Sometimes The I.E.P. Team Forgets About
What is Important in a Child’s Life
What’s Important and What’s Not in the Big Picture of Life
-Perfecting the “Th” Sound
-Using a pincer grasp to remove coins from a table
-Learning to play Tag
-Getting to class on time
-Self Advocacy
The Work of Building Your Future…
• Must address the things in life that are not so measurable:
• Getting from Point A to Point B without Adult Supervision
• Learners Permit – Macomb BYF – 5 Students Driver’s License
• Authentic conversations about how the team helps support the student
• Creating energy, synergy in partnership with parents that forces them
to take risks, do the hard work alongside the school, with peers, while
peers are naturally present.
What is the Passport?
A self-advocacy program that starts as early as kindergarten to:
• Involve the student in every aspect of their development
to the extent possible in a self-discovery approach; will
change as the student ages
• Promote better understanding of the individual in both
environments
• Connect and align life goals
• Raise expectations
• Increase family and school connection
What is the Passport?
• A Guide to Assist Families and School Teams
• Grade Appropriate Opportunities for Students with ASD
• Peers as a Compass
• Identify What Experiences are Typical at that Grade Level
• Passport Identifies those Expectations
• Students with ASD have Same Opportunities as Their Peers
• Dignity of Risk
Dignity of Risk
Purpose of the PASSPORT
• Promotes self-advocacy and independence in school and home
• Increases family involvement
• Promotes realistic and meaningful life goals for the individual
• Connects home and school goals
• Provides innovative, visual approach for capturing and
documenting achievement
• Early involvement and integration of life goals can promote
better preparedness for transition process—it starts early
The Passport
One Family’s Perspective
The Passport
• Prompts consideration of the independence and socialization skills
and social opportunities that the child may be missing in a systematic
way, giving these areas of personal development significance
alongside the academic matters being addressed by schools and
families.
The Passport
• Provides a barometer for families to gauge where their child is in
terms of life skills and experiences relative to his/her peers.
The Passport
• Permits families and schools to work together in a guided way to
consider and grow the whole child, not just the academic student,
when setting goals for growth and development.
The Passport
• Promotes communication between the family and the school
regarding the child’s functioning, particularly in the areas of daily
living skills and socialization, allowing better cooperation and
collaboration in these areas.
Why the Passport?
• Ensures students with ASD have grade and age-appropriate opportunities
• Difficult to recapture lost opportunities
• Serves as a guide to family and educators in understanding the individual,
setting viable expectations, and encouraging better overall understanding of
the student
• Provides flexibility centered on the strengths and needs of the individual
• Promotes involvement and self-advocacy for the individual through selfdiscovery and taking ones in the process
• Involves peers promoting increased understanding of the individual and
natural supports
• Aids in guiding purposeful IEP goals affecting the individual
• More prepared to engage in the transition process
How is the Passport Different than the I.E.P.?
• The passport can and should be reviewed at the I.E.P.
• Passport items typically address grade-level opportunities
beyond those required for FAPE which have been identified in
the student’s IEP goals and objectives.
• Connects home and school
• Integrates individual and family into the planning process
• Aligns goals to promote generalization of skills
• Provides better understanding of the whole individual
• Promotes independence and self-advocacy
Sometimes in I.E.P.
Meetings
Important Things
Become to
Routine
How Does the Passport Work?
• Identify Grade Level of the Student with ASD
• Determine what experiences typical students have at this grade level
• Two Examples of Home and School Expectations
• An Other Space is Provided to Select and Alternative Expectation
• Team Select at least 1 Home and 1 School Expectation
• Target within that school year to ensure that typical grade-level
experiences occur for students with ASD.
• Additional Ideas are Available in the Attachment
• Separated by Elementary, Secondary and Post High School.
rd
3
Grade Passport
Identify
Grade Level
and Typical
Experiences
2 Examples of
Home & School
Expectations
Options to
Select
Alternative
Expectations
Additional Expectations for Passport
How to use the Passport?
• Start when the Student with ASD is in Kindergarten (Later if Older)
• Share at I.E.P. Meeting
• Identify at least 1 School and 1 Home Expectation to focus on for the year
• Review previous expectations; may be iterative skill-building
• Support family in developing plan to meet expectations
• Involve student in process; student leads to the extent possible
• As expectations are met, team can stamp the passport to indicate
expectations have been achieved
th
9
Grade Passport
th
9
Grade Passport
Ryder’s Passport to Independence
How…
It really does take a village…
•
•
•
•
•
•
Keeping expectations high (but within reach)
Use of natural environment=opportunities are everywhere
Anticipate concerns and needed supports
Collaboration of home and school team
Accountability for behavior
Ownership of actions and in decision making promotes buy-in, ask: how can he/she
take a lead role or be involved in this?
• Decide how to address challenges in the best way for the individual
• Get student’s input
• Practice/rehearsal in the situation
• Start small and add to time or difficulty to build confidence and skill
Ryder’s Passport to Independence
• Goal: promote self-advocacy and independence
• Understands his disability
• Shares his strengths and challenges
• Participation in IEP (I’m like the king of the meeting….?)
• Goal: promote quality of social relationships through support of peers
• Educate peers about Ryder: presented to his class about his autism
• Follow up meeting with peers that included Ryder: identified strengths and areas of
growth for him
• Volume control
• Lecturing versus conversation
• Changing topics
• Utilize skill of creating PowerPoint for taking notes
Ryder’s Passport to Independence
• What would his peers be doing….how far can we stretch?
Examples:
• Increase amount of time at home alone
• Waiting in the car while we go into store (consideration: size of store, location, length of
time)
• Using concession stand at school events (consideration: safe environment…the worst
thing that will happen is…)
• Driving snowmobile, tractor, other….
• Creates and follows own morning checklist and sets own timer
• Orders for self at restaurants and calculates tip
• Can ask for setting modifications (too cold or warm, sounds that are too loud, changing
seats, lights that are too bright, smells that are offensive, needing a “wiggle” break)
Ryder’s Passport to Independence
• What’s next…5th Grade
• Movie night (at school) with peers
• School dance
• Maintains own morning checklist (create, modify as needed)
• Uses alarm clock (parents do not wake up)
• Safety signs and information in the community (no food, require
shirts/shoes, slippery floor, poison, no smoking, street crossing, road signs)
• Volume control; staying on topic and conversational skills (reduce
lecturing)
Ryder’s Passport to Independence
What that might look like for Ryder…
Student’s Age
5th
Some Typical 5th Grade Experiences
Grade
•
School Expectation
•
•
Family Expectation
•
•
Volume control and promoting volume
level appropriate to setting (visual prompt
for self-management)
Taking notes in class with PowerPoint or in
electronic form; visuals are more
supportive than repeating auditory
through auditory recording
•
Volume control and promoting volume
level appropriate to setting (gestural
prompt/visual for self management
Reading body language/expressions
Ordering at restaurant for self
•
•
•
•
•
•
Conversation and changing topics; staying on topic
with communicative partner/peer and not
monopolize conversation
Report bullying to designated peer(s) and adult.
Self-management system in the form of a checklist
Safety awareness (floor is slippery, yield,
pedestrians crossing, etc.)
Conversation and changing topic with
communicative partner
Recognize when he is being teased or bullied and
working with that situation
Self management system in the form of a morning
checklist and bathroom timer; using alarm clock to
get up on his own
Ryder’s Passport to Independence
Other Potential Ideas in the Home…. (adjust to level of student)
Other: 5th Grade Examples in the Home
Other: 5th Grade Examples in the Home
Keeps food off self and area when eating; uses napkin; uses utensils; Use napkins;
uses utensils including cutting meat and other items with knife/butter knife)
Gets the mail from the mailbox independently; addresses envelope and stamps; mails
Add desired items to grocery list; helps grocery shop for items they want; helps
unload groceries from car; puts away groceries
Feeding/watering dog; pick up dog bowl; recognize when they need water
Bags garbage; takes to dumpster; brings garbage container to house
Way to earn money to buy desired items
Sets/clears table; puts food in storage containers (help clean up); uses utensils
appropriately (cutting with knife/butter knife)
Dusting, sweeping and using dustpan, mopping, picking up bathroom of personal
belongings; flushes toilet, puts seat down (cleans seat)
Makes bed, picks up bedroom, decorates bedroom with own theme; putting on
pillow cases
Puts laundry in laundry hamper or basket; picks up dirty laundry; sorting laundry;
using hanger
Using phone, dialing phone, familiar with important numbers of parents,
caregivers, emergency; responds to voice mail and leaves message; hangs up;
converses; misdialed
Prepares simple meals; uses microwave, puts cold items back in refrigerator; helps
prepare dishes they enjoy
Sweeps, picks up garage; water plants; clean up after dogs
Locking/unlocking doors; replacing batteries in remote controls
Participates in family games indoors and outdoors
Picks out clothes, dresses self, puts clean clothes away
Reads an analog clock; reads digital clock; understands passing of time (seconds,
minutes, hours, days, weeks, months, years); morning, afternoon, evening; daylight
savings time; using timer; using calendar
Technology: using internet appropriately; using and storing passwords; social media
account
Passport to Independence
Other Potential Ideas in the Community…. (adjust to level of student)
Other: 5th Grade Examples in the Community
Other: 5th Grade Examples in the Community
Uses bathroom appropriately; does not have conversations while using the
urinal or toilet with strangers; does not pull pants down to ankles when using
urinal; come out of stall with pants buttoned; washes hands
Knows basic safety rules and law; follows signs; stranger awareness;
community helpers awareness; buckles and wears seat belts; stays with
parent/caregiver (does not wander or elope); no touching in community
settings; using phone
Traffic and parking lot safety; watches cars backing up and moving; traffic
signals and uses buttons to change light; walks on own initially with minimal
traffic to a location (increase as skill advances)
Stays on sidewalk, watches where walking, appropriately walks (hands to self,
quiet self talk, stays on feet, stays with peer/parent/other, does not approach
dogs or strangers, etc.
Uses escalator; uses and operates elevators; stands quietly in elevator; waits in
line for food or at grocery store
Attends faith based sessions; sits during sessions; participates in singing or
activities
Takes public transportation (bus, train, etc.), uses tickets appropriately;
maintains behavior;
Knows full name, parents names, siblings names, important and emergency
phone numbers, address, neighbors; can communicate this information
through a written card, verbally, pictures, signing
Able to go to dentist, doctor, barber/salon maintaining appropriate behavior;
communicates how he/she wants hair cut; asks questions; expresses concerns;
is able to find way home from town or other locations
Knows how to use money or ATM in community settings such as stores; knows
coins and monetary measurement; learn how to use wallet, using vending
machines; use shopping carts; make shopping list and purchase from list; pay
at checkout; purchasing clothing and understands sizes; uses dressing room;
keeps products visible when shopping; interacts with clerk
Goes to restaurant; orders from menu; waits in line; interacts with wait staff;
eats with food on plate and not self; tipping and paying; throws trash away;
waits for others; uses condiments; waits to be seated; finds clean table; how to
eat at a buffet,
Returns greetings, courtesy phrases; politely interrupting conversations;
understands personal space; volume
Passport to Independence
Other Potential Ideas in School…. (adjust to level of student)
Other: 5th Grade Examples in School
Other: 5th Grade Examples in School
Identify adult who can help at school; know how to get help; have go-to peers for
assisting in transitions, breaks, recess, lunch
Request materials that are needed at school (pen, pencil, marker, glue, tape, paper,
Initiate conversations with adults and peers; sustain conversation (not lecturing);
flexible in topic changes
Managing note taking, curriculum requirements, seek accommodations; calendar
and organizational skills; homework completion, staying on task and classroom
routines.
Using lockers independently; sharing locker
Using school bathrooms appropriately; goes alone or accompanied with peer
Participation in IEP; helps set goals;
Technology: uses school computers/IPADS and maintains password; creates Word
documents, spreadsheets, presentations; uses e-mail system sending and receiving
e-mail; retrieves images online
Bus: sits with peers; lets driver know if there are concerns; activities to do on the
bus; time for homework=more leisure/choice time
Academics:
Ryder’s Passport to Independence
Other Potential Ideas for Social Skills…. (adjust to level of student)
Other: 5th Grade Examples in Social Skills
Other: 5th Grade Examples of Social Skills
Conversation: stay on topic, polite interruptions, introduces self
and family, does not discuss personal information; reciprocates
conversation; asks questions about the other person or situation;
does not brag
Displays sportsmanship; show concern for others feelings; does not
criticize others; respectful; remains calms when losing or someone
does not agree
Interprets gestures, sarcasm, boredom; body language; literal
versus figurative language; deciphers inappropriate instructions
from peers (peer pressure) and bullying
Identifies when feeling anxious, annoyed, frustrated; may give input
on reducing anxiety and mediating emotion
Discuss puberty, what to expect, how to manage feelings, what is
and is not appropriate in public and private; appropriate interaction
with opposite gender
Takes negative feedback and stays emotionally in tact; helps with
input on how to effectively accept negative feedback
Ryder’s Autism: Presentation
Ryder’s Autism: Presentation
Ryder’s Autism: Presentation
Ryder’s Autism: Presentation
Ryder’s Autism: Presentation
Ryder’s Autism: Presentation
Ryder’s Autism: Presentation
Ryder’s Autism: Presentation
Ryder’s Autism: Presentation