but ABA has a different perspective on the answers to these questions. From an ABA perspective, these questions
are most useful when asked about a specific student. Is this student motivated to learn in the current environment? Under
what conditions has this student been successful in the past? How can we teach in a way that will be successful for this
student?
With the help of the student's teacher, the goal is to understand what aspects of the current teaching situation are and are
not effective for a student. Through this collaboration and assessment, a new teaching situation can be designed that will
address the specific and unique ways in which the student learns. How can motivation be increased? Is the student distracted?
Does the student understand the directions or choose not to follow them? How do we know? Does the student need to work on
prerequisite skills? What skills? Is the student getting enough practice or too much practice? These questions essentially
ask the student, "How can we help you learn?"
Each student with autism requires a different set of questions to understand how he/she learns. The most important question
is and will always be, "Is this student making adequate progress?" If the answer is "yes," all is well and there is likely
no need to change anything. When the answer to this is "No," or even, "I'm not sure if it is adequate," then changes need to
be made so the student will make progress. ABA can help understand what changes need to be made, especially when students
have been unsuccessful with a variety of different strategies.
Used with permission.
Posted on Wednesday, May 14, 2008 NWAnews.com, Northwest Arkansas News Source URL:
http://www.nwanews.com/bcdr/News/61779/
BENTONVILLE-When Mackenzie Wilson's seven students arrive in her classroom each day, they are each given a sticker that
tells them to check their schedule.
The children then go find their large, colored schedule on the wall and find out what they need to do next. They repeat
this step between each activity. Each schedule is color-coded to match a student's assigned color. A square with that color
is also placed on the floor in front of the door so a student knows where he or she is to stand in line. Another square of
that same color shows the student where he or she will sit.
All are somewhat common procedures for young children, but in most classrooms, this much structure becomes unnecessary after
a day or two. Students in Wilson's class, however, need that structure every day to be able to learn. All of her students
have disorders on the autism spectrum.
"Autism spectrum disorders, also known as pervasive developmental disorders, cause severe and pervasive impairment in
thinking, feeling, language and the ability to relate to others," according to the National Institute of Mental Health.
Wilson is the teacher for Apple Glen Elementary School's first classroom dedicated entirely to children with autism. There
are a growing number of such classrooms in the district because of the number of children with disorders on the autism
spectrum who are being diagnosed or moving into the district. All of Wilson's students receive some form of therapy,
including occupational, physical and speech therapy. Therapists handle those services, and it's Wilson's job to minister to
the students' academic needs.
Although her certification allows her to teach up to the fourth grade, all of Wilson's students are either in kindergarten
or first grade. Her classroom employs a mixture of standard methods-such as the use of centers-and specific methods for the
needs of a child with autism. Take, for example, the visual schedules. A child with autism will have some form of a visual
schedule throughout his academic career. The form will simply change to meet the child's perception needs and age.
"A child with autism needs a lot of structure and routine," she said. "The visual schedules help with that. It helps them
process (the information ). A child with autism processes better with visuals than with auditory."
All of Wilson's students also require what are called "sensory breaks," in which they will perform a variety of activities
based on their individual needs. This includes exercises, such as playing on a special swing, bouncing a ball or even
being touched with a "sensory brush." Children with autism don't process their sensory information the way most children do,
and the sensory breaks help them become more focused.
"It calms them down," she said. "It helps because their body senses are out of whack."
Wilson first became interested in teaching children with autism during her college days when she was a nanny for a family
with a child with autism. She then had a student with autism in her pre-kindergarten classroom when she student-taught,
Wilson said.
"I just loved it," she said.
Her work is apparently paying off; both school-work and parent reports show that not only are her students behaving better,
they are learning, Wilson said with a smile.
Copyright © 2001-2008 Arkansas Democrat-Gazette, Inc. Used with permission.
Stephen Wiltshire is an architectural artist who was born mute and diagnosed with autism at the age of three. He is best
known for his ability to draw an entire landscape just by seeing it once.
At the age of five, Stephen was sent to Queensmill School in London where he expressed an interest in drawing. He began
to communicate through his drawings. At the age of eight, he began to draw imaginary post-earthquake cityscapes and
cars.
His teachers began to encourage his drawing and, with aid, Wiltshire slowly learned to speak at the age of nine. When he was
ten, Wiltshire drew a sequence of drawings of London landmarks, one for each letter, that he called a "London Alphabet."
In 1987, Wiltshire was part of a BBC program The Foolish Wise Ones. A collection of his works, named Drawings, was published
that year. Wiltshire can look at a target once and then draw an accurate and detailed picture of it. He once drew the
whole of central London after a helicopter trip above it. He can also make imaginary scenes like St. Paul's Cathedral
surrounded by flames.
To view a video clip of Stephen Wiltshire, go to: http://video.stumbleupon.com/
The story of Alex Barton has ignited nation-wide shock and anger. Classmates reportedly voted the Florida 5-year-old out of
class after their kindergarten teacher had them tell him what they disliked about his behavior. Alex reportedly was in the
process of being privately evaluated and has since been diagnosed with Asperger syndrome and ADHD.
The incident has raised concerns about teacher training on autism. The teacher in this case apparently did not consider the
possibility that Alex might not be able to control his behavior because of a disorder and thought he might change if he
heard how his behavior affected his classmates.
Consider raising your early childhood educators' awareness of the idiosyncrasies and needs of children with autism spectrum
disorders. Enlightening your staffers with help these children learn despite their challenges, and help their classmates
accept their differences.
"This shocked me," said Tracy Parent, coordinator of the Least Restrictive Environment and Disability Awareness Program for
Howard County (Md.) Public Schools. "Teachers are role models for their students, so if they're not modeling appropriate
behavior, their students will pick up on that."
Contact Parent at tracy_parent@hcpss.org. Also learn more about the upcoming Aug. 13 audio conference, LRE Socialization
Strategies for Students with Autism, presented by author and consultant Barbara T. Doyle, at
http://www.educationaudios.com.
Dispel teachers' fears, misconceptions about children with autism
When Tracy Parent surveys general educators, she finds most teachers welcome children with learning disabilities into their
classrooms. But teachers are less willing to open their doors when faced with students who have more severe disabilities,
including autism.
"A lot of it is fear," said Parent, coordinator of the Least Restrictive Environment and Disability Awareness Program for
Howard County (Md.) Public Schools. "Fear of not knowing what to do or how to handle a difficult situation. They also say
they wouldn't want to have to spend every minute with this child."
Now is a good time to plan professional development offerings and strategies that will address your early childhood
educators' misconceptions about children with autism. Implement the following:
Workshops: Before school begins, have teachers attend a workshop that illustrates what it's like to
have autism, said Lisa Cronin Miller, founder and president of Sensitivity Awareness Workshop Inc., in Fort Myers, Fla.
Educators can go to a training center that simulates experiences of children with the disorder so they can better understand
their behaviors. "Teachers can sit down in a room with lights flashing and sounds exaggerated to see what kinds of sensory
problems these students experience," said Miller, also director videos that illustrate different behaviors and behavioral
triggers also can help enlighten educators. Leading an activity where teachers must try to communicate without speaking or
writing also can illuminate why nonverbal children with autism behave the way they do. "I have teachers who try it and
already after five minutes they want to hit or kick me," Parent said. "Just five minutes and they're already frustrated. I
tell them imagine what it's like for a child."
Presentations: Invite parents to speak with educators about their children with autism. "It's really
empowering for parents because they feel like they're heard," Parent said. Encourage other staffers who work with students
who have autism to take part in presentations and share their expertise. The teacher involved in the recent case of the
kindergartner voted out of his class could turn her mistake into something positive by discussing her misconceptions and
realizations with others, Miller said. "It's easy to fire her," she said, "but maybe instead she could... advocate for
children and make up for what she's done."
Planning: Preparing a teacher for a particular child's arrival also can prevent him from reacting
inappropriately to his behaviors, Parent said. But don't focus solely on the negative. "We say tis student is a little cutie
pie, and he likes this and likes that, and we set the tone that he's mostly like other kids, but he has these idiosyncrasies,"
she said.
Ongoing support: Ensure teachers know they don't have to teach children with autism in a vacuum, Parent
said. Let them know who they can consult if they need help. "We give them the right to vent," she said. "We say, We're not
going to judge or evaluate you, just support you and help you understand how to work with these kids." Emphasize the
importance of working in tandem-not against-parents, she said. "[Parents} can be a valuable resource for figuring out what
to do in the classroom," she said.
Contact Miller at lisacroninmiller@larcleecounty.org.
Source: Early Childhood Report. Copyright 2008 by LRP Publications, P.O. Box 24668, West Palm Beach, FL 33416-4668. All
rights reserved. For more information on this or other products published by LRP Publications, please call 1-800-341-7874
or visit our website at: http://www.lrp.com
If you would like more information regarding autism activities occurring in several of the MPRRC States, please go to the
links listed below.
ARIZONA
Arizona--training coming up in June-on SCERTS.
http://www.azed.gov/onlineregistration/EventLocationSelection.asp?EventID=1355&EventDate=4/4/2008
SouthWest Autism Research Center. http://www.autismcenter.org/
COLORADO
Autism Developmental Disabilities Monitoring Network
http://www.cde.state.co.us/cdesped/download/pdf/ADDMAutCommRpt07.pdf (several states have these-through CDC)
KANSAS
Kansas Governor's Commission on Autism
http://www.srskansas.org/hcp/css/Autism/AutismHomePage.htm
Kansas Autism Task Force
http://autismbulletin.blogspot.com/2007/10/kansas-autism-task-force-looks-at.html
NEBRASKA
Nebraska ASD Network (you're probably already familiar with this)
http://www.nde.state.ne.us/autism/network.html
NORTH DAKOTA
North Dakota Autism Center
http://ndautismcenter.org/default.aspx
News clip-Great Plains Autism Spectrum Disorders Treatment Program
http://www.bismarcktribune.com/articles/2008/03/31/news/state/152287.txt
SOUTH DAKOTA
USD Autism Spectrum Disorders Program
http://www.usd.edu/cd/autism/
UTAH
USU-Immunogenetics program. http://www.xmission.com/~uaf/usu.html
USU's ASSERT program. http://sped.usu.edu/ASSERT/
http://www.polyxo.com - General information about autism, ABA, discrete trial, useful forms for teachers
http://www.dotolearn.com - Animated site to learn about facial expressions
http://www.autism.about.com - Links to many valuable sites including American Academy of Pediatrics reports and online videos
http://www.autisminspiration.com - Social stories, lesson plans, sensory activities, and more
http://www.autismspeaks.org - General information and links, a collection of informative videos
http://www.udel.edu/bkirby/asperger - OASIS Asperger site. General information and links about Asperger Syndrome
http://www.futurehorizons-autism.com - Wonderful source for autism/Asperger Syndrome publications
http://www.abaresources.com - Free downloadable programs and data sheets
http://www.vanderbilt.edu/csefel - (go to resources, practical strategies, stories for social situations) Free social stories for young children
http://sped.usu.edu/ASSERT - ASSERT program website
http://www.starfall.com - Web-based early literacy
http://www.raz-kids.com - Online leveled reading library
http://www.clarissawillis.com - Great information on the handouts pages on behavior and communication, bullying and introduction to Autism Spectrum Disorder
http://www.autismspeaks.org - Information and video segments on autism
http://www.firstsigns.org - Guidelines for recognizing the early signs of autism
http://www.autismnetwork.org - Valuable information for teaching students with ASD. This site has instructional modules including teaching SOCCSS (Situation, Options, Consequences, Choices, Strategies, and Simulation), direct instruction, incidental teaching, and many more.
http://www.sde.ct.gov - Connecticut State Office of Education Site (go to Special Education - Publications-Guidelines for the Identification and Education of Children and Youth with Autism)-128-page manual containing information on assessment and educational interventions.
http://www.autisminternetmodules.org - This is a terrific site for educators. It has staff training modules that contain video clips, text and pictures. There will be many modules in the future but at this time there are three: home base, individual work systems and organization and visual supports. You will need to register and log in, but the site is free.
http://www.rdiconnect.com/video - This site contains over 100 video clips taken by families of interaction with their children using the principles of Relationship Development. These are great strategies for developing joint attention skills with students. You must register and log in, but the site is free.
http://www.rebeccaklaw.com - The nationally recognized staff trainer, Rebecca Klaw, has included information on the importance of joint attention, responses to agitation, escalation and melt-downs, and wraparound services for toddlers.
http://www.autismcouncilofutah.org - An independent council working to foster collaboration, communication, and learning among families and agencies
http://www.asdresource.com - National and State resources
The Gray Center
http://www.thegraycenter.org
616.954.9747
http://www.usautism.org/
http://www.autismspeaks.org/
Center for Development and Disability (CDD)
2300 Menaul Blvd. NE
Albuquerque, NM 87107
Phone: (505) 272-3000
Fax: (505) 272-5280
cdd@unm.edu
The National Professional Development Center on Autism Spectrum Disorders
FPG Child Development Institute
University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
CB 8040
Chapel Hill, NC 27599-8040
Phone: 888.718.7303
Fax: 919.966.1786
autismpdc@mail.fpg.unc.edu
http://www.fpg.unc.edu/~autismpdc
Thoughtful House Center for Children
3001 Bee Caves Road
Austin TX 78746
512.732.8400
http://www.thoughtfulhouse.org
The Center for Autism and Related Disorders
http://www.centerforautism.com
National Autism Association
http://www.nationalautismassociation.org
Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders
Autism Spectrum Quarterly
The USAAA Weekly News
Autism Solution Center
http://www.autismsolutioncenter.com
901.758.8288
laura@autismsolutioncenter.com
Autism Society of America
http://www.autism-society.org
Autism Methodology Case to Live By: Legal Guidance for Practical Program Strategies
Elena M. Gallegos, Esq., and Jill M. Shallenberger, Esq.
LRP Publications P.O. Box 24668
West Palm Beach, FL 33416-4668
http://www.lrp.com
September
12 Directors 10:00 a.m. John Copenhaver
16 Due Process Hearing Officers 10:00 a.m. Lennie Knudtson
18 Mediators 10:00 a.m. Lennie Knudtson
24 Advisory Panels 12:00 p.m. Jack Rudio
October
21 Complaint Investigators 10:00 a.m. Lennie Knudtson
November
14 Directors 10:00 a.m. John Copenhaver
18 Due Process Hearing Officers 10:00 a.m. Lennie Knudtson
20 Mediators 10:00 a.m. Lennie Knudtson
Find Workgroups and other scheduled calls at www.rrfcnetwork.org/mprrc/workgroups
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