Education & learners on the autism Education & learners on the autism spectrum: learning from the past & spectrum: learning from the past &

building for the futurebuilding for the future

Professor Rita JordanProfessor Rita JordanAutism Centre for Education & ResearchAutism Centre for Education & Research

University of BirminghamUniversity of Birmingham

Autism CymruAutism Cymru: : 3rd International Autism 3rd International Autism Conference: Conference: Developments in Autistic Spectrum Developments in Autistic Spectrum

Disorders – Past, Present and Future: Disorders – Past, Present and Future: Cardif 2008Cardif 2008

What’s Special about ASD?What’s Special about ASD?

• need to learn explicitly what others acquire need to learn explicitly what others acquire intuitively or through social tutoringintuitively or through social tutoring– identity of self/ otheridentity of self/ other

– saliency of social signalssaliency of social signals

– agency and intentionagency and intention

– relevance and priorityrelevance and priority

– social/cultural meaningsocial/cultural meaning

– nature of communicationnature of communication

– emotional consciousnessemotional consciousness

Total ExclusionTotal Exclusion

• with sld most excluded from education until 1971 - no with sld most excluded from education until 1971 - no provision until 7provision until 7

• Oswin (1971) the Oswin (1971) the Empty HoursEmpty Hours• Tizard: Tizard: Brooklands Experiment - Brooklands Experiment - added value of film over added value of film over

statistics on socialisation & adaptive functioningstatistics on socialisation & adaptive functioning

Sometimes we do not need research as much as Sometimes we do not need research as much as humanityhumanity

The Growth of Education for The Growth of Education for ASDASD

• 1st specialist school 1962 in UK (possibly earlier 1st specialist school 1962 in UK (possibly earlier in Denmark)in Denmark)

• most specialist provision on parent initiative as most specialist provision on parent initiative as result of dissatisfaction with existing servicesresult of dissatisfaction with existing services

• initially differentiation from more generic SENinitially differentiation from more generic SEN• gradually more the result of failure/ dissatisfaction gradually more the result of failure/ dissatisfaction

with, or exclusion from, mainstreamwith, or exclusion from, mainstream

Teaching Approaches/ Teaching Approaches/ InterventionsInterventions

• started with ABA as for sldstarted with ABA as for sld• little long-term benefit until Young Autism Project little long-term benefit until Young Autism Project

(Lovaas, 1989)(Lovaas, 1989)• crucial variable?crucial variable?

– nature of programme - drills?nature of programme - drills?– intensity & duration?intensity & duration?– age and intellect?age and intellect?– inclusion?inclusion?

Specialist ApproachesSpecialist Approaches

• Montessori -> structured teachingMontessori -> structured teaching• based on research for rationalebased on research for rationale• parents as co-therapistsparents as co-therapists• visual & explicit vs. social & linguisticvisual & explicit vs. social & linguistic• compensatory & remedialcompensatory & remedial• social & communicative understandingsocial & communicative understanding• timingtiming• attention grabbingattention grabbing

ConceptualisationConceptualisation• medical classificationmedical classification

– category vs.. dimensioncategory vs.. dimension– pathology vs. differencepathology vs. difference– DSM VDSM V

• undiagnosed females?undiagnosed females?• cultural issuescultural issues• ‘‘stretching’ of categorystretching’ of category• ‘‘triad of impairments / differences’triad of impairments / differences’

– back to dyad or even single areaback to dyad or even single area– different triad -soc/commun; play; rigiditydifferent triad -soc/commun; play; rigidity

• groups from ‘overlaps’ with other conditions?groups from ‘overlaps’ with other conditions?– SPD/ NVL/ SreceptLISPD/ NVL/ SreceptLI

Voice of individualVoice of individual

• in educational research in generalin educational research in general

• authors, speakers, blogsauthors, speakers, blogs

• as part of National Curriculum in Citizenshipas part of National Curriculum in Citizenship

• NICCY research NICCY research – youths with Asperger’s syndrome & families 11-16 year oldsyouths with Asperger’s syndrome & families 11-16 year olds

• short term breaksshort term breaks

Diagnosis & ScreeningDiagnosis & Screening

• possible screenspossible screens• parental /staff feedback validparental /staff feedback valid• ‘‘diagnosis’ from 1 year?diagnosis’ from 1 year?• CAST - primary ASCAST - primary AS• gold standard (e.g. SIGN guidelines) - ADI-R/ ADOS-G. gold standard (e.g. SIGN guidelines) - ADI-R/ ADOS-G.

DISCO widerDISCO wider• medical screens as necessarymedical screens as necessary• diagnosis in adultsdiagnosis in adults

– Royal Society training for psychiatristsRoyal Society training for psychiatrists

Possible scenarios from Possible scenarios from neuroscienceneuroscience

• identify subgroups on basis of neurological identify subgroups on basis of neurological patternspatterns

• proper scientific study to determine proper scientific study to determine environmental/ dietary effects on neural and environmental/ dietary effects on neural and behavioural functioningbehavioural functioning

• genes for cognitive style identified but not genes for cognitive style identified but not for disorder or pathologyfor disorder or pathology

Social categorisationSocial categorisation

• subtypes - validsubtypes - valid• variation with time/ training/ mental healthvariation with time/ training/ mental health• basis for style of teaching:basis for style of teaching:

– withdrawn - didactic 1:1 & desensitisationwithdrawn - didactic 1:1 & desensitisation

– passive - interests, engaging, motivation, structurepassive - interests, engaging, motivation, structure

– active but odd - rules & structure, self controlactive but odd - rules & structure, self control

– eccentric - mentor & buddyeccentric - mentor & buddy

Mental Health IssuesMental Health Issues

• more prevention/ resiliencemore prevention/ resilience– e.g. FRIENDS for 9-10 year oldse.g. FRIENDS for 9-10 year olds

• training of adult psychiatrists in ASDtraining of adult psychiatrists in ASD

• treating anxiety as well as ASDtreating anxiety as well as ASD

• CBTCBT– more accessible formsmore accessible forms– e.g. Homunculi programmee.g. Homunculi programme

More ICTMore ICT

• virtual/ augmentative realities as toolsvirtual/ augmentative realities as tools• extension of AutismPro (or webautism?) for allextension of AutismPro (or webautism?) for all• gadgets forgadgets for::

– passage of timepassage of time– locationlocation– promptingprompting

• social networking for development, funsocial networking for development, fun• support for staff/ those with ASDsupport for staff/ those with ASD• aiding school subject/ adult job/ leisure activitiesaiding school subject/ adult job/ leisure activities

Training of ProfessionalsTraining of Professionals

• European standards for Masters European standards for Masters programmesprogrammes

• recommendations from review reports recommendations from review reports everywhereeverywhere

• increase in programmes for training increase in programmes for training including web-based onesincluding web-based ones

UnderstandingUnderstanding

• increasing ‘bottom-up’ understanding to inform increasing ‘bottom-up’ understanding to inform teaching & learning situationteaching & learning situation– attentionattention– timetime– memorymemory– concept formationconcept formation– emotionemotion

• commitmentcommitment

Single vs Eclectic CurriculaSingle vs Eclectic Curricula

SingleSingle• enables staff expertiseenables staff expertise• better monitoring & better monitoring &

easier evaluationeasier evaluation• builds staff & parent builds staff & parent

confidenceconfidence• enables positive viewsenables positive views

EclecticEclectic• can match to goalcan match to goal• all needs can be all needs can be

addressedaddressed• needs compatibility needs compatibility

checks & child checks & child perspectiveperspective

• take strengths from take strengths from eacheach

EvidenceEvidence

• no single approachno single approach• evidence for:evidence for:

– structure structure – behavioural methodsbehavioural methods– training parents in social interaction & communication training parents in social interaction & communication

techniquestechniques

• in all studies some do well and some do notin all studies some do well and some do not• in all studies children tend to learn only what are in all studies children tend to learn only what are

explicitly taughtexplicitly taught

Building on specific approachesBuilding on specific approaches

• choose on basis of principles - not chancechoose on basis of principles - not chance• understand the principles of each approach adoptedunderstand the principles of each approach adopted• individualiseindividualise• take perspective of individual and examine interaction - take perspective of individual and examine interaction -

i.e. the effect of the wholei.e. the effect of the whole• use professional judgmentuse professional judgment• treat each situation as a single study to assesstreat each situation as a single study to assess

ConclusionConclusion

• no ‘autism’ curriculum or single approachno ‘autism’ curriculum or single approach• needs to fit:needs to fit:

– individualindividual– familyfamily– practitionerpractitioner– contextcontext– current goalscurrent goals– prognosisprognosis

Re-examine old issues in a new Re-examine old issues in a new lightlight

Could we research:Could we research:

• effects of parental styles without parent-blaming?effects of parental styles without parent-blaming?• effects of culture on conceptualisation & treatment without effects of culture on conceptualisation & treatment without

bias?bias?• helpful staff characteristics without being discriminatory?helpful staff characteristics without being discriminatory?• effects of diets while still supporting science?effects of diets while still supporting science?• issues round the MMR debate (e.g. fever treatment) issues round the MMR debate (e.g. fever treatment)

without claiming that MMR causes autism?without claiming that MMR causes autism?