Unlocking the Puzzle:

Educating Our Students with

Autism in Elementary Classrooms

Christina Mikuljan and Amy Duncan

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

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, …

Group Discussion

• What did you come up with?

• What are some common threads among our ideas?

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

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

Autism is a puzzle

Social Cognitive

Age Repetitive Behaviors

Gender Communication

Intervention

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/

Statewide growth in CaliforniaAges 0 – 22 years with Autism as the primary handicapping condition

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5000

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25000

30000

35000

1998 1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004

SELPA vs. County wide growth in CaliforniaAges 0 – 22 years with Autism as the primary handicapping condition

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200

400

600

800

1000

1200

1400

2000 2001 2002 2003 2004

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

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

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

In short…

• There are too many local connections and fewer long distance ones creating processing that is poorly coordinated.

Autism is a “Umbrella Disorder”

Autism

Rhett’s Syndrome

PDD-NOS Asperger’s Syndrome

Childhood Disintegrative Disorder

Subcategories of Autism

• Autism• High Functioning Autism• Asperger’s Syndrome• Rhett’s Syndrome• Childhood Disintegrative Disorder• Pervasive Developmental

Disorder – Not Otherwise Specified (PDD-NOS)

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

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.

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.

What Are People with Autism like?

• 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

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?

What are the things you do right now that meet the needs of these students?

Where should the educational FOCUS be

with students

with ASD?

Impaired Communication

May exhibit the following:• Non verbal very verbal• Echolalia • Poor receptive/expressive

language• Oral motor difficulties – apraxia• Appears “not to hear”

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”

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

Strategies to support communication…Rely on visualsPicture symbol communication systems (PECS)• Time to process receptive

language• Assistive Technology

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)

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

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

More Social Interaction cont…

• Lack of understanding of social rules and conventions: – Turn taking– Sharing– Rules of the game– Winning/losing– First/last

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

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

Strategies to support sensory needs…Provide opportunities for sensory

processing regulation (breaks)Provide “fidgets”Build sensory diet into the

scheduleTeach “self regulation” options

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

Learning Styles continued…

• Uneven developmental patterns• Difficulty generalizing knowledge

and skills• Difficulty learning through

imitation and observation• Poor executive functioning

Strategies to support learning styles

– Visual supports– Organization – Predictable schedules– Reduce auditory processing– Reading and math programs need to

be visual – Utilize direct instruction

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

More Behavioral Responses

• Self-injurious behavior• Sudden changes in emotional

states• Perseveration – high areas of

interests, desires• Poor organizational skills

Strategies to support positive behaviors

– Scheduled reinforcement– Framing new activities– Consistency– Building upon Communicative Intent– Implementing behavior plans

Students with ASD need to be supported in developing…Flexible responses

– Provide choices– Allow routines– Respect refusals– Monitor medications and health

issues

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)

What we must remember…

Every person with autism is an individual, and like all individuals,

has a unique personality and combination of characteristics.

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

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

Now…

• What are 3 new insights that you have about students with ASD?

• On your mark• Get set• GO!

Cartoon

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

In Closing…

If children can’t learn the way we teach, then we’d better teach them the way they learn.

The Autism Ribbon

References

Thank you to the

Southern California Autism Training Consortium

SCAT-C