Transcript File
Assistive Technology for Students with Autism Monday March 10, 2014 Presentation to Teacher Consultants – Wayne RESA Difficulties in Autism: Usually significant tactile sensory challenges to touch with tools / hands Often significant auditory sensory challenges to loud noises Can have problems with the smell or taste of foods Difficulties, cont’d Can also have sensory defensive characteristics. . . don’t need to touch, smell, hear, taste, or see the item to have a significant reaction Desire to self-direct Decreased acceptance of new things, outside of sensory challenges Difficulties, cont’d Frequently significant feeding challenges, may decrease the possible use of food/drink in therapy activities May need to have sensory input to assist child in processing or tolerating different sensory activities, or just to attend Review of Sensory Input Types Far senses - respond to external stimuli: see, hear, smell, tastes, touch Near senses - “hidden senses” because we are not aware of them, cannot control or observe them Tactile sense: skin Vestibular sense: inner ear Proprioceptive sense: muscles, joints (Kranowitz, 1998) Review of Sensory Input Types Tactile: processes information about touch, received primarily through the skin Vestibular: processes information about movement, gravity, and balance, received through the inner ear Proprioceptive: processes information about body position and body parts, received through the muscles, ligaments, and joints (Kranowitz, 1998) Social Development Indicators lacking eye contact and interaction with others prefer being alone passively accept such things as hugs and cuddling without reciprocating seldom seek comfort from others respond to parents’ displays of anger or affection many report inventing imaginary friends, worlds, or scenarios Sensory System oversensitivity or under reactivity to touch, movement, sights, or sounds physical clumsiness or carelessness poor body awareness tendency to be easily distracted impulsive physical or verbal behavior an activity level that is unusually high or low difficulty learning new movements Sensory System difficulty in making transitions social and/or emotional problems delays in speech, language and motor skills delays in academic achievement obsessions or routines around foods restricting what is eaten to certain colors, textures, or types Sensory System Autistic Hearing trouble hearing certain people other people are perceived as speaking in a higher volume unable to filter out sound in certain situations Communication Difficulties high-functioning autism demonstrate advanced cognitive ability, but lack the skills or are not inclined to interact with others socially delayed developing language body language odd prosody: things like a high-pitched, sing-song, or flat, robot like voice Communication Difficulties may scream in frustration or resort to grabbing what they want communication difficulties may contribute to autistic people becoming socially anxious or depressed or prone to self-injurious behaviors people with autism are being diagnosed with co-morbid mood, anxiety and compulsive disorders Communication Difficulties unusual repetitive movements • self-stimulation or “stimming” repeatedly flapping their arms or wiggling their toes, others suddenly freeze in position hours spent arranging objects in a certain way demand consistency in their environment Communication Difficulties persistent, intense preoccupations For example: child might be obsessed with learning all about computers, television programs, lighthouses or virtually any other topic • repeated words repetitive behaviors can also extend into the spoken word perseveration of a single word or phrase can also become part of daily routine Effects in Education Effects in Education difficulty understanding some classroom directions and instruction, along with subtle vocal and facial cues of teachers some learn more effectively with visual aides as they are better able to understand material presented visually Effects in Education research has shown that working in pairs may be beneficial to autistic children a paraprofessional may also be useful to student ( some argue with one-on-one aides, student may become overly dependent on help) students with autism spectrum disorders sometimes have high levels of anxiety and stress In autism there is a wide range of intelligence Severely Impaired Moderately Impaired Average Above average Communication a primary part of the handicap A social / communciation disability expression understanding Communication involves: establishing or shifting attention following rapid changing stimuli taking in information processing information storing information retrieving information sending information Summary of Communication Skills in Autism Expressive Inefficient Ineffective Idiosyncratic Perseveration Echolalia Receptive Ineffective Poor understanding of auditory messages inefficient Relative skill taking in visual information compared to auditory abilities Autism ~ Learning Styles Gestalt learners - learn in chunks Poor analysis & synthesis Like rituals and routines Difficulty learning new routines Difficulty making changes in previously learned sequences Lack generalization Idiosyncratic Autism ~ Behaviors Range from annoying to non-compliant to aggressive to self abusive Idiosyncratic Frequent difficulty with: Beginning or ending activities Transitions Change Behavior problems frequently related to communication Strategies Sensory Items Sensory Brush Seat Disk Fidgets Theraputic “fidget” putty Weighted vest Strategies Communication Items • Picture cards (PECS) Traveling Communication Ring Communication Wallet Go Talk Sample Communication Booklet Label Maker in container High Tech – iPad / Dynavox / etc. Reading • Learning to read has many stages. A student may have difficulty at any point along the contiuum. Devices: • BookWorm • Talking Dictionaries • Magnetic Card Reader • Phonics / Phonemic Awareness supports • Free online resources More reading support: • Screen readers (Natural Reader, Read OutLoud, Kurzweil, etc.) • Learning Ally • Bookshare • Apps Math Help • Mathline • Math Games • Calculators • See N’ Solve Calculator • Coin Abacus • Online resources • LiveScribe Pen Writing Support Mechanics of Writing • • Pencil Grips • Raised-line papers • Wrist and hand weights • Reference books Writing … cont’d Process of writing • • NEO with word prediction • Inspiration / Kidspiration software • Talking Dictionary • Web resources • Reference Books • “Expanding Expressions” Kit Strategies ~ Social Books • Various titles Strategies Schedules and Routine Boards Object Schedule Activity What I Do in the Morning Routine Get Ready for Work Routine Board Schedule Activity Choice Board My Social Stories Book • by Carol Gray and Abbie Leigh White • www.thegraycenter.org