Educating the Student
with Autism Spectrum Disorder in
the General Education Classroom
M E R E D IT H P E N N E R, M .E D .
PROGRAM & TRAINING SPECIALIST, BCIU #22
Gaskins Overview
 Formal resolution between the Pennsylvania
Department of Education (PDE) and a group
of families and advocacy organizations who
had filed a class-action lawsuit against PDE
on behalf of a group of children with
disabilities in 1994.
Gaskins…
 Goal is to ensure that the IEP team first considers
the regular classroom with supplementary aids and
services before considering a more restrictive
environment
 Increase opportunities for students with disabilities
to receive the supports and services needed to be
educated with nondisabled peers in regular
classrooms in their home schools
General Education
General Education with accommodations & modifications
General Education with modifications & adaptations
General Education with focus on IEP goals
NOT grade level curriculum (collaboration with
special education teacher)
General Education with 1 on 1
supports
% of day spent in alternate
setting (smallest amount
possible)
Separate setting
for majority of day
within public
school
APS
Approximate State Targets (2010)
 % of special education students placed in:
 General Ed >80%
 General Ed 40-79%
 General Ed < 40
 Alternate Placements
65%
24%
8.7%
3.3%
 100 schools were identified over the last 5 years in
PA for improvement plans in these various
categories as a result of the Gaskins Settlement
Least Restrictive Environment
 Child must be educated in the general education setting
to the greatest extent possible considering all of the
possible supplemental aids and services
 Inclusion does not mean that the student’s progress must
be measured by mastery of general education
curriculum, but could be measured by progress made
toward IEP goals and objectives
 The levels of supports and accommodations needed are
to provide students the opportunity to participate with
their non-disabled peers in a general education setting
NOT to be used as a basis for placing them in an
alternate (more restrictive) setting

Burns,Edward. (2003) A Handbook for Supplementary Aids and Services. Springfield Ill:
Charles C. Thomas
Supplemental Aids and Services
 Collaborative
 Adults working together to support students
 Instructional
 development and delivery of instruction that addresses diverse
learning needs
 Physical
 adaptations and modifications to the physical environment
 Social-Behavioral
 supports and services to increase appropriate behavior and
reduce disruptive or interfering behavior
DSM-IV General Deficit Areas of ASD
 Communication
 Social skills
 Restricted interests
 Sensory integration
 Behavior
Additional Core Deficits
 Difficulty identifying important global concepts and elements of
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tasks
Difficulty with processing auditory information-understanding,
retaining and retrieving
Difficulty generalizing skills-skills must be taught in context
Difficulty with sequencing information or steps in a task
Difficulty with transitioning
Difficulty with time concepts and time management
Uneven academic, social, or emotional development (high
functioning in some areas, low in others
What specifically is ASD???
 Classic Autism
 usually non-verbal, unengaged, and unable to perform
well on standard diagnostic tests.
 Affects communication, social skills, and
verbal/nonverbal play
 Sometimes paired with Intellectual Disabilities
 High Functioning Autism
 use meaningful language, read, write, do math, show
affection, complete daily tasks but can't hold eye
contact, maintain a conversation, engage in play, pick
up on social cues
 PDD-NOS
 “catch all”
 all function levels whose symptoms don't fully correlate
with classic autism
 Asperger’s Syndrome
 Affects the same triad of impairments as autism
 Usually average to above average intelligence
 Diagnosed around or after age 3
Characteristics of Asperger’s Syndrome
 Engaging in one-sided, long-winded conversations, without noticing
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if the listener is listening or trying to change the subject
Displaying unusual nonverbal communication, such as lack of eye
contact, few facial expressions, or awkward body postures and
gestures
Showing an intense obsession with one or two specific, narrow
subjects, such as baseball statistics, train schedules, weather or
snakes
Appearing not to understand, empathize with or be sensitive to
others' feelings
Having a hard time "reading" other people or understanding humor
Speaking in a voice that is monotonous, rigid or unusually fast
Moving clumsily, with poor coordination
http://www.mayoclinic.com/
Why do educators need to know about ASD?
 U.S. FACTS:
 A new case of autism is diagnosed nearly every 20 minutes
 There are 24,000 new cases diagnosed in the U.S. each year
 The economic impact of autism is more than $90 billion and is
expected to more than double in the next decade.
 Autism receives less than 5% of the research funding of many
less prevalent childhood diseases.
 There is no medical detection or cure for autism.
http://www.talkaboutcuringautism.org/autism/latest_autism_statistics.htm
How does ASD affect learning and behavior?
 Affects the neurodevelopment, resulting in distinct
learning and behavioral styles
 Underlying biological/genetic cause that produces
organic and/or physical changes during brain
development-resulting in atypical cognitive and
social development
 Affects individuals uniquely
 Affects the ability to integrate sensory information
and regulate emotions
Role of General Educators in the IEP
 Provide information about how the included student
performs academically and socially in the general
education setting
 Identify types and amounts of support students may
need in their classroom (SaS)
 Develop accommodations and modifications to allow
students to access the general education curriculum
 Regular education classroom teachers are an integral
member of the IEP team for the included student
Sample Planning Template:
Activity/
lesson
Goal/
Objective of
target
student
Accommodations
&
Modifications
Prompting
level
Assessment
Tool
Interventions and Strategies for
Students with ASD
 No single intervention or strategy has proven to be
successful for all students with ASD
 To maximize the effect of the intervention, consider
the student’s following:
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Communication proficiency
Preferred mode of communication
Cognitive ability
Learning style
Interests and motivators
Interventions and Strategies for Students with
ASD
 Students with ASD require direct instruction in all
areas due to the difficulty with generalization
 Interventions/strategies must be connected to and
generalized across settings, partners, materials, etc.
 Use of video modeling helps students with ASD to
see first hand examples of target behaviors in
authentic environments
Strategies to Facilitate Successful Inclusion
 Consistent classroom routines
 Provide visual schedules, rules, choice boards and
instructions (either pictures or words)
 Social Stories
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http://www.polyxo.com/socialstories/
 Be aware of situations causing anxiety and stress-use
pre-teaching, priming, and sensory breaks to reduce
anxiety
Strategies…
 Plan for transition or changes in schedule-transition
cue, schedule changes written in different color,
discuss changes with student prior to event
happening if possible
 Be cognizant of specially-designed instruction as per
IEP-preferential seating, peer buddy, writing
accommodations, etc. (Goals at a Glance or Meet
____)
 Highlight directions or tasks, number steps, provide
an example
 Simplify directions
More strategies
 Make sure purpose of activity is clearly
explained…students with ASD have difficulty making
inferences
 Use subjects or items of interest to increase
motivation and participation
 Use scripts and model expectations for group work
 Color coding subject areas…folders and notebooks
for organization
Communication Concerns
 Difficulty with answering “wh” questions
 Difficulty with understanding figurative language,
persuasive techniques, idioms, words with multiple
meanings
 Difficulty finding most important details or
information-stories and text
Strategies for Improving Communication Skills
 Pre-teach new concepts and content vocabulary prior
to group instruction using visual cues
 Model procedures, expectations, thinking strategies,
or directions
 Post visual reminders for components of essential
concepts or questions (posting subject goals,
objectives, content vocabulary)
Communication Strategies
 Pair verbal instructions with visual cues
 Identify verbally and visually when transitions occur
 Use auditory signals to alert students of important
information, repeat information
 Provide handouts for information being taught orally
(key words, open notes)
Communication Strategies
 Be careful of comments or information you say
around students with ASD, they may copy it or
repeat it out of context
 Try to avoid assessments that rely heavily on essay or
short answer questions (fill in the blank or multiple
choice are better)
 Allow students to dictate open ended responses to
reading assignments if there is a processing or
writing deficit that could impact their reading
assessment (also an allowable accommodation on
the PSSA)
More
Communication Strategies
 Provide communication supports to help with
student independence in initiating conversations
(choice cards for asking for help)
 Encourage conversations, pull more language, don’t
except one word answers
 If you know about an event a student participated in
ask the student about it, try to engage student in a
conversation about it
Sensory Integration Issues
 Sensory integration refers to the manner in which
the brain processes, organizes and interprets
information coming from the sensory system
 Students with ASD have a variety of sensory
impairments
 Difficulty with gross and fine motor movements,
locating their bodies in space, and regulating the
level of sensory input
Sensory Difficulties
 Students with ASD may have difficulty with sensory processing
in the following areas:
-Sensitivity/insensitivity to sensory
information
-Attention and focus
-Regulation of activity level
-Transitions to between activities
-Control of impulses, behaviors, and/or fear in dangerous
situations
-Oral Motor (objects in mouth, etc)
-Recognition of personal space
Sensory Accommodations to Promote Focus
 Locate student desk in an area that will allow the
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students to adjust to changes
Clearly defined areas within the classroom (work,
leisure, break, prohibited areas)
Seat cushions
Provide opportunities for movement (songs,
exercises during transitions)
Suggest a sensory break (walk, deliver note or books
to other teacher)
Sensory Accommodations: Writing
 Allow student to type assignments (Alpha Smart)
 Use graph paper to organize math problems and
lined paper for writing tasks
 Pencil grips
 Mechanical pencils (students who press too hard)
 Markers (students who press too lightly)
More Writing Accommodations
 Use slant board
 Remind students to hold paper with non dominant
hand
 Shortened writing assignments, multiple choice
options, fill in the blank, provide answers orally
 Peer note taker
Accommodations for Sensory Sensitivities
 Menu or choice card for sensory breaks/stress
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release activities (leave noise environment, etc)
Have “obsessive”/stress release items in a designated
place. Provide clears instructions of when, where and
how items can be used
Approach student from front if possible
Have student use headphones in loud/over
stimulating situations
Students with sensory difficulties should not be
denied breaks, recess or P.E class
Socialization/Social Skills
Students with ASD may exhibit deficits in some or all
of the following:
 Engaging in reciprocal interactions
 Maintaining eye contact
 Attention to gestures or facial expressions
 Conforming to rules of social behavior
 Engaging in conversations on nonpreferred topics
Social Skill Deficits:
 Transitioning between conversation topics
 Feeling empathy
 Engaging others appropriately in social situations
 Initiating, terminating, and repairing conversations
 Understanding importance of small talk and other
social speech
Strategies to Improve Social Skills
 Provide explicit instruction and reminders of
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conversation etiquette
Teach students to recognize facial features/emotions
in others
Practice newly learned skills in various settings
Practice a menu of relaxation strategies and/or
establish code words to use when they are upset
Card system for high stress time
Stress thermometer
Strategies to Improve Social Skills, cont.
 Social stories
 Practice transitions
 Teach acceptance of student differences
 Increase student engagement with visual cues
Behavioral Issues
 Students with ASD may exhibit immature or
developmentally inappropriate behaviors
 Outbursts may result from frustration, anxiety,
communication frustration, social interactions
Strategies for Minimizing Inappropriate
Behaviors
 Ritualistic and Compulsive
 Intervene early before behavior turns into a habit
 Teach when the behavior may occur
 Teach replacement behavior
Strategies for Minimizing Inappropriate
Behaviors
 Impulsivity
 Manage the environment to minimize impulsive behaviors
 Social stories
 Rehearse appropriate behaviors
Strategies for Minimizing Inappropriate
Behaviors
 Stereotypic
 Develop a sensory diet
 Develop a menu of appropriate sensory interventions to aid
with sensory regulation
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Squeezing a koosh ball, swinging, asking for a break, computer
time, weighted belt
Strategies for Minimizing Inappropriate
Behaviors
 Aggression
 Remove or minimize environmental stressors that trigger
behaviors
 Clearly define all components of a task
 Provide clear directions
 Be aware of any possible aggressive behaviors via individual
behavior plans as designed by the classroom teacher-follow
plans as directed
 If a behavior is escalating to a form of physical aggression,
notify the teacher immediately
 Do not intervene or try to deal with behavior if child is in
physical danger or others are in danger
Strategies for Minimizing Inappropriate
Behaviors
 Inappropriate social interactions
 Rehearse appropriate social interactions
 Reward appropriate behaviors
 Use social stories
Restricted Interests
 These subjects dominate their concentration and
contribute to their inability to transition and their
inflexibility
 Stereotypical behaviors may include
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Repeated hand and body movements
Atypical response pattern to stimuli
Difficulties with attention
Obsession with certain objects or parts of objects
Watching environmental stimuli such as lights, sounds, etc.
Strategies for Accommodating
Restrictive Interests
 Allow breaks to pursue their own interests-strict
time limit
 Introduce new activities related to interest
Teaching and Promoting
Disability Awareness
 Model it yourself
 Use person first language
 Give age appropriate examples of ways we are all the
same and different
 If necessary to talk about a specific student, do so ONLY
with parent permission
 Allow students to talk about their own challenges (with
parent permission)
 Use nationally recognized months to springboard
activities (March- Disability awareness, April- Autism
Awareness,
http://www.ctserc.org/library/bibfiles/childlitdisab.pdf
References
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(2005).http://www.pde.state.pa.us/special_edu/lib/special_edu/Settlement_Agreement
-FINAL_%28no_draft%29.pdf. Retrieved October 21, 2007, from Pennsylvania
Department of Education Web site: http://www.pde.state.pa.us/
View the entire Settlement Agreement at:
www.pde.state.pa.us/special_edu/lib/special_edu/Settlement_Agreement.pdf.
National Education Association, (2006).The Puzzle of Autism. 1, 1-33.
http://www.talkaboutcuringautism.org/autism/latest_autism_statistics.htm
http://www.mayoclinic.com/