Autism Spectrum Disorders and Ziggurat Model

Wendy Kelley

Early Childhood/Autism Coordinator

• “By labeling people’s behavior we often feel that we have the right to act on how the behavior affects us rather than on what the person doing it might be trying to communicate.”

Herb Lovett “Learning to Listen”

1999-2009 Incidence of Autism Spectrum Disorders

• 1999– 23/2048 students– 1.2% of special education population

• 2009– 139/2009 students– 7% of special education population

Pervasive Developmental Disorders

• Autism

• Asperger’s Syndrome

• Childhood Disintegrative Disorder

• Rhett’s Syndrome

• Pervasive Developmental Disorders Not Otherwise Specified.

Autism Spectrum DisorderWhat is it?

• Neurological disorder

• Life Long Developmental Disability

• Impairments in social and language development

• Repetitive Behaviors

• Incidence 1: 110 Births/Boys 1:94

• Genetic Link

What is a Ziggurat

• A temple having the form of a terraced pyramid of successively receding stories erected by the ancient Assyrians and Babylonians

• A framework for designing comprehensive interventions for individuals with autism spectrum disorders.

Ziggurat Model

• Scientifically based research• Looks at both needs and strengths of

student• Helps to “see the autism”• Fewer behavior problems• More instructional time• Better IEPs• Increased compliance with law

Characteristics of Autism

• Social• Communication• Repetitive Behaviors

Associated Features• Sensory• Motor• Cognitive• Emotional Vulnerability• Medical and Biological Factors

Intervention Ziggurat

• Sensory Differences and Biological Needs

• Reinforcement

• Structure and Visual/Tactile Supports

• Task Demands/Obstacle Removal

• Skills to Teach

Comprehensive Planning

• Characteristics– Underlying Characteristic Checklist/UCC– Individual Strengths and Skill Inventory/ISSI

• Design– Global Intervention Plan– Specific Intervention Plan

• Implementation– Comprehensive Autism Planning

System/CAPS

Underlying Characteristics Checklist

• Helps to see the “autism”

• Shows how the autism is expressed for an individual

• Descriptive Instrument

• A tool for assessing progress/change

UCC Assessment Areas

• Social• Restricted patterns of behavior, interests and

activities• Communication• Sensory Differences• Cognitive Differences• Motor Differences• Emotional Vulnerability• Biological

Individual Strengths and Skills Inventory

• Social• Behavior, Interests and Activities• Communication• Sensory• Cognitive• Motor• Emotional• Biological

Global Intervention Plan

• Vision– Short term– Long term

• Setting/In what setting does individual participate• Quality of Life/What is important to the individual• Key UCC Areas• Key UCC Items• Develop Interventions into each level of the

Ziggurat

Participants in Comprehensive Planning

• Parents• Student (as appropriate)• General education teacher• Special education teacher• Paraprofessional• Speech Pathologist• Occupational/Physical Therapist• Administrator• School Psychologist

Comprehensive Autism Planning System

• Framework tying the daily schedule to the underlying characteristic identified in the UCC and the interventions in the Ziggurat worksheet.

Why Ziggurat?

• Scientifically researched based• Looks at both strengths and needs of

student• Helps to “see the autism”• Fewer behavior problems• More instructional time• Better IEPs• Complies with law

Strengths of Ziggurat and CAPS

• Provides framework for developing interventions• Address underlying characteristics by utilizing

strengths• Use of evidence based strategies• Comprehensive design• Use of proactive interdisciplinary interventions• Consistent with Positive Behavioral Interventions

and Supports