1. The Basics of Autism
Spectrum Disorders
Training Series
Regional Autism Advisory Council of
Southwest Ohio (RAAC-SWO)
RAAC Training Committee 2011

2. Training Series Modules
 Module One: Autism Defined, Autism Prevalence
and Primary Characteristics
 Module Two: Physical Characteristics of Autism
 Module Three: Cognition and Learning in Autism
 Module Four: Getting the Student Ready to Learn
 Module Five: Structuring the Classroom
Environment
 Module Six: Using Reinforcement in the Classroom

3. Training Series Modules
 Module Seven: Autism and Sensory Differences
 Module Eight: Sensory in the Classroom
 Module Nine: Communication and Autism
 Module Ten: Communication in the Classroom
 Module Eleven: Behavior Challenges and Autism
 Module Twelve: Understanding Behavior in
Students with Autism

4. Training Series Modules
 Module Thirteen: Social Skills in the School
Environment
 Module Fourteen: Functional Behavior Assessment
 Module Fifteen: Working Together as a Team
 Module Sixteen: Autism and Leisure Skills to
Teach
 Module Seventeen: Special Issues of Adolescence
 Module Eighteen: Safety and Autism
 Module Nineteen: Special Issues: High School,
Transition, and Job Readiness

5. Training Series Modules
 Module Twenty: Asperger’s Syndrome:
Managing and Organizing the Environment
 Module Twenty-One: Asperger‟s Syndrome:
Addressing Social Skills

6. Characteristics of Students
with Asperger Syndrome
 Difficulty in social understanding and  Difficulty in understanding and
social skills discussing feelings
 Sensory issues  Often show limited interest in others
 Often interact more successfully  Strong preference for sameness
with adults or younger children than
same-aged peers  Excessive time and energy devoted
to special interests
 Difficulty establishing and
maintaining friendships  Attention challenges
 Difficulty understanding and using  Poor organizational skills
body language (i.e., eye gaze,
gestures, and facial expression)  Difficulty regulating their emotions
 May repeat back information without  Poor handwriting
comprehending the content
 Impaired gross motor skills
 Often fail to seek clarification when
(Brenda Smith Myles, 2006)
they do not understand something

7. Asperger Syndrome
Academic performance usually ranges from
adequate to exceptional, but students with
Asperger Syndrome are likely to have
increased difficulty in the classroom setting
secondary to their difficulty with
interpersonal skills (relating to others),
reading social cues, and working with peers in
groups and cooperative activities.

8. Big Idea
Students with Asperger Syndrome
can be misidentified as attention
deficit or behavior concerns in
the general education setting.

9. Managing the Environment
 Things to consider to help a student with Asperger
Syndrome be more successful in a classroom include:
 Structuring seating arrangements
 Providing a „safe haven‟
 Preparing the student for changes in the routine
and/or schedule
 Operating on Asperger‟s time
 Teaching Routines Explicitly
 Simplifying the language
 Providing Visual Supports

10. Structuring Seating
Arrangements
 Place the student next to an understanding “peer
buddy” who can build a relationship with the student
 Consider the proximity of where the student sits.
Some students may work most effectively seated
near the teacher or near a quiet area.
 When organizing group work, avoid self-selection.
Assign students to groups ensure that the student
with Asperger‟s is assigned to an appropriate group.

11. Provide a „Safe Haven‟
 Many students with Asperger‟s can become overwhelmed by
noise, crowds, perceived chaos, or just the stress of engaging
socially with peers.
 Students with Asperger‟s should have an identified place or
person that is available to them to access when they are
becoming overwhelmed.
 A set plan for „escape‟ should be written for when students
with Asperger‟s get overwhelmed or upset in the classroom.
Students should be taught how to request this break to the
safe haven.
 Staff should be aware of what the pre-physical or verbal
behaviors that a student may exhibit when they are beginning
to get upset.

12. Prepare the Student for Changes
in the Routine and/or Environment
 Most students with Asperger‟s need clear
expectations and routines. This helps to reduce the
anxiety that can overwhelm students.
 Whenever possible, explain changes in the routine
well in advance. (“On Friday, we will have an
assembly. That means that you will go straight from
your second-period class to the auditorium.”)
 Indicate these changes in the student‟s schedule
the day of by writing them or having a picture of
the change.

13. Big Idea
Be Pro-active. Many problem behaviors
can be avoided by pre-teaching skills or
preparing students for changes in the
environment.

14. Operate on Asperger‟s Time
“Twice as much time, half as much done.”
 Make sure that the student has  Modify Requirements
ample time to complete  For example, in math class
organizational and related tasks students are given a
such as: worksheet with 20 problems
 Taking out/organizing books, on it. Have the student do
paper, pencil the first 10 problems, the odd
 Putting away materials number problems, etc.
 Finding and turning in  Reduce or eliminate
homework
handwriting
 Moving from classroom to
classroom  Allow the student access to
the computer or scribe
 Organizing backpack
 Dressing out for physical  Avoid Rushing
education
 Organizing materials to go
home after school

15. SIMPLE MODIFICATIONS TO HELP STUDENTS WHO NEED TO OPERATE ON THEIR OWN TIME
Reduce the number of problems on a page Have the student use a personal digital assistant or
by (a) circling the problems that the pocket computer instead of a handwritten planner
student has to complete or (b) masking
the problems that the student does not
need to complete
Change short answer questions to Have the student dictate book reports and similar
true/false or multiple-choice questions assignments into a tape recorder instead of having
to write by hand
Allow the student to dictate answers into Have another student write for the student with
a tape recorder Asperger’s Syndrome
Allow the student to use a computer for Use a time timer to allow the student to see time
written assignments instead of having to passing visually
write them by hand
Provide a five, four, three, two, one
minute transition reminder

16. Teach Routines
Ensure that students with Asperger‟s know
the routine for how to do the following:
 How to ask for help  How to make up missed work due to
absences or related reasons
 How and when to sharpen pencils
 How to line up for lunch, recess, etc.
 When and what to throw away and
where  How to walk down the hall in a line
with other students
 How to ask to go to the bathroom
 How to get ready to transition to
 How to obtain school supplies when another activity within the same
they forgot to bring them to class class
 How and when to hand in homework  How to get ready to transition to
another activity that is not within the
 How to pass out papers same class
 How to organize materials on desk  How to get ready for recess
 How to place school supplies in a  How to get ready to go home
locker, backpack or desk so that
they are easily accessible  What to do during free time
 How to navigate lunchtime

17. Simplify the Language
 Avoiding using idioms
 “Put your thinking caps on”, “Open your ears” and “Zipper
your lips” will leave a student with Asperger‟s confused
and wondering how to do that.
 Avoid using sarcasm
 If a student accidently knocks all your papers on the floor
and you say “GREAT!” you will be taken literally and this
behavior may be repeated on a regular basis.

18. Simplify your Language
 Comprehension is not guaranteed
 Repeat directions and ask for clarification
 Be simple and concrete
 It is more effective to say “Pens down, close your
journals, and line up to go outside” than “It looks nice
outside. Let‟s do our science lesson now. As soon as
you‟ve finished your writing, close your books and line up
at the door. We are going to study plants outdoors
today.”

19. Simplify your Language
 Address the pupil individually at all times
 For example, the student may not realize that an
instruction given to the whole class also includes him/her.
Calling the student‟s name and saying "I need you to
listen to this as this is something for you to do" can
sometimes work; other times the student will need to be
addressed individually.

20. Visual Supports
 While students with Asperger Syndrome have strong
expressive skills, there may still be difficultly with
understanding and comprehending the content
presented during class.
 Visual supports help aid the students ability to process
and understand the content presented in class.
 Visual supports provide structure and organization to
information a student with Asperger Syndrome may find
confusing.

21. Types of Visual Supports
 Written Schedules
 Graphic Organizers
 Organizational Checklists/Systems

22. Big Idea
Just because a student has good
verbal skills does not mean that
they have good comprehension
skills and understand is being said
to them. Test for understanding.