1. Special Education: Visual Supports for Autism Kim Myers M.S. CCC-SLP Alyce Weimken M.S. CCC-SLP

2. Autism…Defined O Autism is one of a group of serious developmental problems called autism spectrum disorders (ASD) that appear in early childhood usually before age 3. Though symptoms and severity vary, all autism disorders affect a child's ability to communicate and interact with others. O Children who present with autism spectrum disorder are often visual learners.

3. Visual Supports O Visual/written Schedules: Using visual schedules help support children with autism to efficiently communicate information that allows children to better predict and plan within their environment. They also help with changes in routine. O Visual schedules facilitate communication and therefore may minimize behavioral problems. O Visual schedules help to increase independence and on-task behavior

4. Visual Supports Cont. O Pairing a visual with the verbal will increase comprehension O By simply pointing to a visual support (i.e., task analysis) instead of offering a verbal direction, you are lessoning the dependence the child has on you to complete the task O Must be individualized to meet his or her skill level, interest, and age

5. Visuals: Examples O Visual recipes O Sequence of activities: Getting ready for bed, brushing teeth, washing hands, etc. O Written rules for playing games O Writing out questions or directions O First…then schedule O Video modeling O Motivational Systems (e.g., PEGS/STAR Chart) O Visual Activity Schedules

6. Visuals: Examples O Checklists O Graphic Organizers O Social Stories (Gray 2002) O Comic Strip Conversations O Power Cards (Elisa Gagnon) O Calendars O Task Analysis (e.g., 1 st, 2 nd, 3 rd, etc.)

7. Boardmakershare and Boardmaker Studio O Simple, Fast, adaptable, easy to modify, high tech and low tech O Edmark O STAR chart O Songs, Sorting, thematic units, expanding curriculum, continued practice, storybooks, and etc. O Website O Examples.

8. Intellitools O Easy, Easy, Easy!!! O Themes, individual skills, expanding curriculum, continued practice, storybooks, and etc. O Website O Examples.

9. SmartBoard O Easy to modify and adapt O Examples. O Website

10. IPAD/IPOD O Fun, easy to use, Free Apps O First…then Schedule O Proloquo2Go O Apps that are FREE and Great!!! O ABA Free Apps in April each year O Phone number app Are you using any great apps to share with the group?

11. Other Stuff… O Video Modeling O Low Tech examples. O Task Analysis O Recipes (News2You) O Social Stories (Gray 2002) O PEGS/STAR Chart (motivational system) O Mini-Schedules O Visual Schedules O Games O Spinner with velcro O Language Master

12. O Check out the high tech and low tech examples O IPAD/IPOD O SmartBoard Software O Boardmaker O Intellitools

13. Make it and take it… O You can spend your remaining time exploring, borrowing ideas, collaborating to create new or adapt already created materials. O Questions.

14. Websites O www.cindyautisticsupports.com www.cindyautisticsupports.com O http://kidscandream.webs.com http://kidscandream.webs.com O http://jillkuzma.wordpress.com http://jillkuzma.wordpress.com O YouTube O Harry Kindergarten