Autism Community Connection teaching students with autism

Abilities checklists are a great way to get a grasp on what your student can or cannot do. It is an excellent starti= ng point in pinpointing deficits when creating goals and objectives.

Auditory Processing Difficulties Checklist

Autism Behavior Checklist

Behavior Checklist

Communication Checklist – up to five years

Diagnostic Checklis= t – Autism Research Institute – see also Autism Treatment Evaluation Ch= ecklist – Internet Scoring Program

Kindergarten Skills Checklist

Learning Disabilities Checklist

Listening Checklist

Occupational Therapy Child Developmental Checklist – up to 36 months

Organization and Independent Motor/Play Skills Checklist

Reading Development Checklist

Sc= hool Skills Checklist

Sensory Integration Checklist – from Parent-Child Services Group

Sensory Processing Disorder Checklist

Social Skills Checklist

Social and Living Skills Checklist

Speech and Language Screening

Accommodations/Modifications

This section is a great place for teachers and parents wishing to educate their support staff on modification strategies for the child on the autism spectr= um.

Adapt= ing Homework with Technology

Assessment Accommodations – from Special Connections, an introduction to assessment accommodations including instructional tools, research materials= and case studies that illustrate real life applications of assessment accommodations.

Autism Brochures for Teachers – The Autism Society of America has produc= ed some excellent brochures for families, teachers and students that you can download for free. Building O= ur Future (for teachers) is a 12 page pamphlet to help educators and school administrators become familiar with the learning styles of students with au= tism and with the various educational approaches designed to meet their unique needs. Growing Up Together (f= or school-aged peers) is a 4 page booklet that talks about autism and how to become friends with someone who has the disorder.

Autism Information for S= taff – from CESA special education services in WI, this website includes examples of IEP goals, visual strategies, general strategies for teachers, diagnositic tools for autism, transition checklist, interventions and strategies for success and more.

Autism Speaks Video Se= ries – Autism Speaks has collected over 30 videos from various NBC affiliated news reports. You will get a comprehensive understanding of autism, treatment methods and family dynamic. You might find useful How People w= ith Autism See the World, When Early Intervention Works, Educational Strategies, New Program Trains Autistic Teenagers for Jobs, Autism Every Day and Life Through the Eyes of an Autistic Child.

Autism in the Classroom – an overview of autism, first steps to teaching= a student with autism, helping students with autism face social challenges and beyond the elementary years.

Cindy’s Autistic Support – Free materials from an autism support teacher in PA with many print= able worksheets. Lots of great lin= ks for teachers.

Classro= om Interventions for Children with ADD and LD – from the Child and Development Institute, many of the strategies could also help those on the spectrum. They identify, “When you see this behavior….Try this accommodation.”

Classroom Management – LD Online helps teachers create a well-managed, structured classroom environment. Not specific to autism.

Curriculum Creations – from Project Participate, University of Colorado – this website gives advice to teachers on how to adapt curriculum for the non-verbal student. Project Participate trains educato= rs, families and other professionals across North America to recognize the valu= e of active participation as well as the applications of technology in the classroom.

E= ffective Symbol Use – from Widgit Software – this article explains h= ow to effectively make symbol supported material

How to Modify –= ; from Learning to Go, Dept of Northwest Suburban Special Education Organization – explains how to adapt a lesson plan, modify text and modify themes. Scroll for many other topics.

Mrs. Brown’s Classroom – Special Ed teacher from WI allows you to use her read= y to use materials for your classroom.

Picture Communication Symbols – Links with ideas on how to use picture symbols effectively in the classroom. Go to the main page of NCIP (National Center to Improve Practice in Special Education Through Technolog= y, Media and Materials) for online workshops, videos of students using assisti= ve technology and instructional technology and a collection of resources about technology and special education.

Planning, Teaching and Assessing the Curr= iculum for Pupils with Learning Difficulties - Ways to adapt curriculum for learners at various stages, starting from Level 1 which is described as hav= ing the student ‘being there’ for the experience of the general ed curriculum.

P= ractical Strategies for the Classroom – About.com’s special education section has many resources for teachers.&n= bsp; Also see Accom= modations, Modifications and Interventions.

Schedule = Supports – from PictureSET – series of visual supports includes a calend= ar sticker page, social story to prepare students for summer vacation, circle = of activities chart, color coded activity files, high school schedule, home to school communication, letter home, My day at school for facilitating communication about what happened at school and more.

Sensory Links for Teachers – The KID Foundation’s Sensory Processing Disorder Network has put together a collection of links for teachers and parents that explain what sensory processing disorder is, how it affects learning and sensory activities and tips.

Schedules in the Classroom – Cindy’s Autistic Support has printable schedules for the bus, reading, lunch, math calendar, general schedule and special activity schedule.

Task Ideas ̵= 1; from Building Blox, these are pictures from teachers to show how they creat= ed task boards at the student’s desk.

Ways to Su= pport Learning and Growth of our Kids – from Spectrum Training – = this list of accommodations and modifications in reading, writing, math skills, = oral presentation, note taking, tests, physical education, technology and social skills came from a brainstorming session of one of Spectrum’s worksho= ps.

Work Tasks – Roo= m 5 has taken photos and described various workstations to work on a variety of= IEP goals.

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Bullying

Children on the autism spectrum are frequently the targets of bullying. Be aware of these issues and how to handle it. =

Bullies= : How to Handle It – from It’s My Life, PBS Kids

Bully Online – The worldR= 17;s largest resource on workplace bullying and related issues.

Bully Police – The Bully Pol= ice website gives passing and flunking grades to states’ anti-bullying laws. Illinois receives a D-.=

Bullying and Autism – presentation on Bullying and the Child with Autism Spectrum Disorder by Jocelyn Taylor, Education Specialist at the Utah State Office of Education.

Bullying, Confidentiality and Parent’s Right to Know – from Wrightsla= w

Games about Bullies – Educational Media has a number of board games for kids including Block the Bully Cylce, Bullies to Buddies, Bully-Buster Bingo and Bully-Proof Bingo and Activities K-2

Helping Children with Autism Cope with Bullies

Protecting Stude= nts from Harassment and Hate Crimes: A Guide for Schools – from Wrightslaw

What Should Parents and Teach= ers Know about Bullying?

Evidence-Based Curriculum

Assessment/Measurement – from Special Connection, this detailed page assists teachers in the implementation of research-based best practices in the classroom. Includes case studies.<= /span>

Reading Programs – The Florida Center for Reading Research has established a review process for analyzing reading curricula and materials.= Here you can determine if your child’s reading instruction has evidence based research of being effective as it pertains to your childR= 17;s deficits. Alphabetized FCRR re= ports

What is Evidence-based Prac= tice? – With the introduction of No Child Left Behind, the US Department of Education began to place emphasis on evidence-based education. This website explains evidence-bas= ed practice and how to locate and evaluate educational research.

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Explaining Autism to your Students

Autism Classroom Connections= – a series of four multimedia interventions designed to educate typic= ally developing students about autism spectrum disorders in elementary and middle school classrooms.

Autism Information Written = for Kids Only – from the Autism Society of Delaware=

Growing Up Together – The Autism Society of America has produced some excellent brochures for families, teachers and students that you can downlo= ad for free.

Kid’s Quest Autism P= age – This website by the CDC helps children learn about autism.

Ki= ds with Special Needs – This article from KidsHealth is not autism specific but is written with the child’s perspective in mind.

Oliver’s A= utism Guide

Social Ski= lls Lesson Plan on “Similarity Awareness” – From Celebrat= ing All of Us, a lesson plan for students on identifying our similarities despi= te our differences.

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Homeschool

AS and HFA Homeschool – a Yahoo group for parents who homeschool and have children diagnosed with Asperger’s or High Functioning Autism

Home Schooling – Autism Community Connection – one of our Autism= cc members was trying to decide whether it was better to home school her son or send him to school after he finishes Early Intervention. Several moms gave advice on this subject.

Homeschooling – Autism Link – a list of links on homeschooling and online discussion groups

Home Schooling Asp= ergers – a blog from a mom who home schools her son with Asperger’s Syndrome

Inclusion

Active Participation—What is it? – from Project Participate, University of Colorado – Students with disabilities benefit from placement in general education classrooms when they are given opportunities= to actively participate! Often t= eams underestimate student abilities and mistake passivity for participation. This article compares and contrasts actives and passive participation to inspire teams to raise their expectati= ons.

Circle of Inclusion – Contains information about the effective practices of inclusive educational programs for children from birth through age eight.

Inclusion Strategies – from Project Participate, University of Colorado<= /p>

Inclusion Videos – from = The Inclusion Series, many videos for purchase for educators, professionals and parents that offer examples of inclusion of people with disabilities in real-life situations.

Integration – About.com’s page on integration offers links to help develop peer sup= port in the inclusive classroom, peer relationships worksheets and articles on inclusion.

Teaching Social Skills to Students with Autism to Increase Peer Interactions in an Integrated First-Grade Classroom

Ten Tips f= or Caregivers – Teaching students in the inclusive classroom requires teamwork, communication and dedication.&nb= sp; Here are tips to be an active team member.

There is no Place Called Inclusion – from the Indiana Resource Center for Aut= ism – this article discusses the appropriateness of inclusion for students with ASD.

Pragmatic Language/Conversation

Conversation Social Stories – Autism Community Connection – A series of stories including Talking and Listening, Talking to People, Commenting on W= hat a Person Says, Talking to People about my Favorite Things and Being a Good Listener. Some parts of the s= tories make references to Thomas DVDs.

Gestures Game – Online game that shows you seven different gestures and you need to click on the right answer to continue. Gestures include: I don’t kn= ow, That was good, I know the answer, I am hungry, I am angry, Stop and Go that way.

How to have a conversation – This article discusses how to practice conversation skills. Not auti= sm specific but gives teens and adults ideas on the art of conversation.<= /o:p>

Lingui Systems – = Speech products for apraxia, autism/pdd, listening and auditory processing, nonver= bal learning disorders, sequencing, social pragmatic skills and more.

My Weekend – from Speaking of Speech – Includes a What Did I Do th= is Weekend chec= k off sheet, se= ntence strip and pics of people and places.

Pocket Size Communication Board – from Speaking of Speech - common items used in the community

Pragmatic Languag= e Tips – Tips to help children use language appropriately in social situatio= ns.

Responding to Directions – from Speaking of Speech – includes a p= arent letter, list of directions and respo= nses child may give.

Questions for Friends – Autism Community Connection – This is a list = of questions that friends might ask each other. Cut up each question and put it in= a bowl. At snack time or pre-ar= ranged time, have everyone take turns picking a slip of paper and asking the quest= ion to the friend to their right. This works on asking questions, listening and eye contact.

Say What you Mean

Small Talk for Preschoolers R= 11; collected by David Beukelman, these are age appropriate phrases for kids to use.

Speech Language Therapy and Autism: The Basics

S= tuck for Words? – Word retrieval activities for children from Caroline Bowen

Super Duper – Many excelle= nt products for pragmatic language. Check out their Social Skils products, WH questions products and Say= and Do cards.

T= elling a Joke – Askability has a Jokes and Stories section of their website that uses picture symbols to help the person read and understand the joke.<= o:p>

Tips for Having a Great Conversation

Understanding Functional Words and Phrases – 39 page less plan from Utah Studen= ts at Risk designed to provide specific information for teaching the learner to understand simple spoken directions including Look at me, Come here, Go to,= Sit down, Give me, Take off and put on and more.

Visual Prompts for Conversation – from Speaking of Speech – These stri= ps can be used by an individual in a communication book or as a visual prompt: I feel, I= want, hello/= goodbye, What d= id you, What i= s your favorite, What is your favorite2, Classroom questions, Home ques= tions, Do you= have

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Social Skills

= General Strategies for Communication Intervention and Social Skills Training

Got Footage - Thi= s site contains royalty free stock footage usually no more than 30 seconds in length. Click on the Children= link for clips of children engaging in activities at school, home and in the community. This is a great pl= ace to show your child appropriate behavior examples. Also you can find other uses as well. If you are taking an ai= rplane trip, click on Airplane and you will find many 30 second clips of people waiting at the baggage carousel, going through security, etc. This is a great website to show ki= ds what people do.

Improving Social Skills and Disruptive Behavior in Children with Autism through Self<= span style=3D'mso-spacerun:yes'> Management

M= aking an Argument for Social Skills Support in School

Social Rules – This link is a behavior analyst’s notes on teaching social ru= les to a child on the autism spectrum. This is a real timesaver for making social stories.

Social Skills Interventions for Students with Autism

Soci= al Skills Training in School

Steps in Teachin= g a Social Skill and Teaching Social Skills – explains how to teach social skills

Teaching Social Skills Directory – Practical ways to teach social skills to middle school aged students. Includes a lau= ndry list of critical social skills for this age group plus a Student Activities section with loads of online games, mostly about reading facial expressions= and understanding idioms.

Teaching Social Skills to Students with Autism to Increase Peer Interactions in an Integrated First-Grade Classroom

You Tube – Children who have difficulty transitioning or have anxieties over particular situations might respond well to understanding the sequence of events. At You Tube you can put in any kin= d of search to find video footage on that topic. ie. Type in car wash and you will = find footage of going through the car wash.&nbs= p; Type in cotton candy and you will find footage of people showing you= how cotton candy is made. This is= an excellent website to show kids processes.

Special Education and Autism<= /span>

Special Education: Childre= n with Autism – 2005 Report to the Chairman and Ranking Minority Member, Subcommittee on Human Rights and Wellness Committee on Government Reform, H= ouse of Representatives on the state of special education, trend in numbers of children with autism receiving services under IDEA, services provided, estimated per pupil expenditures and approaches used in educating children = with autism.

Special Needs Products

Accelerations Educational Software &= #8211; Discrete trial trainer programs used in school districts and other educatio= nal facilities. Software is desig= ned to educate people with moderate to severe learning disabilities.

Different Roads to Learning – Helping children with autism learn and grow since 1995.

Discrete Trial Teaching DVD – from New York Families for Autistic Children

Do2Learn – Some free picture ca= rds as well as many useful visual products for purchase.

PCI Education – Many great special education products for elementary and secondary education.

Super Duper – Many excelle= nt products for pragmatic language. Check out their Social Skils products, WH questions products and Say= and Do cards.

Student Behavior

Autismcc Responds about School and Homework Strategies – Autism Community<= span style=3D'mso-spacerun:yes'> Connection’s Yahoo group dis= cuss strategies when a child gets upset about school or homework.

Behavior Advisor – Offers thousands of tips on managing student behavior as well as direction for implementing standard interventions. Not specific to autism.

Behavior Articles – The Indiana Resource for Autism has several articles on behavior. You might find usef= ul: Consequences, Behavior and My Birds, The Challenge of Combining Competing I= nput in the Classroom, Supporting Students with AS Who Present Behavioral Challenges, Concerning Consequences and Don’t Forget about Self Management.

Behavioral Interven= tions – from Florida State University as part of the FSU autism project = 211; includes tips for managing student behavior in the classroom, cafeteria and school bus.

Classroom Interventions for Children with ADD and LD – from the Child and Development Institute, many of the strategies could also help those on the spectrum. They identify, “When you see this behavior….Try this accommodation.”

Education Beha= vior Management – from Autism Help, tons of behavior strategies broken= out by age group specific to the classroom.

Hassle Boar= d 1 and Hass= le Board 2 – from Speaking of Speech – These visual sheets can= be used for elementary students to express what is causing their difficulties = in school. May help find the rea= son for negative behaviors.

Peer= -Assisted Interventions – from Special Connection, strategies that help students with special needs successfully access the general education curriculum. Includes peer mod= eling, peer initiation training, role reversal tutoring, class wide peer assisted = self management program and the “good student game” with group monitoring.

Teacher Tools: Behavior – from Special Connections, easy to use instructi= onal tools created to assist teachers in the implementation of research-based be= st practices in the classroom. Includes functional behavior assessment, positive behavior support planning, positive behavior support interventions, classroom and group supp= ort and case studies.

= Tips for Teaching High Functioning People with Autism – From Online Asperger Syndrome Information and Support by Susan Moreno and Carol O’Neal. This article ex= plains how the autism mind works, why behaviors happen and strategies to prevent b= ehaviors.

Tools for Coping – Onsite manuals= for coping with a variety of life’s stressors. Many great topics including tools = for communication, anger, control issues, improving your critical thinking, lea= ding a balanced lifestyle and more. This is a great website for social workers.

Using Positive Behavior Support Methods in the Classroom – powerpoint series from Florida’s Positive Behavior Support Project – includes establis= hing a foundation, collaboration and teaming, vision and assessment, self management, expectations and rules, basic principles of behavior, level systems, rewards systems, strategies for dealing with problem behavior, tea= ching a behavioral curriculum, curricular adaptation and more.<= /p>

<= /a>Teaching Students on the Autism Spectrum

Animal School – This is= a short video that every parent of a child with a disability can relate to—the need for our schools to recognize the potential of our children. Also a lesson for u= s to nurture our own children’s potential.

Autism Help – this w= ebsite has been created for educators and professionals working with children on t= he autism spectrum. It contains = a 15 minute Autism Training Program for educators, an interactive What is Autism? behavior list, a breakdown of educational issues by age group and an amazing Printable Files section of behavior issues, why they happen and what you can do to help the student. The video is great to train general education teachers and para-educators who are not familiar with autism.

Autism Speaks Video Se= ries – Autism Speaks has collected over 30 videos from various NBC affiliated news reports. You will get a comprehensive understanding of autism, treatment methods and family dynamic= . You might find useful How People w= ith Autism See the World, When Early Intervention Works, Educational Strategies, New Program Trains Autistic Teenagers for Jobs, Autism Every Day and Life Through the Eyes of an Autistic Child.

Autism in the Classroom – an overview of autism, first steps to teaching= a student with autism, helping students with autism face social challenges and beyond the elementary years.

Autism Training Mo= dule – from Ican, six modules of lessons encompassing autism characteristi= cs, assessment, academic interventions, behavioral interventions, communication interventions, environmental interventions and social interventions.

Educating Childr= en with Autism – from the National Academies Press, a 207 page book broke= out into sections for easier reading.

An Educator’s Guide to Autism – from the Organization for Auti= sm Research, this 60 page pdf provides parents, teachers and education professionals with a plan for teaching a child with autism in the general elementary classroom setting.

An Educator’s Guide to Asperger Syndrome – from the Organizati= on for Autism Research, this 98 page pdf provides parents, teachers and educat= ion professionals for meeting the needs of the student with Asperger Syndrome in your class, from elementary to high school.

Expert Autism in the Classrom Tips – from Life Tips, an overview of auti= sm in the classroom

Learning Styles of Students with Autism – Written by Gary Mesibov, PhD, Director Division TEACCH, University of North Carolina

Misunderstood Minds – This is a companion site to a PBS special on learning differences a= nd disabilities. If you click on Attention, Reading, Writing or Mathematics you can click on several interac= tive examples to experience firsthand the difficulties a student with learning problems has in the classroom. A must watch for every teacher with a= n IEP student in the classroom.

Project Participat= e – from the University of Colorado – Recommended! These training articles help school staff understand the special needs and non-ve= rbal student in order to foster active participation. Includes Ten Tips for Special Educ= ators, Paraeducators, General Educators, Therapists and Assistive Techies. Also includes forms on Quality of Inclusion, How Does your Classroom Work?, Assistance Rating, Participation Rating and more.

Special Connections – the website is a little confusing to use but is an amazing treasure trove for support teachers. Connecting teachers to strategies = that help students with special needs successfully access the general ed curricu= lum, it includes implementation of research-based best practices in instructional planning, behavior, cooperative teaching and assessments along with valuable case studies.

Strategies for Teaching St= udents with Autistic Spectrum Disorders – From Room5, a special ed teach= er has collected information and ideas that have worked in her classroom. See also More Classroom Ideas.=

Structured Teaching – Educational approaches from the TEACCH Autism Program. This is a very detailed article on= how to structure your classroom, classroom schedule, organization, teaching met= hods and giving direction.

Structuring for Succes= s – TEACCH Autism Program gives these group ideas for pre-school and primary classrooms including students with autism. Includes 10 tips for helping stude= nts with autism be “structured for success” at group time.

A Teacher’s Guide to Including Students with Disabilities in General Physical Education – From Brookes Publishing, a 19 page pdf full = of ways to accommodate children with special needs in physical education. Print a copy and send to your school’s phys ed teacher. If you like this, p= urchase the full book.

Teacher’s Persp= ective – from the National Center to Improve Practice in Special Education – Two teachers are featured, one with a classroom of broad-based developmental difficulties and another with mostly non-verbal students. Read about their day. Then click on Videos to preview so= me excellent profiles of classroom best practices, videos can be ordered for $29.99. The library and links section are also chock-full of information.

Using Technol= ogy to Support Diverse Learners – from WestEd, this website helps teache= rs integrate technology into the curriculum to support diverse learners.<= /o:p>

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