Successful Strategies for Inclusion Classrooms for Children with Autism

When challenging behaviors occur work and discuss situations as a team

Why is he/she doing this?  Are the expectations clear?  Are the demands realistic?

Is the environment appropriately structured?

Are strategies in place to increase predictability (especially for transitions)

Communication

Slow down        Avoid sarcasm              Be sensitive to the child’s attempt to communicate

Keep facial expressions and gestures simple and clear

Give child time to respond         Simplify your language Give one instruction at a time not a sequence

Provide models of what to say

Be specific: clear beginning – middle – end

Prompting Techniques

Prompts ensure correct responding in order that reinforcement may be administered.

Verbal- Gestural- Positional-

Structure

The environment should be set up and organized so the student

Establish clear boundaries(tape, carpets, mats, dividers)

Minimize visual/auditory distractions (Avoid sensory overload)

Change things in the environment that may cause stress

Maintain structure and consistent routines

Proactively plan

 Look around for answers

Find the motivators and determine communication message of behavior by collecting data and reviewing that data

 Social Stories

Social stories provide an individual with accurate information about social situations that they may find difficult or confusing.

Social Stories attempt to give individuals perspective/understanding.

Parents as Partners

Parents’ concerns and perspectives should actively help to shape educational planning

 Staff—Student Fit Things to consider

Ability to work and communicate with families

Teaming abilities

Tolerance for consultants

Willingness to learn and take ideas from others

Ability to integrate various techniques and strategies

Willingness to change strategies when something is not working

Amount of flexibility in understanding variations in student performance

Level of structure and routine inherit in teaching style

Ability to handle stress

In General:

What is needed is a combination of an understanding of Autism and good classroom practice.

Mary Jane Weiss and Sandra L. Harris 

Click here: social-skills 

Very helpful when some understanding is needed by teams.

Further research in validity and reliability needs to be done in this area of online assessment but as a free preliminary tool to begin discussion, it is excellent.

Click the faces below to get your copy:                              

Every student has a place on the board. Go around the circle and have the students pick how they feel today and place it under their name.  Then you  can assist in helping say the feeling, making a choice and even have them share  that feeling with a neighbor next to them.   Put a spinner on this wheel and see who can identify what feeling the spinner lands on : FileE FeelingWheel                                      

 Credit for this resource to : Lentini, R., Vaughn, B. J., & Fox, L. (2005).  

 2. Students data sheetsthat staff will keep data on for the day on.  Click here for the IEP data collection  document                

3. A copy of 7 ways to prompt is laminated and taped  to the back of the clipboard. For a copy click here                

4.  An Antecedent Behavior Consequence (ABC) data form if any behavioral events occur.   For a copy click here       On occasion I have also used a frequency data collection form like this          

The routine is important and communication amongst all team members is essential and everyone must know where to go and when.