Our textbook defines Section 504 as: As a person with a disability as

anyone who has a physical or mental impairment that substantially limits one or more major life activities

Autism is a complex developmental disability that typically appears during the first three years of life and is the result of a neurological disorder that affects the normal functioning of the brain, impacting development in the areas of social interaction and communication skills. Both children and adults with autism typically show difficulties in verbal and non-verbal communication, social interactions, and leisure or play activities.

Autism is one of five disorders that falls under the umbrella of Pervasive Developmental Disorders (PDD), a category of neurological disorders characterized by “severe and pervasive impairment in several areas of development.”

It appears around the first 3 years of life

Language and social development are significantly delayed

Everyday situations become very difficult without some guidance or teaching.

It’s a Developmental Disability

It is a lifelong disability

The characteristic behaviors of autism spectrum disorders may or may not be apparent in infancy (18 to 24 months), but usually become obvious during early childhood (24 months to 6 years).

Does not gesture (point, wave, grasp) by 12 months

Does not say single words by 16 months

Does not say two-word phrases on his or her own by 24 months

Has any loss of any language or social skill at any age

Having any of these five "red flags" does not mean your child has autism. But because the characteristics of the disorder vary so much, a child showing these behaviors should have further evaluations by a multidisciplinary team. This team may include a neurologist, psychologist, developmental pediatrician, speech/language therapist, learning consultant, or other professionals knowledgeable about autism.

1 in 150 births 1 to 1.5 million Americans Fastest-growing developmental disability 10 - 17 % annual growth $90 billion annual cost 90% of costs are in adult services Cost of lifelong care can be reduced by 2/3 with

early diagnosis and intervention In 10 years, the annual cost will be $200-400

billion

Type of Assessments Type of Assessments usedused The Expressive One-Word Picture Vocabulary Test (Rev.

ed.) (Gardner, 1990) measures the child's ability to verbally label objects and people. The child must identify, by word, a single object or a group of objects on the basis of a single concept. This is a standardized test that provides age equivalents, standard scores, scaled scores, and percentile ranks.

The Receptive One-Word Picture Vocabulary Test (Rev. ed.) (Gardner, 1990) obtains an estimate of a child's one-word hearing vocabulary based on what the child has learned from home and school. It provides information about the child's ability to understand language. This is a standardized test that provides age equivalents, standard scores, scaled scores, percentile ranks.

Types of Assessments Types of Assessments ContCont

The Differential Ability Scales (DAS) (Elliott, 1990) measures overall cognitive ability and specific abilities in children and adolescents. It is better suited for intellectually higher-functioning children with autism. The DAS assesses multidimensional abilities in children ages two years and six months to seventeen years and eleven months. It is administered individually and takes 45 to 65 minutes for the full cognitive battery. The achievement test takes 15 to 25 minutes to administer.

The Achenbach Child Behavior Checklist (ACBC) is for children four to eighteen years old. It has two major scales – externalizing and internalizing behaviors – each of which has four subscales. It has been used as a follow-up measure. 2 versions of this test.

Cognitive:

Impairment in social interactions Impairment in verbal and non-verbal

communication, and in imaginative activity Vary with change in age and IQ Repeats words of phrases (scripting) Unresponsive to normal teaching methods

Either love to participate or choose not to participate

Fine and Gross motor skills are limitedLike to spin or spins objectsPlays by a set of their own rules

Psychomotor DomainPsychomotor Domain

Affective DomainAffective Domain

Has difficulty expressing needs

Mood changes not seen by others (laughing or crying)

Hard time developing regular peer relationships

The face of Autism

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G7kHSOgauhg

Short Video

Some physical prompting (hand over hand)

Directions should be clear and to the point

Talk slow so the students can understand you

Guide the students through what they have to do

Take advantage of interests Use incentives or rewards

Use techniques that work at home Structure the activities Social Stories with any assembly Routines, structure and consistency Use forward and backward chaining Use Visuals

What a behavior plan may look like

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Establish a set of routines Can use a token economy Contingencies – work then play Clear boundaries or exact places to sit Each student should have a behavior plan

or an IEP Reinforcers

Jason McElwain-student with Autism

http://www.break.com/index/autisticbball.html

Cohen, Marlene J. (2007). Visual Supports for People with Autism. Bethesda,  Maryland, Woodbine House.

Anderson, Stephen R. (2007). Self-Help Skills for People with Autism. Bethesda, Maryland. Woodbine House.

Autism Society of America. What is Autism: Characteristics of Autism. Retrieved March 13, 2009 from http://www.autism-society.org/site/PageServer?pagename=about_whatis_characteristics

Winnick, Joseph P. (2005). Adapted Physical Education and Sport Fourth Edition.   Champaign, Illinois: Human Kinetics.

Retrieved March 13, 2009 from http://www.behavior-consultant.com/aut-dx-devices.htm

Retrieved March 13, 2009 from http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G7kHSOgauhg

Retrieved March 13, 2009 from http://www.break.com/index/autisticbball.html