Academic Year 2015-2016
CORE 549
Half (2-1)
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Understanding Children with Autism
Spectrum Disorders
Calendar Description
Advance Topics in Community Rehabilitation
Content/Objectives
Students will develop an understanding of Autism Spectrum Disorders by exploration of the following topics:
Diagnosis, Assessment and Prevalence
Family Perspectives
Interventions (Communication, Social, Cognitive, and Sensory motor Development, Adaptive Behavior)
Methodological Issues in Research
Outcomes/Competencies
Upon completion of this course students will be able to:
 Understand the components in the diagnosis and treatment of children with ASD
 Critically review the research in the field of ASD
 Identify the issues regarding ASD from a family perspective
Assignments
1. Students will be required to post reflective and critical responses to assigned readings & book chapters Value 30%
2. Students will be assigned as moderator of postings for one week
Value 20%
3. Students will be required to write a critical research paper on a topic negotiated with the instructor
Value 30%
4. Students will visit an agency providing services to children with ASD and write a site-visit report
Value 20%
In keeping with the University of Calgary’s emphasis on the importance of academic writing in student
assignments (section E.2 of 2015-16 Calendar), this course relies heavily on writing and the grading thereof
in determining a student’s mark. Competency in writing is not the exclusive domain of the humanities and
social sciences, nor does it solely mean accuracy in mechanics (grammar, spelling, punctuation). The
University of Calgary offers a number of instructional services through the Students’ Success Centre’s
Writing Support Services (http://www.ucalgary.ca/writingsupport/) for students seeking feedback on
assignments or seeking to improve their general writing skills. Students are strongly encouraged to take
advantage of these programs.
Resources
Educating Children with Autism (2001). Committee on Educational Interventions for Children with Autism,
National Research Council.
Assigned Readings on designated topics are accessed through the U of C Library using your ID card info
See instructions at the end of this course outline.
A list of required readings for all course sections will be outlined on D2L and links and documents will be
made available, where possible. Required readings have been chosen carefully to inform you and enhance
the lecture material. Students are REQUIRED to complete assigned readings BEFORE each lecture.
Discussions in class and in tutorials will be conducted with the assumption that the assigned readings have
been completed.
Students should be aware that many of the readings they will be assigned may be of an unfamiliar nature
and style. Students should allot sufficient time to allow for several reads of the assigned material.
Details for current course offerings are available at: www.crds.org
Instructor and Course Information
COURSE:
TERM:
SECTION:
CORE 549
INSTRUCTOR:
Fall 2015
L01
TIME/DATE:
Online
LOCATION:
D2L
Beth Parrott
TELEPHONE:
403 - 220-2271
FAX:
403 - 220-6494
EMAIL
OFFICE HOURS:
parrott@ucalgary.ca
By Appointment
Course information and updates will be posted under Announcements throughout the course. It is important
to check these on a continual basis throughout the course.
Course Content
This online course introduces students to Autism Spectrum Disorders (ASD). Using D2L as a medium, Discussions of
the biological bases for the disorders as well as historical perspectives of autism will be held. Current research will be
investigated from a variety of perspectives and philosophies. This course will provide students with in-depth knowledge
of techniques used to treat children with autism, both empirically validated and those currently in vogue. An overview of
characteristics, assessment strategies, issues, and approaches related to children with autism will be provided.
Unit 1
Diagnosis, Assessment and Prevalence (Chapter 2 and reading)
Unit 2
Family Perspectives (Chapter 3 and readings)
Unit 3
Interventions
 Communication (Chapter 5 and reading)
 Social Development (Chapter 6 and reading)
 Cognitive Development (Chapter 7 and reading)
 Sensory/Motor Development (Chapter 8 and reading)
 Adaptive Behaviors (Chapter 9)
Unit 4
Methodological Issues in Research (Chapter 15 and readings)
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Details of Assignments
Course information and updates will be posted under Announcements throughout the course. It is important
to check these on a continual basis throughout the course.
1) D2L Postings: Every two weeks students will be required to post a response to assigned book chapters and
assigned article(s) in their assigned groups (4 – 5 in each group). Posting will be graded on incorporation of theory,
and student reflections based on critical analysis of the assigned material. Postings should be at least 2 pages
double spaced. 6 postings worth 5% each
Due by midnight (MST) of the Sunday due dates listed (See schedule below) Late postings will be deducted
one point for each day late.
2) Moderator assignments: One student will be assigned as moderator for another group for one assignment and will
be required to provide individual feedback on the postings for that group. Moderator assignments will be posted on the
course website and will be graded on quality of feedback to postings and ability to generate further discussion with
questions and critical responses as well as providing at least one additional reference per posting related to the
posting..
Each of you will be assigned a group to moderate sometime during the term (see Course Information under the Tools
link for your assigned posting week).
You will still post your reflections for that particular assignment in your group page but after the due date I will
add you to another group as a moderator.
You will be required to provide individual feedback to the members of the group you have been assigned to for that
week. You do not moderate your own regularly assigned group. You have one week to provide this feedback (one week
from the posting deadline). Moderator postings should be a minimum of two pages for each group member doublespaced.
You will be graded on the quality of your feedback, reflection on their postings, asking questions, providing critical
responses (not just "I enjoyed reading your posting"). You will also be required to provide additional references to the
individual group members regarding their posting.
Value 20%
3. Site-visit Report on observation and interviews at agency providing services to children with ASD in your
community. Length of Report – 5 pages (double spaced). The 5 page report will be graded on the following criteria:
Overview of the agency, who they serve, how, what model, where they get their funding, staffing model, etc.
Details of the interviews you conducted with team members (including parents)
Reflections on what you saw, heard, general impressions, conclusions
Writing style, how well the report is written
Due November 6, 2015 –
Value 20%
4. Critical research paper: will be related to some aspect of ASD. Research questions will be negotiated with the
course instructor within the first month of the course. Books and journal articles will form the basis of references for the
research paper but website information will not be allowed as references (Wikipedia, etc.). Research paper will be
graded on coverage of research topic, critical analysis of research, references, and writing ability. Length of paper 10
pages double-spaced (not including references).
Here's the breakdown for grading of the critical research paper:
10 marks for coverage of the research question
3
10 marks for critical analysis of the research
5 marks for references (APA required)
5 marks for writing ability
Due December 3, 2015 –
Value 30%
Schedule of D2L Postings with Due Dates
September 20: Posting 1 – Diagnosis, Assessment and Prevalence (Chapter 2 and Matson reading)
October 4:
Posting 2 – Family Perspectives (Chapter 3 and 3 readings – Miller, Cheuk and Louis)
October 18:
Posting 3 – Communication (Chapter 5 and Chiang and Toth reading)
November 1:
Posting 4 – Social Development (Chapter 6 and White reading) and
Cognitive Development (Chapter 7 and Edelson reading)
November 15: Posting 5 – Sensory/Motor Development (Chapter 8 and Ingersoll reading) and
Adaptive Behaviors (Chapter 9)
November 29: Posting 6 – Methodological Issues in Research (Chapter 15 and 2 readings – Jarrold and Shaked)
Readings
Posting 1:
Matson, J.L., Wilkins, J., & Gonzalez, M. (2008). Early identification and diagnosis in autism spectrum disorders in
young children and infants: How early is too early? Research in Autism Spectrum Disorders, 2(1), 75-84.
Posting 2:
Miller, V.A., Schreck, K.A., Mulick, J.A., & Butter, E. (2012). Factors related to parents’ choices of treatments for their
children with autism spectrum disorders. Research in Autism Spectrum Disorders, 6(10), 87-95.
Cheuk, S., & Lashewicz, B. (2015) How are they doing? Listening as fathers of children with autism spectrum disorder
compare themselves to fathers of children who are typically developing. Autism, 1362361315584464
Louis, P. T., & Kumar, N. (2015). Does father involvement influence the affect, language acquisition, so-cial
engagement and behavior in young autistic children? An early intervention study. Journal of Special Education and
Rehabilitation, 16(1-2), 105-124.
Posting 3:
Communication: Chiang, C, Soong, W., Lin, T., & Rogers, S. (2008). Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders,
38(10), 1898-1906.
Toth, K., Munson, J., Melzoff, A. N., & Dawson, G. (2006). Early predictors of communication development in young
children with autism spectrum disorder: Joint attention, imitation, and toy play. Journal of Autism and Developmental
Disorders, 36(8), 993-1005.
Posting 4:
Social Development: White, S. W., Keonig, K., & Scalhill, L. (2007). Social skills development in children with autism
spectrum disorders: A review of the intervention research. Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders, 37(10),
1858-1868.
Cognitive Development: Edelson, M. G. (2005). A car goes in the garage like a can of peas goes in the refrigerator.
Focus on Autism and Other Developmental Disabilities, 20(1), 2 – 10.
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Posting 5:
Sensory/Motor Development: Ingersoll, B., Schreibman, L. & Tran, Q. (2003). Effect of sensory feedback on immediate
object imitation in children with autism. Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders, 33(6), 573-683.
Posting 6:
Jarrold, C. & Brock, J. (2004). To match or not to match? Methodological issues in autism. Journal of Autism and
Developmental Disorders, 34(1), 81–86.
Shaked, M. & Yimiya, N. (2004). Matching procedures in autism research: Evidence from meta-analytic studies. Journal
of Autism and Developmental Disorders, 34(1), 35–40.
Internet Journals (through U of C Library):
Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders
Focus on Autism and other Developmental Disabilities
Research in Autism Spectrum Disorders
Journal articles can be accessed by the following steps:
U of C webpage (www.ucalgary.ca)
Click Library, Library Catalogues, U of C catalogues, Search the Library Catalogue, Search for: (type in journal name)
and click Journal Title, click on any internet Access i.e., Academic Search Review, Follow directions for User
authentication.
Suggested Links for Additional Information:
Alberta Centre for Child, Family and Community Research http://www.research4children.org
Canadian Autism Intervention Research Network
http://www.cairn-site.com
Renfrew Educational Services www.renfreweducation.org
New Heights Services for Children www.newhts.org
Marking Scheme
95 – 100
90 – 94
85 – 89
A+
A
A-
80 – 84
75 – 79
70 – 74
B+
B
B-
65 – 69
60 – 64
55 – 59
C+
C
C-
50 – 54
45 – 49
Below 44
D+
D
F
IMPORTANT DATES FOR FALL 2015
The last day to change or drop a course
- September 18, 2015.
The last day to pay balance of fees - September 25, 2015.
The last day to withdraw - December 8, 2015.
Desire 2 Learn is located on the University of Calgary server and will be used extensively for communication
with students. It is the student’s responsibility to ensure that s/he gets all posted communications
and documents and that s/he receives emails sent by instructors or fellow students through D2L.
Your email address on D2L is the one you gave to the Registrar. Using an email address on the University
server (name@ucalgary.ca) will ensure that you receive emails and that, should the server ever be down,
instructors will be aware of it. Other servers sometimes filter D2L or instructor group mailings as spam; we
therefore require that you have your ucalgary.ca email address linked to D2L.
Copyright
It is the responsibility of students and professors to ensure that materials they post or distribute to others
comply with the Copyright Act and the University’s Fair Dealing Guidance for Students
(library.ucalgary.ca/files/library/guidance_for_students.pdf). Further information for students is available on
the Copyright Office web page (http://library.ucalgary.ca/copyright)
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A Note Regarding Instructor Intellectual Property
Generally speaking, course materials created by professor(s) (including course outlines, presentations and
posted notes, labs, case studies, assignments and exams) remain the intellectual property of the
professor(s). These materials may NOT be reproduced, redistributed or copied without the explicit consent
of the professor. The posting of course materials to third party websites such as note-sharing sites without
permission is prohibited. Sharing of extracts of these course materials with other students enrolled in the
course at the same time may be allowed under fair dealing.
Academic Accommodations Based on Disability
It is the student’s responsibility to register with Student Accessibility Services to be eligible for formal
academic accommodation. If you are a student who may require academic accommodation and have not
registered with Student Accessibility Services, please contact their office at (403) 220-8237;
http://www.ucalgary.ca/access/. Students will be provided with all necessary accommodations to ensure
equal opportunity to succeed in this course. Please provide the instructor your accommodation letter from
Student Accessibility Services within 14 days after the start of this course so that all needed arrangements
for exams and assignments can be made.
Accommodations on Protected Grounds other than Disability
Students who require an accommodation in relation to their coursework based on a protected ground other
than disability, should communicate this need, preferably in writing, to the designated BCR program contact,
Mrs. Jennifer Logan (jljlogan@ucalgary), or to Dr. Ebba Kurz, Associate Dean, Undergraduate Health and
Science Education, Cumming School of Medicine. Students who require an accommodation unrelated to
their coursework or the requirements for a graduate degree, based on a protected ground other than
disability, should communicate this need, preferably in writing, to the Vice-Provost (Student
Experience). For additional information on support services and accommodations for students with
disabilities, visit www.ucalgary.ca/access/.
Academic Misconduct
Cheating, plagiarism, and other forms of academic misconduct are very serious offences that will be dealt
with rigorously in all cases. Consequences include failure on the assignment, failure in the course and
possibly suspension or expulsion from the BCR program or the University. The Cumming School of
Medicine follows a zero tolerance policy regarding dishonesty. All incidences of academic dishonesty
will be reported to the Associate Dean (Undergraduate Health & Science Education) and be recorded
in their student records. The University calendar is explicit about what is construed as academic
misconduct and on the appropriate penalties. Students are referred to the “Student Misconduct” sections of
the University Calendar for further information.
Other Important Information
Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy Act
This course is conducted in accordance with the Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy Act
(FOIP) and students should identify themselves on written assignments (exams and term work.) by their
name and ID number on the front page and ID on each subsequent page. Assignments given by you to your
course instructor will remain confidential unless otherwise stated before submission. The assignment cannot
be returned to anyone else without your expressed permission to the instructor. Grades will be made
available on an individual basis and students will not have access to other students’ grades without
expressed consent. Similarly, any information about yourself that you share with your course instructor will
not be given to anyone else without your permission.
Appeals
If there is a concern with the course, academic matter or a grade, first communicate with the instructor. If
these concerns cannot be resolved, students can proceed with an academic appeal, as per Section I of the
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University Calendar. Students must follow the official reappraisal/appeal process and should contact the
Student Ombuds Office (http://www.ucalgary.ca/provost/students/ombuds) for assistance with this and with
any other academic concerns, including academic and non-academic misconduct.
Resources for Support of Student Learning and Wellness
Student Success Centre
http://www.ucalgary.ca/ssc/
Student Wellness Centre
http://www.ucalgary.ca/wellnesscentre/
Distress Centre
http://www.distresscentre.com/
Student Union (SU) Information
The SU Vice-President Academic can be reached at (403) 220-3911 or suvpaca@ucalgary.ca; the SU
representatives for the Cumming School of Medicine can be reached at medrep@su.ucalgary.ca.
Safewalk
Campus security will escort individuals, day or night, anywhere on campus (including McMahon Stadium,
Health Sciences Centre, Student Family Housing, the Alberta Children's Hospital and the University LRT
station). Call 220-5333. Use any campus phone, emergency phone or the yellow phone located at most
parking lot pay booths.
IMPORTANT: Intellectual honesty is the cornerstone of the development and acquisition of knowledge and requires
that the contribution of others be acknowledged. Consequently, plagiarism or cheating on any assignment is regarded
as an extremely serious academic offence. Students should examine sections of the University Calendar that present a
Statement of Intellectual Honesty and definitions and penalties associated with Plagiarism/Cheating/and Other
Academic Misconduct.
Purchasing a Textbook from the University of Calgary Bookstore:



Shop On-line www.calgarybookstore.ca/ Click on --> Shop On-line; Click on --> Textbooks; Follow the
directions.
Order by Phone: (403) 220-5937; Toll Free: 1-877-220-5937
In Person: Go to the University of Calgary Bookstore, MacEwan Student Centre, Room 155, 2500 University
Drive NW, Calgary, AB T2N 1N4
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