Autism
Spectrum
Disorders
By Kirsten Moreland and Kelsey Burns
Introduction
o What are the Autism
Spectrum Disorders?
o What are the diagnostic
criteria?
o What are the eligibility
requirements for Special
Education in Minnesota?
Autism Spectrum
Disorders
(Also known as pervasive developmental
disorders)
• Pervasive Developmental
Disorder Not Otherwise
Specified (or atypical autism)
• Rett Syndrome
• Childhood Disintegrative
Disorder
• Asperger Syndrome
• Autism
Definition
• Autism Spectrum Disorders:
– Disorders are characterized by
varying degrees of impairment in:
• (1) Communication skills
• (2) Social interactions
• (3) Repetitive and stereotyped
patterns of behavior.
Pervasive Developmental
Disorder Not Otherwise
Specified (or atypical autism)
• Persons who display behaviors typical of
autism but to a lesser degree and/or with
an onset later than three years of age
Rett Syndrome
• Normal development for five months to
four years, followed by regression and
intellectual disabilities.
• This is the only ASD that is more
common in females than males and it is
very rare.
Childhood
Disintegrative Disorder
• Normal development for at least 2 and
up to 10 years, followed by significant
loss of skills
• Much more prevalent in males.
Aspergers
• Similar to mild autism but without
significant impairments in cognition and
language.
Autism
Definition from IDEA:
• A developmental disability affecting verbal and
nonverbal communication and social interaction,
generally evident before age 3, that affects a child’s
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. The term does not
apply if a child’s educational performance is adversely
affected primarily because the childe has serious
emotional disturbance.
Diagnostic Criteria
• For information on diagnostic criteria
follow this link for the DSM criteria:
• http://www.firstsigns.org/screening/DSM4.
htm#CDD
Eligibility
A clinical or medical
diagnosis is not required;
even with the clinical or
medical diagnosis a
student must meet the
Minnesota eligibility
criteria
http://education.state.mn.
us/mdeprod/groups/Speci
alEd/documents/Manual/
000824.pdf
Focus on Autism
• Characteristics
• Prevalence
• Causes
• Facts
• Signs of Autism
• Simulations
Autism Characteristics
• Impaired social interaction
– Picked up/cuddled
– Smile/laugh
– Objects vs. people
• Impaired communication
– 50% thought to be mute
– Robotic, parroting or reverse pronouns
• Repetitive and stereotyped patterns of
behavior
– Twirling, flapping of hands, rocking
– Restricted range of interest
Autism Characteristics
Continued
• Impaired cognition
– Remember location in space rather than
concept comprehension
• ie. “shopping”
– Autistic savant: splinter skills
• ie. Rain Man
• Abnormal Sensory Perceptions
– Hyperresponsive or hyporresponsive
– Synaesthesia: the stimulation of one sensory
or cognitive system results in the stimulation
of another
Video
• http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=2
808924366946811422&q=aspergers+syndr
ome#
Prevalence
Autism is the most
prevalent of the ASD’s
and the second most
common is PDD-NOS
which is a less severe
form and/or later onset.
Interactive Autism Network
Causes
• Neurological
• No single, known cause
• Genetic Problems
– Depending on the gene, a child may be more
susceptible to the disorder
• Can affect the way brain cells communicate
• Can affect the severity of the symptoms
• Environmental Problems
– Causes many other health problems
– Exploring whether or not trigger autism
• ie. air pollutants and viral infections
Vaccines and Autism
• No reliable study has
shown a link between
the MMR vaccine and
autism
• Avoiding vaccines
can place your child
at risk for catching
serious diseases
Facts
• Approximately 1 in 110 children are diagnosed
with autism.
• Over the last 30 to 40 years there has been
great increase in the number of diagnosed
cases.
• Autism is the fastest-growing serious
developmental disability in the U.S.
• Sometimes students can be identified as LD or
DCD when if fact they have autism.
More Facts
• Autism is more prevalent in boys than girls
– Approximately 3:1 or 4:1
• Autism is more prevalent in siblings of those
with ASD
• Autism is more prevalent in those with other
developmental disorders such as Fragile X
syndrome, Developmental Cognitive Delayed,
or Tuberculosis.
Minnesota…Trends in ASD
Identification of Autism Spectrum Disorders
Minnesota Child Count Data (B-21 yrs.)
14000
12707
12000
11314
9929
10000
8691
8000
7307
5929
6000
4786
3759
4000
2000
331
959 1284
434 551 726
1730
2242
2814
0
Years 1992 - 2008
Data Source: MN Dept. of Education/Special EducationEducation-Unduplicated Child Count Data http://education.state.mn.us
http://education.state.mn.us
8
0%
0%
0%
0%
Minnesota Placement Data for ASD by
K-12 Federal Instructional Settings
Dec.1, 2008
7%
19%
45%
Regular Classroom
Resource Room
Separate Classroom
Public Separate Day
Private Separate Day
Public Residential
Private Residential
Hospital/Homebound
29%
Data Source: MN Dept. of Education/Special EducationEducation-Unduplicated Child Count Data http://education.state.mn.us
12
Minnesota…a closer look
Disability Categories as a Percentage within Special Education
DCD:S-P
2008 Child Count (N=124,592)
ASD
DCD:M-M
ASD
DD
OHD
EBD
S/L
SLD
DB
SMI
B/VI
TBI
PI
D/HH
10
Early Signs of Autism
• 6 months
– No big smiles or warm, joyful expressions
• 9 months
– No back and forth sharing of sounds, smiles, etc
• 12 months
– No consistent response to his/her name
– No babbling
– No back and forth gestures, such as pointing showing,
reaching, waving, or three-pronged gaze
• 16 months
– No words
• 24 months
– No two-word meaningful phrases (without imitation or
repeating)
What does it feel like
to have Autism?
• Class activity
– Break into groups of three
– Reflect on social difficulties of those with
autism
• Stations
– Need four groups
– Reflect on the sensory experience of those
with autism
What can we do as
teachers?
• Research programs
• Accommodations in the Lesson
• Accommodations in the
Classroom
• Assessment Practices
• Resources
MN Department of
Education
• Research does not tell us which
types of intervention work best
for different children
– Decisions made by the team
based on needs of individual child
• A variety of resources and
agencies must collaborate to
develop comprehensive
programs based on each child’s
needs
Curriculum of
Programs
The program should teach the child:
•
•
•
•
•
Ability to attend
Imitate others
Comprehend and use language
Play appropriately with toys
Socially interact with others
•
•
•
•
•
•
NRC Recommendations
for Education
Intervention
Immediate enrollment
into intervention programs
immediately after diagnosis
Active participation in intensive programming for
a minimum of 25 hours per week
Planned and repeated teaching opportunities in
various settings
At least 1 adult for every 2 young children
Parent training
Ongoing assessment and evaluation
Accommodations in the
Lesson
1. Choose or make materials with clear, visual
completion criteria.
2. Tasks that have visually clear instructions.
3. Provide students with visual aids for lectures.
4. Prepare students for transitions.
5. Use the student’s interests in lesson planning.
6. Use clear, concise language.
7. Modeling.
8. Incorporate the strengths of students with autism in
your lessons.
9. If student has difficulty with handwriting, for some
assignments, allow alternative ways to respond.
10. Reinforce positive behavior.
Accommodations in the
Classroom
Close proximity to teacher/teacher’s assistant.
Procedures to keep noise levels acceptable.
Private location w/o distractions for test taking.
Eliminate clutter.
Present instructions orally and written.
Frequent clarifications/reminders .
Refer to agendas.
Work is organized into manageable ‘chunks’.
Classroom expectations clear and understood,
as well as consequences for misbehavior.
10. Extra assistance is provided as needed.
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
9.
Teaching Strategies
• Direct Instruction
• Behavior Management
– Find ways to support positive behaviors
rather than punish negative behaviors
• Instruction in Natural Settings– settings
and interactions that non-disabled
children enjoy
• Teaching one-on-one or in small groups
Assessment Practices
• Testing accommodations vary on case
to case basis
• Extended time and small-group of
individual administration are common
accommodations
Resources
• http://www.nasponline.org/publications/cq/pdf/V
38N5_AutismSpectrumDisorders.pdf
• http://education.state.mn.us/mdeprod/groups/Spec
ialEd/documents/Manual/000824.pdf
• http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/autism/DS003
48/DSECTION=causes
• http://education.state.mn.us/mdeprod/groups/Spec
ialEd/documents/Publication/017210.pdf
• http://www.positivelyautism.com/volume2issue10
/section5.html
Resources
• Exceptional Learners by Daniel P. Hallahan,
James M. Kauffman, Paige C. Pullen
• MN Dept. of Education
http://education.state.mn.us/MDE/Learning_Supp
ort/Special_Education/Categorical_Disability_Info
rmation/Autism_Spectrum_Disorders/index.html
• How to create an inclusive classroom
http://www.child-autism-parent-cafe.com/autismstudents-in-inclusive-classrooms.html
Resources
• Good resource to help identify autism
http://www.nichd.nih.gov/publications/pubs/uploa
d/autism_overview_2005.pdf#page=3
• http://www.autismspeaks.org/docs/family_service
s_docs/sk/Appendix.pdf#page=91
• Autism Speaks organization
http://www.autismspeaks.org/whatisit/index.php
• http://www.ehow.co.uk/list_7183564_autismsimulation-activities.html
• Promoting Social Interaction: 4 strategies
http://www.teachervision.fen.com/autism/teaching
-methods/8193.html?detoured=1