Strategies For Students With Autism Spectrum Disorder in Physical And Health Education Marty Douglas, PhD marty.douglas@ndsu.edu
Overview • Autism Statistics and Characteristics • Barriers and Challenges • Supports • Visual • Sensory • Communication • Social • Instructional • Behavioral
Statistics
Diagnostic and Statistical Manual Previous DSM-IV (2000) Current DSM-V (2013) • Pervasive Developmental • Autism Spectrum Disorder Disorders • Qualitative impairments in • Autism, Asperger’s, Retts, two areas and delays evident PDD-NOS, Childhood before the age of three: Disintegrative Disorder • Social Communication • Qualitative impairment in Impairment three areas and delays • Repetitive/Restricted Behaviors evident before age of three: • Hyper/Hypo Sensory Aspects • Verbal & Nonverbal Communication • Social Interaction • Repetitive/Restricted Behaviors
Barriers and Challenges • What challenges have you experienced? thinkingautismguide.com
Barriers and Challenges • Varied leisure preferences • Misunderstandings and misinterpretations • Social challenges of activity • Ability to modulate sensory and social input • Negative experiences with peers • Lack of applicable assessment • Assessment environment • Number of students • Group vs. Individual • Norm vs. Criterion
Visual Support Strategies
Evidence for Visual Supports • Information is more effective and more easily interpreted when presented in a way that he/she can see, rather than hear • Picture cards and picture schedules can improve overall performance of gross motor skills & increase on-task time • Videos have been demonstrated not only to improve task performance among a number of tasks, but effective in rapid behavioral response and a generalization across skills • Visual prompts can increase an understanding of the task Bryan & Gast, 2000; Welton, Vakil, & Carasea, 2004; Breslin & Rudisill, 2011; 2013; Charlop-Christy, Le & Freeman, 2000; LeBlanc et al., 2003; Flynn & Healy, 2012
Environmental Visual Supports
Task/Picture Cards
Previewing • Introduction to skill/activity/assessment prior to class • Students often need to see before they do • May need to coordinate with classroom teachers • Examples: • Meeting a student earlier in the day to go over visual steps of a motor assessment that will be used later in the day • Having a take home worksheet that will allow students to review visual steps with family – pictures of actual student beneficial
Previewing “I want to see how far you can jump! One BIG jump!!!” Colvin, Markos, & Walker (2016). Teaching Fundamental Motor Skills
Social Stories • Provides student with social information • Social cues • Other’s perspectives • Provides framework for social interactions • Use descriptive sentences that depict factual information • Not used to change behavior – used to provide student with improved understand of events and expectations
Social Stories Describe: Are Useful: • Situations • When social information is lacking • Concepts • When a person with • Social Skills ASD is misreading a • Relevant Social Cues situation • Upcoming Events • In anticipation of a • Expectations troubling situation • Perspectives • In response to a • Common Responses troubling situation
Social Stories – TGMD Example • My classmates and I will be running, leaping, and galloping in class today. These are important skills to be a good mover! • Mr. Smith will be watching the class and writing as we move. • Mr. Smith will ask the class to stand in line and wait out turn to do our movement. • Mr. Smith likes it when we keep our hands to ourselves when we stand in line. • When it is my turn, Mr. Smith will say “Brian, it is your turn.” • When it is my turn, I will travel towards the blue cone and do the skill the best I can!
Social Story Apps • All About Me Storybook ($2.99) • Story creator and pre-made stories • Can use your own photos and audio • iCreate…Social Skill Stories ($4.99) • Story creator only • Can use own photos, audio, and text • PDF of many different apps available: http://www.lcsc.org/cms/lib6/mn01001004/centricity/do main/21/socialstories.pdf
Video Modeling • Basic video modeling • Video of another learner performing the task • Video self-modeling • Using the learner as the model in the video • Point-of-view modeling • POV of learner performing the task • Video prompting • Break skills into steps with incorporated pauses
Visual Modeling Apps • Coach’s Eye • Hudl (formerly Ubersense) • SlowMo Video Analysis • Functional Planning System • Designed for individuals with ASD • Can do a visual schedule with video modeling integrated • https://www.conovercompany.com/education/functional-skills- system/ • iMovie • iModeling • https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/imodeling-skills-for-autism- spectrum-disorder/id457539171?mt=8
Visuals for Motivation “First-Then” • Presents tasks in order – clarifying what will occur and the order of activities • Second task is the motivator • Can be made as simplistic or complex as needed • Can add numerous activities • Modify the amount of information • Make reusable and easy • Apps available • First-Then Visual Scheduler
Visuals for Motivation Then First Blow bubbles Throw ball
Visuals for Motivation
Visuals for Motivation First Then Push- up Koosh ball Goal: 5 5 Minutes
Visual Schedule • A visual representation of what the student will be doing during the class. • Main components include: • A place to check off when the activity is completed • The actual skills or activities • The amount of time or number of trials
Visual Schedule 10:20 3
Visual Schedule 10 times 10:55
Visual Schedule
Sample Task Card DONE ACTIVITY AMOUNT Red warm-up day 7 minutes Pass ball between you and a partner 8 minutes Shoot ball at goal 10 minutes (Goal: get in 6 out of 10 times) Dribble ball through cones 10 minutes Play game of soccer 10 minutes Cool Down 5 minutes
Visual Countdown Strips • Visual representation of time • Get through period of time they do not like • Help prepare for a transition • Can also be used to represent reps or trials • Get creative for higher functioning
Visual Countdown Strips START HALF WAY ALL DONE https://handsinautism.iupui.edu/pdf/HowTo-StoplightCountdown.pdf
Sensory Support Strategies
Auditory Issues Noise • Fans, Speakers, Fire Alarms, Several People Talking at Once, Other Students Screaming Air Conditioners, Bells, Random Sounds General Strategies • Note sounds that may cause overload • Provide ear plugs or music through earphones to block out sound • Lower speaker volumes • Turn off fans and close doors • Provide information about upsetting sounds
Auditory Issues Strategies for Assessment • Flags or lights for Pacer test • Have target moved instead of beeps for push ups • Quiet room for testing • Music playing during tests – calming for over-stimulated; preferred for under-stimulated • Concise verbal instructions for all tests
Visual Issues Sight • Sensitivity to light, natural and/or artificial • Easily distracted by visual stimuli General Strategies • Avoid excessive wall displays • Display only what is necessary • Provide an area with dividers • Alternative light sources to overhead fluorescent lights
Visual Issues Strategies for Assessment • Hats, sunglasses for outdoor mile run • Test facing a wall or in separate room to avoid seeing the activity of the gym • Smaller testing groups • Choose implements with desired color • Clear visual markers of action
Tactile Issues Touch • Dislike of certain textures • Light touch may be avoided, may need deep compressive touch General Strategies • Avoid very light touch that may distract • Work on desensitization • Encourage exploration of new textures • Allow alternate clothing • “Fidgets”
Tactile Issues Strategies for Assessment • Extra sensory on curl-up strip • Item to hold while running for counting • Manual manipulation to show skill • Ensure equipment is acceptable texture • May not tolerate skinfold measurement • Allow for physical object to be carried throughout testing
Vestibular and Proprioception Issues Balance and Position • Hypersensitive may have fearful reactions to movement • Hyposensitive may seek very intense sensory experiences such as whirling or spinning General Strategies • Movement breaks • Therapy ball or other device for sitting • Weighted and compression items • Be aware of challenges in motor planning • Consider a “sensory diet” as prescribed by OT
Vestibular and Proprioception Issues Strategies for Assessment • Allow for sensory supports to be used during the tests • Motor planning may hinder basic skills in assessments • Sensory Overload - May need composure times between assessments
Communication Support Strategies
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