April 10, 2013 at 5:38 p.m.
Rhinelander teachers using iPads, other techniques to help children with autism
Rhinelander teachers using iPads, other techniques to help children with autism
James Williams Middle School (JWMS) teacher Aimee Jones, who works with special education students in sixth through eighth grade, said cases of autism vary greatly from student to student thus it's important to fashion a learning plan that fits each individual child.
"(Autism) has been considered a spectrum disorder, meaning that the range can be from mild to severe, which is determined typically through psychological testing. Typically, it can affect communication, social skills, sensory perception, and cognition. There are students who have a diagnosis of autism that do not require special education services," Jones said.
Crescent Elementary School special education teacher Amy Scholz agreed that each student with autism has different needs.
"It is true that all students are put into the same category of autism when they qualify for special education services in the school setting. However, there are many different ranges of autism, going from mild to severe. In the past I have had one student with autism who was non-verbal and we used the PECS (Picture Exchange Communication System) system with him, which is a communication board where the student learns to request items using pictures. We also have students that have a very mild form of autism and only need assistance during social times during the school day such as recess and physical education. I have students that require assistance in their regular education classrooms all day to assist with following classroom routines: repeat directions given by the teacher, assist with social interactions with peers, and to teach social rules that most regular education students understand," Scholz said.
Jones said staff members continually reevaluate how each student's individualized education plan (IEP) is working and determine what changes need to be made.
"Based on the diagnosis and other assessments, the IEP team meets at least once a year for each child to discuss his or her strengths, areas of need, strategies that help the student learn best, and support classes to help the student be as successful and independent as possible. In addition, the IEP team discusses the least restrictive environment (LRE). The range of supports vary from in the regular education setting with minimal assistance, to supports all the way to a self-contained classroom with a modified curriculum for academics and functional living skills," Jones said.
Functional living skills and social interaction skills are a big part of the education plans for children with autism, both teachers said.
Scholz said the best practice for that kind of learning is in-the-moment education.
"I use a lot of social stories to teach social rules," Scholz said. "It also takes a lot of practice and repetition when teaching the correct behaviors in social situations. It also has to be in-the-moment, as out of context is difficult for them to transfer later in the real situation."
Jones said teachers also focus on the district's Four B's when teaching acceptable social behaviors.
"JWMS promotes PBIS (Positive Behavior Intervention Strategies) for the entire building. We are focusing on the Four B's - be here, be responsible, be respectful, and be safe. Most behaviors can be tied back to these expectations. The expectation is that skills that are difficult for them are taught and practiced. Often, I work very closely with families and find strategies that work for school and home and can be practiced in all settings," Jones said.
One tool that has become available to special education teachers recently are iPads and other related technology. Both Scholz and Jones said they have used iPads to help their students.
"The special education department at JWMS has 13 iPads to utilize for students. On the iPads specifically, there are apps for a variety of needs including social skills and communication, daily living skills, sensory skills, and academics. In addition, we have desktops, laptops, and smartboards in all resource rooms," Jones said.
"At the elementary level, we have used communication boards in the past. We currently use iPads to assist with sensory breaks, reading books that are at their independent reading levels, math games that help promote lagging math skills, social skills lessons, etc. I also use a program called Boardmaker that is used on the computer to create social stories for each student," Scholz said. "These stories are tailored to whatever skill they are lagging in. Typically the stories are in the first person and it reiterates the correct social rules."
When asked what the general public should know about autism, Jones said it is important to realize that autism often has no physical signs.
"There are typically no physical features that would identify a person as autistic, so it is often difficult to differentiate them from their peers," Jones said.
Scholz talked about how children with autism can sometimes be misunderstood as disruptive when they are actually experiencing a sensory overload.
"Many parents tell us that 'overloads' or 'disruptive behavior' are common in public locations. Stores, parks, or restaurants - anywhere with a lot of people, activity, and noise. These environments increase the chances for a sensory overload. In these types of social situations, children with autism may have the tendency to exhibit autistic behaviors in crowded settings because their awareness of sights and sounds is often heightened in these areas. What appears to us as a normal room, a child with autism might experience it as being surrounded with loud noises echoing everywhere," Scholz said.
Marcus Nesemann may be reached at [email protected].
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