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SPED 560
Strategies and Interventions for Supporting Individuals with Autism Spectrum Disorders
in School, Home, and Community
Summer 2011
Instructor: Karen Feathers
Phone: 434-842-1115 (home)
Room: Hull 248
434-962-6454 (cell)
Meeting Times: 6/20, 6/27,7/11 (5:00-8:00)
Email: feathersfam7@yahoo.com
Online: 6/20-7/14
featherskh@longwood.edu
Office hours: By appointment. Just call me or email anytime. I am very available and can also
meet extra time if you need help.
Course description
This course will create a framework for understanding and implementing effective interventions
in school, the home, and in the community. Students will be exposed to collaborative and
interdisciplinary models of service delivery that ensure family-centered and culturally competent
approaches to assessment and intervention.
This is a hybrid course. Log on to the course regularly for any announcements.
Required Resources for On-Line Courses
Minimum computer and software requirements for Longwood online courses can be found at
http://www.longwood.edu/online . Please be sure that your computer meets these requirements.
Online course information can be found on this site on screen links on the left sidebar entitled
“About Online Learning” and “Student Resources.” Be sure to review all these sections before
beginning this course. The Technical Support link can be found at
http://www.longwood.edu/online/Tech_support.htm and will provide you information about how
to resolve technical issues if they should arise. The Help Desk can assist with any problems you
have at 877-267-7883 (toll free number/option #1) or 434-395-4357. Please make sure your
anti-virus software is up-to-date.
Required Textbooks
Simpson, R.L., & Myles, B.S. (2008). Educating children and youth with autism: Strategies for
effective practice (2nd ed.) Austin, TX: PRO-ED
Myles, B.S. (2005). Children and youth with asperger syndrome: Strategies for success in
inclusive settings. Thousand Oaks, CA: Corwin Press.
Purpose
The purpose of this course is to equip learners with skills necessary to diagnose and plan
interventions for enabling the student with autism spectrum disorder to function effectively in
school, at home, and in the community according to the pupil’s strengths and weaknesses based
on data collected through assessment. Upon completion of this course, the learner will have new
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knowledge, skills, and dispositions to assist them in working with students with autism spectrum
disorders, as explained further in the following sections.
Knowledge
1. Current model and diagnosing criteria for Autism Spectrum Disorders (ASD) which
include Autism and Asperger’s Syndrome, Rhett’s Disorder and Pervasive
Developmental Disorder-Not Otherwise Specified (PDD-NOS). using standardized and
non-standardized measurements
2. The continuum of symptoms that may be manifested by these students in the classroom
and school setting (hallways, recess, lunchroom, etc.) Pre-K-12th grade, at home, and in
the community when outside the home with family members
3. Establishing and maintaining interdisciplinary collaboration
4. Available resources in the community and on Internet.
5. Sensory impact on the behavior of individuals with ASD
6. Various behavior management techniques in effective teaching
7. Transition planning for different age groups
Skills
1. Use practical strategies to use in the classroom to create reasonable expectations and
work more effectively with these students
2. Be able to administer and interpret standardized assessment scales and be able to share
the collected information with the transdisciplinary members and parents of the
individual
3. Be able to develop appropriate teaching strategies based on the data collected through the
administration of assessment measurements.
4. Use practical strategies to understand and support the challenges that the parents of
children with ASD must face.
5. Know how to effectively access the “support team” within the school building (guidance
team members, specialists, administration, etc.) to better address the needs of these
students.
6. Know how to effectively access the community resources (‘wrap-around” services such
as medical personnel, therapists, etc.) to better address the needs of these students and
their families.
7. Identify a list of resources they can access and/or share with parents. These will include
books, websites, and organizations.
8. Locate model programs, including career/vocational and transition, that have been
effective for individuals with autism spectrum disorders.
9. Identify local, state, and national resources that support children with ASD and their
families.
10. Design a family participation plan that includes a) a strategy for teaching family members
(parents and siblings) instructional procedures used in the classrooms, and b) a method of
daily/weekly communication. This plan must address cross-cultural issues when
developing.
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11. Critically discuss the impact a child with ASD may have on a family member and the
roles professionals can play in providing support to family members.
12. Understand the principles of Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA) and various theories of
behavior development and management.
13. Understand the role of sensory integration in assisting the child to master his/her world.
Dispositions
1. Display high level of mastery in planning curriculum appropriate to learning theory, and
the needs of students using data collected through both informal and formal strategies.
2. Maintain a high level of professional integrity in establishing and maintaining
multidisciplinary collaboration.
3. Display excellence in skills in using positive reinforcement strategies to improve and
maintain alternative behaviors of individuals with ASD.
Assignments (100 points) (*Instructor will assist with finding students as needed.)
All assignments must be deposited under assignments except for requirements through the
discussion board. All assignments must follow APA (6th ed.) in written format. Please
include your name on each assignment. Assignments #1-#6 could be done using the same
child or a different child for each assignment.
Assessment and report writing (10 points) (Due: Mon. of Week 2 in class) (6/27)
Review the educational records (IEP and/or cumulative folder) of a student or any
records of assessments or anecdotal records available to you. (Parents may have
records of service agencies, doctor reports, testing done by outside therapy or
medical centers.) Take notes on “red flags” and general characteristics/data you
find revealing. Observe the student for 3 hours during different types of
activities, or for a set period of time on multiple days to gather data on a
target behavior occurring during a set time of day. Given this information,
complete the Childhood Autism Rating Scale, or an Asperger Diagnostic
Checklist, and discuss the results in a 3-5 page paper in accordance with APA (6th
ed.) publication guidelines.
Interview a parent of a child with ASD (10 points) (Due: Wed of Week 2 online)
(6/29)
Ask the parent to discuss their child’s strengths and the difficulties that their child
experiences due to the impact of the ASD on the child. If possible, discuss the
impact that having a child with ASD has made on the family (stressors, gifts,
etc.). You may either submit a tape of the interview with a 2-page commentary,
or you may write a summary of the interview of 3- 4 pages. Please incorporate in
your commentary or summary evidence of additional reading showing how you
validate your associations of experiences and characteristics with others in
educational research and current literature.
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Intervention plan (10 points) (Due: Tues. of Week 3 online ) (7/5)
Select one intervention that you have read about in the literature and/or has been
used in your school system, a home or community setting, or in your own
classroom or experience with a child with ASD that you have not previously
shared in one of your ASD classes thus far. This may be a program intervention,
a classroom design, or an intervention for a specific child. Complete a critical
review of the strengths and weaknesses of the intervention and its generalized
value to children or adolescents with ASD. This review should address the
following and be a length of 4-5 pages.
A. Part I:
1. Description of the intervention (2 pts.)
2. Strengths and weaknesses (1 pt.)
3. References cited (1 pt.)
B. Part II:
1. Critical review of the perceived effectiveness of the intervention (2 pts.)
2. References to support the evaluation of effectiveness (1 pt.)
C. Part III:
1. Specific profile of a child with ASD who might respond best to this
intervention (2 pts.)
2. Explanation of why (1 pt.)
` Functional behavior assessment and functional behavior analysis (10 points)
(Due: Thurs. of Week 3) (7/7)
Conduct a functional behavior assessment on a student with an autism spectrum
disorder, and write a report of your findings. You may use the forms from your
graduate behavior management course, ones you’ve discovered in professional
development training, or suggestions you find on the Virginia Department of Ed.
website. We will discuss these options in our first class on June 20th, and evaluate
their strengths and weaknesses. The most important part of selecting a tool for
data collection is to evaluate whether or not it will measure what you need to see
in order to be able to design an appropriate intervention. (See
http://www.doe.virginia.gov/support/student_conduct/functional_behavioral_assessment.pdf .)
Behavior intervention plan (10 points) (Due: Mon. of Week 4 in class) (7/11)
Identify a skill that you would like to develop or improve in a school-aged child
with ASD, and design an intervention method that you would use to develop that
skills. This should be ready to present as a teaching method describing the whole
lesson plan on the last day of class, July 11th.
Transition plan (10 points) (Due Wed. of Week 4 online) (7/13)
Choose one child with ADS who is transitioning from one grade or program to
another, and develop a transition plan that will support the child, the family, and
the receiving program providers. The transition plan should include the
following:
A. Part I:
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1. Description of the child with ASD and family (1 pt.)
2. Strengths and challenges (1 pt.)
3. Identified goals across areas of play or leisure, communication, social
interaction, sensory-motor development, and behavior (1 pt.)
B. Part II:
1. Summary of strategies effectively used in the child’s current classroom or
overall environment which supported the achievement of the child’s
goals (1 pt.)
2. An explanation of some innovative ways this information could be shared
with the receiving school or program (e.g. video modeling,
communication tools, strategy implementation) (2 pts.)
3. Outline of the scope-and-sequence of the activities that will be
implemented through the transition process, including a timeline
of events (2 pts.)
C. Part III:
1. A process for following up on the transition (1 pt.)
2. A way to evaluate the effectiveness of the transition plan with suggestions
for needed modification (1 pt.)
Discussion Board (24 points)
We will participate in discussions relating to our textbook readings during the
weeks of June 11th – July 14th. I will post information on a topic in our reading
or a situation and ask a question. Post a response twice each week for each of
the four weeks. Then, respond to two learners using the following 2 + 2 feedback
guidelines to receive the total points per week. Give 2 positives for the situation
and 2 suggestions. Your suggestions may also be offered as questions. Try to
bring additional content in from the required readings. Please cite references and
offer experiences as you relate to situations. (See due dates below.)
2 original posts per week (4 + 4 + 4 + 4 = 16 pts.)
2 responses to peers (2 + 2 + 2 + 2 = 8) (Total = 24 pts.)
Class Participation (6 points)
Each class member should participate fully in class discussion and take the most
from the learning experience. Each class discussion on assigned class periods is
worth 2 points of the overall grade.
Grading Summary
Assessment and report writing
Parent interview
Intervention review
Functional behavior assessment
and functional behavior analysis
Intervention plan
Transition plan
Discussion board
Class participation
Points (Total = 100)
10
10
10
10
10
10
24
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*Assignments posted after the due date will be penalized by ½ point per day.
Grading Scale
95-100A
89-94B
83-88C
82 and below F
Attendance
It is the responsibility of the learner to attend class on time. If a class is missed
for any reason, the learner will be held responsible for all material covered and
announcements made in his or her absence. The learner should notify the
instructor in advance if he or she must miss a class for a serious illness or for a
recognizable emergency. His or her absence from class must be excused if make
up privileges are to be granted. The Longwood attendance policy must be
honored by the learner.
Honor Code
Students are expected to abide by the Longwood College Honor policy.
Discussion Board topics will come from readings in the following chapters:
Due Dates: Fridays: Initial Postings
(Postings due by 11:59 P.M.)
Sundays: Responses
Week
June 20th
June 27th
July 4th
July 11th
Topics
Simpson &
Myles Chapters
Characteristics/Assessment/Supports
1&2
Strategies/Management/Supports
3&4
Approaches/Inclusion/Issues
7&8
Transition/Self-Determination
9 & 10
Myles
Chapters
4
5
6
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Class Discussion topics will come from readings in the following chapters:
Week
Topics
June 20th
June 27th
Adaptations/Modifications
Communication/Social
Competence
Treatments/Interventions
July 11th
Simpson & Myles
Chapters
5&6
Reminder: Please turn off cell phones during class.
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Myles
Chapters
1-3
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References
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Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders, 32(5), 397-422.
Baron-Cohen, S., & Wheelright, S. (2003). The friendship questionnaire: An investigation of
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