11/28 /12ELEMENTARY POINT PERSON TRAINING
S A B R I N A B E A U D R Y & PA M L E O N A R D
Describing Autism(Once Again…)
Today we will be Describing ASD…
We will review some DSM V information
We will take a look at personal accounts as a way to describe autism
We will examine the 3 cognitive processes that impact individuals with ASD
We will talk about the challenges due to differences in these 3 cognitive processes
Get into groups to discuss “Action Plan” implementation (from Walk Throughs)
Describing Autism
We know much more now than we did 10 years ago.
It is not as helpful to think of our students with ASD as high functioning or low functioning but rather how they think.
As we broaden our knowledge about ASD, it helps us understand the incredible variability of how our students’ autism is manifested.
Different Ways To Describe Autism:
1. Traditional Medical Model-DSMIV-TR
2. Information from people on the spectrum themselves
3. Psychological Model/ Brain Based Theories (Cognitive Processes)
Traditional Diagnostic Model
DSM-IV-TR – soon to be DSM-V ( May of 2013)
Most introductions to autism cite the DSM-IV-TR diagnostic criteria as a description of autism, but that is misleading because it is a diagnostic tool and not a descriptive tool. That means it doesn't really tell us what autism is, just how to decide if a person has autism or not.
(OCALI module Employee with Autism).
Presently to receive a medical diagnosis of Autism or Asperger’s Syndrome, one must meet certain criteria in the following three areas:
AUTISM
Communication
Social Interaction
Restricted Interest/Repetiti
ve Behaviors
This will be changing in 2013
The DSM V has changed the diagnostic criteria and it will be called Autism Spectrum Disorders
The original three domains will become twoSocial/Communication DisorderFixated Interests and Repetitive
Behaviors
There will be three levels of severity
Why Change?
To have more consistency and clarity of diagnosis
Autism is defined by a common set of behaviors and so it makes sense to have a single diagnostic category
It is better to look at Autism as a spectrum rather than as an umbrella term related to several distinct diagnosis
What does this change mean?
Catherine Lord, Ph.D. looks at the change in the following manner during an interview with CBS:
“ The intention of changing the DSM …is not to exclude those that already have been diagnosed, but to better define the condition.”
More Info on DSMV:
http://www.socialthinking.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=559:dsm-5-my-thoughts&catid=76:michelles-blog&Itemid=121&utm_source=april+-+providers&utm_campaign=Newsletter&utm_medium=email
Power point Presentation from Little Friends
More Info on DSMV:
http://www.dsm5.org/Pages/Default.aspx
http://www.autismspeaks.org/site-wide/dsm-v
https://www.aucd.org/docs/SIG%20Docs/autismsig/Dr.Lord_3_18_11_webinar.pdf
Another way to Describe ASD…Personal Accounts
Ask individuals with Autism:
How they feel about their autism
How autism impacts them individually
What helps them
What they wish other people understood
What People with Autism Told Olney in 2000
Primary Areas of Challenge:
Sensation
Attention
Emotion
Time and Place
Coping
(Adult Autism & Employment, Scott Standifer Ph.D)
Some Quotes:
“I loved repetition. Every time I turned on a light I knew what would happen. When I flipped the switch, the light went on. It gave me a wonderful feeling of security because it was exactly the same each time.” –Sean Barron
“I learned to talk at 4. I didn’t learn to communicate until 11 or 12.”-Bill Donovan
“I wanted to understand emotions. I had dictionary definitions for most of them and cartoon caricatures of others…I also had trouble reading what other people felt.”-Donna Williams
“I was never quite sure how to handle certain situations. It is very difficult…to know exactly when to say something when to ask for help, or when to remain quiet…Life is a game in which the rules are constantly changing without rhyme or reason.”-Anne Carpenter
What Would Your Student Say?
How does autism impact you in the following ways?
Sensation
Attention
Emotion
Time and Place
Coping
A Third Way to Describe ASD…
Cognitive processes
Theory of Mind
Executive Functioning
Central Coherence
Theory of Mind:
Refers to a person’s ability to think about people’s thinking
This typically is developed by the age of four
This is the ability that allows us to take the perspective of others and adjust our behavior according to that perspective
Challenges related to Theory of Mind:
Social communicationLanguage comprehensionPerspective takingLiteral interpretation of languageIntensive interests in topicEngaging in shared experiencesPredicting difficultiesUnderstanding how/why a character behavesAffects listening comprehension
Resources
..\Psychological Model Info\Autism and Theory of Mind.docx
..\Psychological Model Info\TOM-in-TD-and-ASD.pdf
..\Psychological Model Info\423-tager-flusbg07.pdf
..\Psychological Model Info\2011-Convention-Presentation-ToM-Assessment-ASD.pdf
Executive Functioning:
This is the ability to use problem solving skills for:
Planning/organization
Self monitoring
Controlling our impulses
Being flexible thinkers
Organizing our thoughts
Challenges related to Executive Function
Repetitive behaviorsRestricted patterns & interestsAttention issuesMemory for detailsOrganization challengesPlanningDifficulty inhibiting responses/impulsesDifficulty applying relevant knowledge across
textsMonitoring and self-correcting comprehension is
difficult
Resource
http://www.asha.org/Publications/leader/2010/101221/Executive-Functions-and-Communication-in-Adolescents.htm
Central Coherence:
This allows us to take various pieces of information and put it together to create the “whole picture”
It is the skill that allows us make sense of information from the context
Challenges related to Central Coherence:
Focus on specific details vs. big pictureStudents with ASD may prefer their perspective over
othersMakes students like to keep things the sameResults in trouble making connections and
generalizingDifficulty making meaning from text using important
detailsDifficulty making connections (between words,
concepts, experiences)As text becomes longer, becomes more difficult to
make meaning
Resources
..\Psychological Model Info\core_deficits.pdf
Big Picture Thinking-Using Central Coherence Theory to Support Social Skills by Aileen Zeitz Collucci
http://www.aapcpublishing.net/book/view/677/big-picture-thinking-using-central-coherence-theory-to-support-social-skills
The Weak Coherence Account: Detail-focused Cognitive Style
in Autism Spectrum Disorders:http://www.ucp.pt/site/resources/documents/ICS/GNC/ArtigosGNC/AnaMariaAbreu/D_HaFr06.pdf
In the Past……
We observed and described ASD based on the DSM-IV descriptors.
Now let’s describe our students in relation to deficits in the three cognitive processes areas.
Theory of MindExecutive FunctionCentral Coherence
Using the handout that outlines challenges…
We will pick a student and: list four of his/her challenges describe these challenges when we observe
(what does it look like?)determine which cognitive process/processes
each challenge stems from
Challenges that are impacting your student
What does the student do that shows you the challenges
Cognitive Process?
Social Communication Student always interrupts others when they are talking/ Takes over any conversation with focus on their topic of interest
Trouble making connections and generalizing/Difficulty applying relevant knowledge across texts
When reading a novel, can’t make connection between something they learned in social studies and what is happening in the novel
Poor perspective taking/Prefer their perspective over others
Gets upset when someone doesn’t agree with him
Repetitive behaviors Always has to clap three times before starting an assignment
EXAMPLE
Challenges that are impacting your student
What does the student do that shows you the challenges
Cognitive Process?
Social communication Converses primarily with adults.
Enjoys talking about Dell computers/ info from manuals or about Hyundi cars
Theory of Mind
Student_________:
Why did we do this?
There is a lot of brain based research going on right now.
We presented this to high school & middle school groups and didn’t want you to be left out
Important in terms of how we think of assessment
Important in terms of how we provide supports across all domain areas.
So in February
We will continue by discussing ways to support students using their input.
We will discuss ways to support the 3 areas of cognitive differences.
We will discuss how to directly instruct students in using strategies that help them think differently.