1. Autism Spectrum Disorder
UDAI working together works

2. Objectives
Participants will become familiar with the definition, characteristics, and other related information regarding autism spectrum disorder.
Participants will be able to recognize evidence- based practices in assessing students with ASD
Participants will understand the importance of effective collaboration, resources, and supports for students with autism spectrum disorder.

3. Defination
Autism means a developmental disability significantly affecting verbal and nonverbal communication and social interaction, generally evident before age three, that adversely affects a child's educational performance. Other characteristics often associated with autism are engagement in repetitive activities and stereotyped movements, resistance to environmental change or change in daily routines, and unusual responses to sensory experiences.

4. areas
Areas of need:
Academic achievement, functional performance, learning characteristics
Social development
Physical development
Management needs
Academic - levels of knowledge and development in subject and skill areas, activities of daily living, level of intellectual functioning, adaptive behavior, expected rate of progress, learning style
Social - degree and quality of relationships with peers and adults, feelings about self, and social adjustment to school and community
Physical - degree or quality of student’s motor and sensory development
Management - nature and degree to which environmental modifications and human or material resources are required to enable student to benefit from instruction

5. Prevelance
It estimates that 1 in 150 individuals have autism spectrum disorder based on study.
study expanded the definition of “autism” to include the diagnosis of PDD-NOS and Asperger’s Syndrome
Boys are 4 times more likely to be diagnosed but girls are more severely affected.

6. When Does It Occur?
Children are born with the disorder and never “outgrow” or are “cured” of their autism
Usually diagnosed in early childhood (18 months – 2 years) when a child fails to meet developmental milestones

7. What Causes Autism? Brain structure is different
Cause of autism is currently unknown

8. *none of these have been proven to cause autism*
What Causes Autism?
Other Theories:
Heavy metals
Pollutants
Toxins
Vaccines
Chemicals
Pesticides
*none of these have been proven to cause autism*

9. Silent features Communication
Delay in, or complete lack of, verbal communication
Difficulty in initiating or sustaining conversations
Stereotyped or idiosyncratic use of language (echolalia, jargon)
Inability to engage in spontaneous, make- believe, or imitative play at the appropriate developmental level

10. Diagnostic Criteria Socialization
Difficulty developing peer relationships appropriate to developmental level
Impaired use of nonverbal behaviors (e.g., eye contact, facial expressions, and gestures)
Lack of spontaneous seeking to share enjoyment, interests, or achievements with other people (joint attention)
Lack of social or emotional reciprocity

11. Diagnostic Criteria Behavior
Preoccupation with an activity or interest that is abnormal either in intensity or focus
Inflexible adherence to nonfunctional routines or rituals
Repetitive or stereotyped movements (e.g., hand flapping)
Persistent preoccupation with parts of objects

12. Types of ASD
Autism
Retts Disorder
CDD
Asperger syndrome
PDD Nos

13. Rett’s Disorder
Early typical development followed by period of stagnation or regression
Motor and cognitive delays
Loss of purposeful hand movements
Rare: 1:10,000 females; not found in males
Occurs around 6-18 months of age
Genetically based

14. Childhood Disintegrative Disorder
A developmental disorder characterized by a relatively longer period of typical development (compared to Rett’s and Autism) followed by a marked regression in communication, socialization, and cognitive skills
Around 1 in 1500 births - more common in boys
Symptom onset between 2 to 4 years of age but before 10 years of age
Cause unknown

15. PDD-NOS Pervasive Developmental Disorder – Not Otherwise Specified
Individual exhibits many of the behaviors and characteristics of autism but not enough to meet the full criteria of autism
Not the same has “high functioning autism” or Asperger’s Syndrome
Individuals can range from high to low functioning

16. Asperger’s Syndrome
Distinguished from Autism and PPD-NOS by the lack of language delay
Normal to above-average intelligence
Social interest present but understanding and skills are lacking
Often verbose but may use language in different ways and lack pragmatics
Patterns of speech may be unusual
Often motor skill delays and appear physically awkward, clumsy

17. Implications for the Classroom Communication
Wide range of communicative ability
Non-verbal to verbose but lacking in pragmatics
Often more behavioral communication than intentional, social, or verbal communication
Receptive language difficulties - expectations, directions, comments need to be clear, concrete, simple, direct, and visual
Expressive language difficulties – even highly intelligent students may struggle to speak up or become frustrated trying to share thoughts, feelings, and ideas
Written communication difficulties – from the mechanics of writing to organizing thoughts and getting them to paper

18. Related Characteristics Cognitive Issues
Difficulty drawing conclusions
Difficulty with incidental learning
Often excellent rote memory
Slower at retrieving information
Slower processing speed
Problems with working memory
Trouble predicting outcomes (e.g., people’s reactions)
Often do not see cause-effect

19. Related Characteristics Cognitive Issues
Problems with executive function
Issues with shift: moving freely from one activity/situation to another, transitions, flexible problem solving
Issues with initiation; can’t begin tasks
Issues with planning, organizing, sequencing, setting goals/objectives
Issues with seeing “big picture” or main idea
Issues with evaluating activity; pace, completion,
Issues with modulating emotional response
Issues with controlling impulses

20. Continuous Assessment
Revise, Modify, Enhance Education Plan
Response to Plan/Intervention
Initial/Continuous Assessment and Educational Plan

21. Effective Components for Educational Practices
Individualized supports and services
Systematic instruction
Comprehensible and structured learning environments
Specialized curriculum focus
Functional approach to problem behavior
Family involvement

22. Evidence-Based Practice
Applied Behavior Analysis
Not a specific intervention, but rather a theoretical framework
Based on work of behaviorists (Skinner, etc.)
Desired behaviors are identified, taught, and reinforced
Programs are highly individualized

23. Effective Components for Educational Practices
Systematic Instruction
Identification of valid educational goals
Careful outlining of instructional procedures and their implementation
Evaluation of effectiveness
Adjustment of instruction based on data

24. Effective Components for Educational Practices
Comprehensible/Structured Learning Environments
Curriculum needs to be clear to both students and educational personnel
Allows student to predict what’s going to happen next
Provide a schedule of activities
Plan and provide choice-making
Provide behavior support
Define areas of classroom and school
Provide temporal relations
Facilitate transitions, flexibility, change

25. THANK YOU