Best Practices in Transition: Critical Components Related to Educating Adolescents With Autism

1. Best Practices in Transition: Critical Components Related to Educating Adolescents With Autism Brandee El-Attar, M.S., Kate Dickey, M.S. Devereux CARES Consultants

2. Programming for Adolescents What is adolescence? Why is this a difficult period to plan for with students with ASD? What are our obligations as educators? What critical components are necessary to ensure success?

3. Legal requirements • IDEA 2004 states that transition services must: • Begin no later than the first IEP to be in effect when the student is 16 and updated annually thereafter (PA requires from age 14) • Be provided until • The student turns 21, or • The student graduates from high school with a regular diploma

4. IEP requirements • Appropriate measurable postsecondary goals • Based on age appropriate transition assessments related to training, education, employment, and, where appropriate, independent living skills • Transition services (including courses of study) needed to assist the student in reaching those goals

5. What are we planning for? • Key Transition Areas: • Employment • Postsecondary education • Living arrangements • Community participation • Community mobility • Financial independence • Recreation and leisure • Friendships and relationships

6. Employment Competitive employment Supported employment Self-employment Rehabilitation facility or workshop Day program, sheltered workshop, or activity center

7. Postsecondary education Four-year college or university Community college Trade or business schools Vocational-technical schools Specialized training in business and industry Continuing adult education

8. Living arrangements • Individualized housing supports: • Providing support services to people living in their own apartments • Matching individuals with disabilities to roommates without disabilities or with families that may be compensated for providing needed assistance • Supplying in-home supports to people with disabilities and their families • Assisting people with disabilities to become homeowners

9. Best Practices in Transition: Critical Components • Create a student-centered transition plan (i.e.,PCFP) • Cultivate student involvement and self-determination • Align the curriculum with visions for post school life, the student’s transition plan, and the general education curriculum • Provide students with paid and actual work experiences while still in school • Establish interagency collaboration with adult service providers, employers, and post-secondary institutions • Foster family involvement in the transition planning process

10. Best Practices In Transition: Critical Components Create a student-centered transition plan • Why? • Keeps the process focused on student preferences • Key elements • Use person-centered futures planning to create a vision • Transition plan drives the IEP – not an add on • Revise plan annually to reflect changing needs and goals

11. Supporting Families and Students Through Person-Centered Futures Planning • Person-centered futures planning (PCFP) is an ongoing process that brings together a group of committed individuals to help an individual with special needs plan and create a life that is personally fulfilling and productive • This process can start at any time, but should begin minimally at 14 years

12. Supporting Families and Students Through Person-Centered Futures Planning • The initial PCFP meeting at CARES typically takes two to three hours; subsequent annual meetings usually last between one and two hours • We try to have this meeting about one month before the IEP; we have found that this process can help plan transition IEPs

13. Supporting Families and Students Through Person-Centered Futures Planning • Meeting outcomes will also include: • A description of medical and physical needs • The student’s and family’s vision for post-21 living, employment, social interactions, and community inclusion • A description of the student’s preferences and strengths; and needed supports • Goals and objectives for employment education • An action plan for the upcoming year • See our wiki for our format…www.autismhandbook.org

14. Best Practices in Transition: Critical Components Cultivate student involvement and self-determination • Why? • Develops self-advocacy and self-determination • Enhances quality of life • Keeps plan focused on student preferences • Key elements: • Involve student in IEP/transition planning • Teach self-determination skills directly • Student-led IEP meetings or increase participation in IEP meetings • Teach self-advocacy • Infuse instruction throughout the day

15. Best Practices in Transition: Critical Components Align the curriculum with visions for post school life AND Align the student’s transition plan with the general education curriculum • Why? • Curriculum during transition years must prepare students for all aspects of adult living • At the same time, if transition plan is linked to general education: • More likely to graduate with regular diploma • More likely to have continued inclusion with same-age peers without disabilities

16. Best Practices in Transition: Critical Components • Key elements of Curriculum: • Balance between high academic expectations while addressing functional needs • Utilize existing general education classes and services (e.g., vocational education) • Community-based instruction for learning functional skills (in real-life settings) • College campus –based or community-based programs for providing services to students age 18-21 • Age appropriate setting • Ongoing inclusion with same-age peers • Opportunities for work experiences and postsecondary education with support • See www.thinkcollege.net

17. Best Practices in Transition: Critical Components Establish interagency collaboration with adult service providers, employers, and post-secondary institutions • Why? • Fosters seamless transition to adult life • Creates opportunities for post school success • Key elements: • Invite agency representatives to IEP/transition meetings • Form school-agency partnerships and pool resources

18. Best Practices in Transition: Critical Components Provide students with paid and actual work experiences while still in school • Why? • Results in immediate and long-term post school employment • Key elements: • Real life experiences through • Internships • School sponsored part-time jobs • Vocational education

19. Best Practices in Transition: Critical Components Foster family involvement in the transition planning process • Why? • Families serve as the bridge to adult life • Families can assist the student in voicing preferences and goals for adult life • Key elements: • Provide critical information to families • Establish partnership in the planning process • Use person-centered planning • Respect family values and culture

20. Developing Competencies for Adulthood: From Planning to Practice Assessment strategies Instructional methods and activities to promote independence Program components to optimize student growth

21. General Assessment and Program Planning Thorough assessment provides information that can be used for: Diagnosis/verification (and subsequent special education eligibility decisions) Educational programming/intervention planning (i.e., strengths and needs) Present levels of performance/measurement of progress

22. Common Areas of Skill Assessment Across Most Young Students With Autism Communication skills Social skills Play skills Academic Motor skills

23. Additional Areas of Emphasis for Adolescents With Autism Functional Communication Expressive Requesting reinforcers Requesting assistance Requesting breaks Requesting clarification Requesting bathroom Affirmation, rejection, and protestation Commenting (responsive and spontaneous) Answering and asking questions

24. Additional Areas of Emphasis for Adolescents With Autism Receptive Understanding verbal directions with gestures and/or contextual cues Understanding verbal directions without gestures and/or contextual cues Following pictorial and/or written directions and schedules Waiting

25. Additional Areas of Emphasis for Adolescents With Autism Social Skills Initiating and responding to greetings Gaining attention appropriately Avoiding violation of others’ personal space Accepting feedback and/or correction Using “please” and “thank you” Responding to social questions Refraining from disruptive behaviors

26. Additional Areas of Emphasis for Adolescents With Autism Functional Academics Reading Money Handling (understanding the exchange of money to purchase, using a debit card, using a wallet) Writing (name, notes/letters) Math Concepts (understanding concepts of “more or less,” using a calculator, reading a clock and manage time)

27. Additional Areas of Emphasis for Adolescents With Autism Self-Care Feeding Independent Toileting and Self-Care Routines Consistently Washing Hands Dressing Skills

28. Additional Areas of Emphasis for Adolescents With Autism Domestic Skills Simple Food Preparation Cleaning Skills Taking Care of Clothing

29. Additional Areas of Emphasis for Adolescents With Autism Recreation and Leisure Solitary Activities TV, Music, Computer, Books and Magazines, Electronic Games, Art, Puzzles, Sports and Exercise, and so on Group Activities Table-Top (cards, games, art) Gross Motor (walks, sports, games)

30. Additional Areas of Emphasis for Adolescents With Autism Community General Skills (waiting, using transportation) Single-Item Purchases Multi-Item Purchases Food Related Activities Recreational Activities

31. Additional Areas of Emphasis for Adolescents With Autism Health and Safety Refraining from dangerous behaviors Communicating effectively when feeling ill Cooperating with medical interventions and personnel Participating in regular exercise routines Acting upon sexual feelings appropriately

32. A Closer look at Human Sexuality Ignoring it will not help! Discrepancies exist between emotional, social, and cognitive abilities AND physical and sexual development Devereux’s guiding philosophies: All individuals will have sexual feelings as they progress through adolescence and/or adulthood All individuals should be allowed to express their sexuality in appropriate ways, and receive guidance when needed Parents are the best teachers for these skills, but their efforts should be supported by educators

33. A Closer Look at Human Sexuality Some concepts to teach– always address the who, when, and wheres Public versus private Touching (greetings, gaining attention, showing affection) Conversations Dressing/undressing and nudity Dating and related social behavior Adolescents- Introducing yourself, maintaining conversations, reading social cues, using manners Young adults- asking someone out on a date, accepting rejection, dating behavior, and so on Self-pleasuring when appropriate Timing of instruction depends upon the student in conjunction with their family Time and place considerations Safe and effective techniques Consider teaching a routine

34. Additional Areas of Emphasis for Adolescents With Autism Vocational Office/Clerical Work Janitorial Food Services Horticultural/Lawn Maintenance Customer Service Stocking Laundry Industrial Performance Parameters (independence, duration, accuracy, generalization, and rate)

35. Additional Areas of Emphasis for Adolescents With Autism Beginning of Self-Awareness and Determination Making choices Assessing their own appearance and performance Managing reinforcement/reward systems Assessing and communicating preferences Participating in meetings

36. Assessment and Program Planning Assessment and program planning must also take into account Quality of Life (QoL) considerations QoL is a term used to describe an individual's satisfaction with his or her life and general sense of well-being. It is often measured as physical, psychological and social well-being.

37. Variables that Affect QoL Physical well being/health Social connectedness with family, friends, and co-workers Control and choice with variables that impact your life/self-determination Satisfaction with employment or school, residential living, and community inclusion Levels of independence across environments Ability to communicate effectively withothers Level of contact with reinforcers

38. Evidence-based Ways to Increase QoL (Dennis Reid, 2010) • We can maintain “happiness” and enhance personal growth by: • Providing frequent choice opportunities • Assessing preferences and using preference-based teaching procedures • Eliminating and/or modifying highly undesirable tasks and routines

39. Focus Upon Quality of Life Indicators Choices and control Opportunities to participate in preferred activities Community inclusion Peer relationships Relationships with family members Increased independence across settings Expressive and receptive communication Are they happy most of the time?

40. Important Overarching Considerations Assess Specific Skills Describe Learning Style Identify Student Preferences Describe Strengths and Needs Solicit Family Input

41. Planning an Educational Program What is Functional? If a student does not perform the task, will someone else have to do it? Is it immediately needed? Is it frequently needed? Is it needed across settings and situations? Is it age-appropriate? Will it lead to greater independence? Will it enhance the student’s quality of life?

42. Planning an Educational Program What are the most important skills to target? What teaching strategies will be utilized? What are the family’s needs and preferences? How will the family be involved? What are the least restrictive effective learning environments? How much instructional time will be needed?

43. Effective Instructional Strategies Include components of Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA) strategies Empirically-supported interventions Reinforcement systems Prompting procedures Various lesson formats (incidental teaching, natural environment teaching, discrete trial, shaping, chaining, whole or partial task presentation) Error correction strategies Incorporate choice conditions and preferences as much as possible Ongoing progress monitoring

44. Positive Behavioral Support Functional Behavioral Assessment (FBA) and Positive Behavior Support Plans (PSBP) FBAs are implemented to determine the function or functions of undesirable behaviors. A PBSP is developed based directly upon the outcomes of the FBA with input from both educational staff and families Among other components, the written PBSP contains a description of antecedent modifications, functionally equivalent alternative responses (and teaching strategies), differential reinforcement systems, and consequences designed to eliminate or minimize reinforcement after undesirable responses Objective data is used to determine program effectiveness and to guide modifications in the PBSP

45. Visual Enhancement Strategies Why Use Them? We all use visual supports everyday Daytimers and calendars Post-it notes/lists/signs Menus Visual/written instructions Placement of materials Tables and graphs Most individuals with an ASD are visual learners

46. Visual Enhancement Strategies- Visual Schedules Visual Schedules can be used to: provide information on the sequence of activities teach new skills and routines enhance an individual’s independence incorporate choice conditions into a routine teach coping with changes in routines

47. Individual or Group Schedule- Pictures

48. Individual Schedule- Daytimers

49. Using Schedules to Mediate Choice Conditions Recreation and leisure Jobs/chores Academic tasks Social activities

50. Using a Schedule to Incorporate Choices