Working with Students with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) Office of Student Disability Services Eastern Illinois University Revised 7-2-14 Added abbreviation to title Removed Julie’s name and title from this slide

ASD Facts: Autism is a neurodevelopmental disorder. 1% of the United States population has been diagnosed with ASD. This is consistent with the populations of all the countries around the world. It is unknown if the increase is due to increased awareness, differences in study methodology, or a true increase in the frequency of ASD. There is no known cause of ASD. Title used to say “Autism Spectrum Disorders (ASD)” Changed Neurodevelopmental disorder from neurobiological disorder with several possible causes. Took out several possible causes and put no known causes, because what I found stated they do not know the cause Also, I added the statistic and awareness information because we do have an increase of these students. Instructors may wonder why this is. The facts orginally included on this page were repeated throughout the powerpoint and are still covered. “Study Methodology” methods used by doctors, therapists, psychologists and other specialists to research, understand and diagnose the disorder.

ASD Facts: The essential features that must be present for diagnosis are: Persistent impairment in reciprocal social communication and social interaction, Repetitive patterns of behavior and/or limited interests or activities, Present from early childhood, but may be masked by learned behaviors, (may not manifest until later in life), and Limits or impairs everyday functions. This is very similar to the original first page, but is specific to the features required for diagnosis in DSM-V

Nonverbal/Verbal Communication Implications: Atypical, absent, or reduced nonverbal communication (use of eye contact, gestures, facial expressions, body orientation, or speech intonation) may be exhibited. One may appear to over exaggerate body language or use odd nonverbal movements, causing the individual to appear “wooden” during social interactions. An individual with ASD may not understand different ways language is used such as: irony or sarcasm. This slide used to say Asperger’s vs. High functioning. It is now viewed as just having the range within the diagnosis, but I did not discuss that. I instead broke up the original slide and the following common characteristics. This now allows the slides to be broken into communication, social and behavioral, psychological and physiological implications. Before they were mixed up and ended up repeating a lot of the points, due to not being organized.

Social Interaction and Behavior Implications: An individual with ASD may struggle with understanding what behaviors are appropriate for different situations. (Example: displaying casual behavior at a job interview) An individual with ASD could pay excessive adherence to routine and have restrictive patterns of behavior that may lead to distress. Small changes in daily life situations may cause a great deal of distress. (Example: class being moved to a different location) Restrictive patterns of behavior means difficulty or inability to change routine, schedule, etc.

Social Interaction and Behavior Implications: An individual with ASD may display patterns of verbal or nonverbal behaviors such as: repetitive questioning or walking the perimeter of an area. An individual with ASD could have highly restricted, fixated interests. An individual with ASD may display rigidity of thinking and insistence on adherence to rules.

Social Interaction and Behavior Implications: An individual with ASD may display deficits in developing, maintaining, and understanding relationships with others. An individual with ASD may prefer to be alone or with individuals who are either a considerable amount older or younger than the individual. An individual with ASD may desire to establish friendships without a realistic idea of what is entailed, leading to a one-sided relationship or a relationship based solely on a special interest.

Psychological and Physiological Implications: An individual with ASD could suffer from anxiety due to constantly calculating what is socially intuitive for most individuals. There is an increased risk of depression found in adults with ASD. Individuals with ASD may have gross and fine motor deficits. They may be seen as clumsy or have an “odd” gait. Their hand writing may also be impacted.

For further information: If you have questions, please contact us at: Office of Student Disability Services 581-6583 Thank you in advance for providing instruction and accommodations that fulfill the EIU mission: “Eastern Illinois University is a public comprehensive university that offers superior, accessible undergraduate and graduate education. Students learn the methods and results of free and rigorous inquiry in the arts, humanities, sciences, and professions, guided by a faculty known for its excellence in teaching, research, creative activity, and service. The University community is committed to diversity and inclusion and fosters opportunities for student-faculty scholarship and applied learning experiences within a student-centered campus culture. Throughout their education, students refine their abilities to reason and to communicate clearly so as to become responsible citizens and leaders. “