This is a

1. ETHICAL CONCERNS
WHEN WORKING WITH
STUDENTS WITH ASD
SUSAN WORKMAN
AUT 501
JULY 3, 2012
SEQUITA LIPSCOMB

2. COUNCIL FOR EXCEPTIONAL
CHILDREN CODE OF ETHICS
• Special education professionals are supposed to
abide by a code of ethics. One standard
states, “exercise objective professional judgment in
the practice of your profession” (Hall, 2009, p. 57).
We will look at a few ways we can maintain
professional standards in the classroom.

3. EXERCISE PROFESSIONAL JUDGMENT
There are several pitfalls in general to be aware as you
work with students with autism in the classroom.
• Privacy
• Professional courtesy
• Assessments based on
data vs. opinions

4. PRIVACY
• The Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act
• Schools must have written permission from a parent
in order to release any information from a student’s
education record except:
• School officials with legitimate educational interest
• Officials performing evaluations
• Complying with judicial order
• Appropriate cases of health and safety
emergencies
• State and local authorities within juvenile justice
system (Education, 2012)

5. PRIVACY
Do:
• Keep all paperwork assessable, but not viewable
• Use locked cabinets for student files

6. PRIVACY
• Put only first names on labels
• Discuss student information on
an as needed basis with other
Staff

7. PRIVACY
Give information to general staff
about disorders, not children

8. PRIVACY
Don’t:
•Share information with curious visitors to class
• Feel obligated to share information with other parents
• Leave paperwork out where others have access

9. PRIVACY
Enjoy this short
video on an
example of a
FERPA violation
from UTube
(Park Place
Publications, W
alsh, Anderson,
Brown, Gallegos
, and Green
P.C. Law
Firm, 2010).

10. PROFESSIONAL COURTESY
Teachers will have many experts available to gather
information and get help. Check the IEP for
strategists who can give advice. Use these resources
in the classroom to allow the students to participate
fully.

11. OCCUPATIONAL THERAPISTS
• Sensory Diet
• Wet-
paint, glue, shaving
cream
• Dry-
beans, sand, rice
• Noise-
instruments, backgr
ound music
• Lighting

12. OCCUPATIONAL THERAPISTS
• Informs ways to
work on finger holds
for
pencils, scissors, or
other media
• Putty or playdough
finger work
• Writing without
paper

13. OCCUPATIONAL THERAPISTS
• Give suggestions for soothing techniques

14. SPEECH THERAPISTS
Speech therapists
can help set up
communication
devices, picture
charts, and teach
sign language.

15. SPEECH THERAPISTS
This is a short
clip of using
a speech
therapist in
the
classroom
(Lucigo, 2008
)

16. PHYSICAL THERAPISTS
PT’s can
• Help check furniture for
proper size for students
• Provide belts or supports for
stable sitting
• Make suggestions for
independence

17. PHYSICAL THERAPISTS
• Adjust or train on
equipment such as
braces, wheelchairs
, or other
orthopedic devices

18. DATA BASED INTERVENTIONS
This refers to assessing the student with baseline
information and progress monitoring throughout the year
to check for successful interventions. Data should be
taken on a scheduled basis to check for understanding
and adjust modifications if necessary (Hall, 2009).

19. DATA BASED INTERVENTIONS
Here is a video on progress monitoring (Wetalearningmedia, 2011).

20. DATA BASED INTERVENTIONS
• Functional behavior assessment should be
conducted to plan for behavior plans and ongoing
monitoring to check for success. These are tools
needed at IEP meetings and shows professionalism
(Hall, 2009).

21. PROFESSIONALISM
Be a professional by:
1. Keeping information for students private
2. Listening to other experts’ advice and showing
respect
3. Keeping records and using research based
interventions and monitoring progress

22. REFERENCES
• Education, U. D. (2012, July 3). Family Educational Rights and
Privacy Act (FERPA). Retrieved from ED.gov:
http://www2.ed.gov/policy/gen/guid/fpco/ferpa/index.html
• Hall, L. (2009). Autism spectrum disorders: From theory to
practice. In L. Hall, Autism spectrum disorders: From theory to
practice. Upper Saddle River, NJ: Pearson Education.
• Lucigo. (2008, May 23). Speech therapy autism picnic.
Retrieved July 7, 2012, from UTube:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fQ7wvowhgXM
• Wetalearningmedia. (2011, March 15). Helping teachers use
progress monitoring. Retrieved July 7, 2012, from YouTube:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3EPVJDne8Vo&feature=r
elated