Assistive Technology for Students with

Autism

Assistive Technology for Students with

Autism

MondayMarch 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

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

Indicators

Sensory Systemoversensitivity 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 Systemdifficulty 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

trouble hearing certain people

other people are perceived as speaking in a higher volume

unable to filter out sound in certain situations

Autistic Hearing

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 Difficultiesunusual 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 Educationdifficulty 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 Educationresearch 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

Communicationa 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

ExpressiveInefficient

Ineffective

Idiosyncratic

Perseveration

Echolalia

ReceptiveIneffective

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 ItemsSensory BrushSeat DiskFidgetsTheraputic “fidget” puttyWeighted vest

•Communication Items

Picture cards (PECS)

Traveling Communication Ring

Communication Wallet

Go Talk

Sample Communication Booklet

Label Maker in container

High Tech – iPad / Dynavox / etc.

Strategies

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

•BooksVarious 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