Autism & Employment Webinar Series & Group Discussion Part 1 Autism 101 – What is Autism? Nila Benito Florida Center for Inclusive Communities Moderator: Jill Houghton July 6, 2011

TACE Center: Region IV, a project of the Burton Blatt Institute. Funded by RSA Grant # H264A © 2011 All Rights Reserved 2 The Autism & Employment Learning Community Will provide vocational rehabilitation counselors and area directors with information, tools, and tips to communicate, interact, and support individuals with autism to reach integrated, competitive employment goals. Will be a forum for collaborative inquiry and learning related to enhancing participant’s effectiveness in meeting the needs of jobseekers with autism. Through all activities, participants will be supported while they learn to apply new ideas and information that will expand their capacity to create new conditions that will result in positive outcomes for individuals with autism.

TACE Center: Region IV, a project of the Burton Blatt Institute. Funded by RSA Grant # H264A © 2011 All Rights Reserved 3 My Family

TACE Center: Region IV, a project of the Burton Blatt Institute. Funded by RSA Grant # H264A © 2011 All Rights Reserved 4 Mark Twain Quote “The difference between using the right word and almost the right word are the difference between lightning and the lightning bug.” –Mark Twain

TACE Center: Region IV, a project of the Burton Blatt Institute. Funded by RSA Grant # H264A © 2011 All Rights Reserved 5 Person first language recognizes a person’s right to self-esteem and to be addressed as a person first and not as a disability. People with disabilities are people first. Times and our language have changed

TACE Center: Region IV, a project of the Burton Blatt Institute. Funded by RSA Grant # H264A © 2011 All Rights Reserved 6 People First Language Examples Avoid: Handicapped and Disabled. Say: person with a disability Avoid: Normal Say: typical Avoid: crippled or confined to a wheelchair Say: person who uses a wheelchair Avoid: Autistic person Say: person with Autism

TACE Center: Region IV, a project of the Burton Blatt Institute. Funded by RSA Grant # H264A © 2011 All Rights Reserved 7 WHY? Autism & Employment Learning Community Often high school transition services fall short in providing the appropriate services to prepare for employment. Individuals with ASD have limited opportunities for career development and work experience matched to their interests during their high school years. (Filler & Rosenshein, OCALI, 2009)

TACE Center: Region IV, a project of the Burton Blatt Institute. Funded by RSA Grant # H264A © 2011 All Rights Reserved 8 James Thurber Quote “It is better to ask some of the questions than to know all the answers.” - James Thurber

TACE Center: Region IV, a project of the Burton Blatt Institute. Funded by RSA Grant # H264A © 2011 All Rights Reserved 9 What is Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD)? A Developmental disorder that is characterized by varying degrees of impairment in:  communication skills  social interactions  behavior (restricted repetitive and stereotyped patterns) Symptoms range from mild to severe.

TACE Center: Region IV, a project of the Burton Blatt Institute. Funded by RSA Grant # H264A © 2011 All Rights Reserved 10 What do we know about ASD? Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) in the Unites States exceeds Juvenile Diabetes, Pediatric Cancer and Aids combined. ASD affects 1 in 110 children in the United States and the prevalence appears to be growing. In contrast, during the peak of the epidemic, Polio affected 1.4 in10,000 children.

TACE Center: Region IV, a project of the Burton Blatt Institute. Funded by RSA Grant # H264A © 2011 All Rights Reserved 11 What do we know about ASD? (2) It is a lifelong disability. All racial, ethnic, and social classes affected Males to females ratio is 4:1. No medical test for diagnosis. No objective measure for determining degree of autism. (ASD diagnoses are based purely on observations or reports of behaviors.)

TACE Center: Region IV, a project of the Burton Blatt Institute. Funded by RSA Grant # H264A © 2011 All Rights Reserved 12 What do we know about ASD? (3) Unlike many medical conditions, ASD is not a disease. ASD cannot be cured. According to the National Institutes of Health:  Scientists aren’t certain about what causes ASD, but it’s likely that both genetics and environment play a role.  Researchers have identified a number of genes associated with the disorder.  Studies of people with ASD have found irregularities in several regions of the brain.

TACE Center: Region IV, a project of the Burton Blatt Institute. Funded by RSA Grant # H264A © 2011 All Rights Reserved 13 Developmental Disorders that fall under the ASD in the DSM IV Most Common Asperger Syndrome PDD-NOS (Pervasive Developmental Disorder - Not Otherwise Specified) Autism Less Common Rett Syndrome (no longer considered part of the spectrum) Childhood Disintegrative Disorder

TACE Center: Region IV, a project of the Burton Blatt Institute. Funded by RSA Grant # H264A © 2011 All Rights Reserved 14 Asperger Syndrome - Common Characteristics Usually thought to be the mildest of ASD. Often not diagnosed until a child is school age or later. Obsessive interest in a single object or topic—so much so that the person ignores other topics, or thoughts. Language problems, such as being very literal and having trouble understanding non-verbal communication, such as body language. Obsessive or repetitive routines and rituals. Social-skill problems, especially related to communicating with others. Sensitivity to sensory information, such as light, sound, texture, and taste. Clumsiness.

TACE Center: Region IV, a project of the Burton Blatt Institute. Funded by RSA Grant # H264A © 2011 All Rights Reserved 15 PDD-NOS Pervasive Developmental Disorders - Not Otherwise Specified Sometimes called "atypical autism” It can also be used for children who do not have clearly defined difficulties under age 3 or later. This term is often used by professionals when they are not quite sure of a diagnosis or when the symptoms are mild.

TACE Center: Region IV, a project of the Burton Blatt Institute. Funded by RSA Grant # H264A © 2011 All Rights Reserved 16 Autism: Common Characteristics Frequently called “classical autism” Impaired social interaction, verbal and nonverbal communication, with unusual, repetitive, or severely limited activities and interests. Repetitive movements such as rocking and twirling, or self-abusive behavior such as biting or head-banging. Start speaking later than other children, if at all (50%). Reduced sensitivity to pain yet extremely sensitive to sound, touch, or other sensory stimulation.

TACE Center: Region IV, a project of the Burton Blatt Institute. Funded by RSA Grant # H264A © 2011 All Rights Reserved 17 Autism: Co-occurring Conditions Higher than normal risk for certain co-occurring conditions including: Intellectual developmental disability (40-55%), Tuberous sclerosis (in which tumors grow on the brain), Tourette’s syndrome, Mental health conditions: anxiety disorder, obsessive- compulsive disorder, depression, Attention deficit disorder.

TACE Center: Region IV, a project of the Burton Blatt Institute. Funded by RSA Grant # H264A © 2011 All Rights Reserved 18 Vaccines & Autism There is considerable public concern that vaccines for infectious diseases in early childhood are associated with autism (MMR). Much of this concern focused on a mercury-based additive, thimerosal, which is no longer used in most vaccines. There is no credible epidemiologic evidence to support this hypothesis, but there are many unscientific reports masquerading as scientific evidence used by advocates of this view.

TACE Center: Region IV, a project of the Burton Blatt Institute. Funded by RSA Grant # H264A © 2011 All Rights Reserved 19 Common Autism Myths Myth: Autism is an emotional or mental health disorder. While physical or social behaviors of individuals with autism may suggest that they have a psychological disorder, autism is actually a neurobiological illness that affects the brain's growth and development.

TACE Center: Region IV, a project of the Burton Blatt Institute. Funded by RSA Grant # H264A © 2011 All Rights Reserved 20 More Common Autism Myths Myth: Most individuals with autism have hidden or exceptional talents. Savant may have been popularized by Dustin Hoffman's character in the movie "Rain Man." But the estimated prevalence of savant t savant abilities in autism is 10% whereas the prevalence in people without autism is less than 1%. Myth: Individuals with autism do not develop friendships with peers or relationships to people, including family members People with autism have a difficult time expressing their feelings and emotions in ways other may understand, but they do develop meaningful relationships and deep connections with others.

TACE Center: Region IV, a project of the Burton Blatt Institute. Funded by RSA Grant # H264A © 2011 All Rights Reserved 21 Comments & Questions

TACE Center: Region IV, a project of the Burton Blatt Institute. Funded by RSA Grant # H264A © 2011 All Rights Reserved 22 Autism 101 Part 2 Autism 101 – Part 2 “Tips on Interacting, Communicating & Support Needs” Date: TBA

TACE Center: Region IV, a project of the Burton Blatt Institute. Funded by RSA Grant # H264A © 2011 All Rights Reserved 23 Upcoming Webinars Autism & Employment Learning Community Series – Dates TBA Real Lives, Real Stories From the Field Community Partnerships, Organization, & Employers

TACE Center: Region IV, a project of the Burton Blatt Institute. Funded by RSA Grant # H264A © 2011 All Rights Reserved 24 Education Credits CRCC Credit - (1.0) Approved by Commission on Rehabilitation Counselor Certification (CRCC) By Friday, July 15, 2011, participants must score 80% or better on a online Post Test and submit an online CRCC Request Form via the MyTACE Portal. CEU Credit - (0.1) Approved by the University College at Syracuse University By Friday, July 15, 2011, participants must submit an online CEU Request Form via the MyTACE Portal. My TACE Portal: TACEsoutheast.org/myportal **For CRCC credit, you must reside in the 8 U.S. Southeast states served by the TACE Region IV [AL, FL, GA, KY, MS, NC, SC, TN]. If beyond TACE Region IV, you may apply for CEU credit.

TACE Center: Region IV, a project of the Burton Blatt Institute. Funded by RSA Grant # H264A © 2011 All Rights Reserved 25 Contact Information Nila Benito The Florida Center for Inclusive Communities University Center for Excellence in Developmental Disabilities

TACE Center: Region IV, a project of the Burton Blatt Institute. Funded by RSA Grant # H264A © 2011 All Rights Reserved 26 THANK YOU!

TACE Center: Region IV, a project of the Burton Blatt Institute. Funded by RSA Grant # H264A © 2011 All Rights Reserved 27 TACE Center: Region IV Toll-free: (866) [voice/tty] Fax: (404) Web: TACEsoutheast.org My TACE Portal: TACEsoutheast.org/myportal

TACE Center: Region IV, a project of the Burton Blatt Institute. Funded by RSA Grant # H264A © 2011 All Rights Reserved 28 Disclaimer This presentation was developed by the TACE Center: Region IV ©2011 with funds from the U.S. Department of Education, Rehabilitation Services Administration (RSA) under the priority of Technical Assistance and Continuing Education Projects (TACE) – Grant #H264A However, the contents of this presentation do not necessarily represent the policy of the RSA and you should not assume endorsement by the Federal Government [34 CFR (b)].