A Proactive Approach to Interfering Behaviors



A Proactive Approach to Interfering Behaviors

Slide 1: A Proactive Approach to Interfering Behaviors

Alicia Hart

Training Associate

Slide 2: Introduction

• We can often prevent or reduce interfering behavior!

• Just remember, M.A.P.S.—Modify, Adjust, Provide and Support!

• In this presentation, we will discuss how to:

o Modify the environment

o Adjust instruction

o Provide opportunities to communicate and make choices

o Support the student visually

Transcript:

Now that you know more about interfering behaviors in the student with ASD, it’s important to remember one crucial piece of information: We can often PREVENT or REDUCE challenging behavior! This should come as good news to you as a paraprofessional! Wouldn’t it be nice for both you and your students if things could be done ahead of time to keep the interfering behavior from ever even occurring? Prevention is one of the primary principles of behavior support. When we understand the function of the behavior, we can often prevent or reduce challenging behaviors by using positive and proactive strategies.

Your school likely uses such positive and proactive strategies, or what are also known as universal interventions. Such proactive interventions should be implemented before a student walks in the door but we will also immediately evaluate for proactive strategies when a student begins to exhibit any kind of interfering behavior. We do this because proactive interventions can reduce the chances an interfering behavior will happen. The easiest way to remember these strategies is M.A.P.S.—Modify, Adjust, Provide and Support! In this presentation, we will explain how to:

• Modify the environment

• Adjust instruction

• Provide opportunities to communicate and make choices

• Support the student visually

Slide 3: Work with strengths

• Everyone has strengths, including students with ASD!

• The M.A.P.S. system uses strengths to reduce the chances of interfering behavior.

• Students with ASD are often visual learners, have a great memory, and thrive in a routine environment.

Transcript:

Everyone has strengths, or something they are good at. This also includes the student with ASD! The best part about the M.A.P.S. system is that it uses a student’s strengths to reduce the chances that an interfering behavior will happen. Students with ASD are often visual learners, have a great memory, and thrive in a routine environment and the M.A.P.S. system understands how to use such strengths!

Slide 4: Proactive supports for Dwight

• Dwight is our middle school student with ASD.

• He has a great memory and is a visual learner.

• He has started to leave the classroom without telling anyone.

• Dwight’s team decided to use:

o Visual cues on the door that reads “RETURN to DESK”

o A card to let people know he needs something

o Attention before his independent work time

Transcript:

Let’s look at an example. Dwight is our middle school student with ASD and he has a great memory and is a visual learner, however, recall that he has started to leave the classroom without telling anyone and has even left the building on two occasions. Dwight’s educational team decides to utilize visual cues by placing a sign on the door that reads “RETURN to DESK” to indicate Dwight should not leave the area. The team also gives Dwight a card that he can use to let people know he needs something. They provide Dwight with a lot of attention before his independent work time. Dwight’s educational team is incorporating Dwight’s strengths of visual learning and great memory in their proactive interventions as a way to help reduce his interfering behavior of leaving the classroom. Let’s look at the following videos that will illustrate some of the strategies that Dwight’s team has put in place to help support him.

Slide 5: Visual support

Video example – Return to Desk

Notice:

• Dwight leaves the area, because he isn’t getting attention from his teacher.

• Dwight sees the visual support and returns to his desk.

• Dwight returns to his desk.

Transcript:

In this video, you will see Dwight and his teacher. The teacher gives Dwight his work and leaves him to work with another student. Dwight takes that opportunity to leave the area, because he isn’t getting the attention from his teacher. However, Dwight sees the visual support that he has learned means: "do not leave the area." Dwight returns to his desk.

Video Transcript:

Teacher: All right, Dwight. Let’s get started on our work.

Dwight: Ok. Time to go. Return to desk.

Teacher: Good job, Dwight. Thank you for coming back to your desk and getting back to your work. That was an excellent choice.

Slide 6: Provide attention

Video example – Initial Assistance

Notice:

• His teacher is giving Dwight his work

• She sits down with him to give him attention.

• She gets him started on his work!

• Dwight is able to be successful!

Transcript:

In this video, you will see Dwight again. His teacher is using another strategy that the team agreed upon. His teacher is giving Dwight his work and then sits down with him to give him attention before he leaves the area. She gets him started on his work, and Dwight is able to be successful!

Video Transcript:

Teacher: All right, Dwight. We’re going to work on living and non-living things. You’re going to put the pictures, these pictures, in the right boxes, ok? So Ms. G is going to sit here and help you, ok?

Dwight: Ah, ok.

Teacher: All right, can you get the pictures out of the bag? Thank you for covering your mouth.

Dwight: Ms. G, are you sure mommy’s going to give me some cough medicine?

Teacher: Let’s get the tickets out and work on living and non-living things.

Dwight: But mommy gonna check me. But mommy gonna check on me.

Teacher: Yes, mommy will check on you. Let’s look at the pictures. Good job. What is this?

Dwight: An elephant.

Teacher: And where does that go?

Dwight: Living.

Teacher: Good job.

Dwight: And how about, how about these? This is a tree and a rock.

Teacher: So which one is living?

Dwight: That one.

Teacher: Try again.

Dwight: This one.

Teacher: Good job.

Dwight: How about this?

Teacher: All right, good work. Keep going, ok?

Dwight: The butterfly goes there.

Slide 7: Work with weaknesses

• M.A.P.S. can reduce problems associated with a student’s weaknesses.

• The environment can be modified to reduce distractions and sensory related issues.

• Socially appropriate communication opportunities can be created with peers.

Transcript:

As we all know, everyone has both strengths and weaknesses. Again, the student with ASD is no different! Another great aspect to the M.A.P.S. system is that it knows how to reduce the problems associated with a student’s weaknesses. As you’ve already learned, the student with ASD has trouble with distractions (both what they hear and what they see), social difficulties, sensory challenges, and communication deficits. The M.A.P.S. system allows us to modify the environment to keep distractions at a minimum and reduce the effects of sensory related problems. This system also creates opportunities for the student to communicate with peers and others in a socially appropriate way.

For example, Lloyd, a student with ASD, has a hard time concentrating on the lesson when there is a lot of background noise. He also has an intense interest in video games and interrupts class often to talk about them. Lloyd’s educational team decides to move his desk away from the pencil sharpener next to the door and place the desk in the other corner and also provide him with a study carrel to help improve his focus. As a way to encourage communication, Lloyd’s teacher also sets aside several opportunities each day for him to talk about video games with another student.

Slide 8: Apply It!

• Locate the Apply It entitled: Behavior and find: Proactive Strategies

• Think of proactive or preventative strategies that are used in your classroom.

• Write down some of the strategies that are used where you work.

• Share your ideas with your supervisory teacher.

Transcript:

In your packet please locate the Apply It titled: Behavior and find the question titled: Proactive Strategies. Can you think of any proactive or preventative strategies that are used in the classroom in which you work? I’m sure there are many in place that you may not even realize are proactive strategies that prevent interfering behavior. Take a minute and write down some of the strategies that are used in your classroom or the environment in which you work. Please note that the presentation is going to pause for one while you write down or think about your strategies.

Once you have completed this activity, share it with your supervisory teacher to help get a better understanding of the strategies that are in place.

Slide 9: Working with the educational team

• Behavior support requires a team effort!

• Everyone needs to support the student in the same way!

• Always use your M.A.P.S. to find your way!

Transcript:

Behavior support requires a team effort. One person alone cannot support interfering behavior in the student with ASD! As you provide proactive strategies, it is critical to remember that this should always be done with the approval of your supervisory teacher. Some changes are simple and easy to do, while other changes are complex and harder to implement. Be sure to discuss the problem behaviors your student has and discuss your ideas for prevention with your supervisory teacher. Consistency is the key to success with interfering behavior. Intervention only works if everyone is on the same page and is supporting the student in the same way!

Understanding and helping the student with ASD can be difficult, and at times, confusing. When you get lost or confused, remember your M.A.P.S. to find your way! Let’s start with the M in M.A.P.S., or Modify!

Slide 10: Modify the environment

• School may feel like the "holiday mall" to students with ASD!

• A chaotic classroom environment can CREATE interfering behavior!

• The M.A.P.S. system can improve a student’s ability to learn.

• Structure is one way to MODIFY the environment.

• Structure helps the student know WHAT to do, WHERE to go, and WHEN to do it!

Transcript:

Imagine going to the mall during a holiday. As you know, it can be crowded, confusing, and overwhelming! Imagine trying to learn geometry in the middle of that holiday mall—most of us would fail miserably in that kind of situation. Sometimes, that’s what the school environment feels like for the student with ASD. There are too many people and too many sights, sounds, and smells. The hallways are full of people bumping into each other, the cafeteria has a wide variety of aromas, and classrooms can be decorated with far too many materials. All of these things can actually create interfering behavior in the student with ASD and keep them from learning.

By using the M.A.P.S. system, we can decrease the confusion, help the student feel safe, and improve his or her ability to learn by using structure. It’s easy to implement small changes that make a classroom more orderly and easier to navigate. Structure provides organization to the environment and helps the student understand what to do, where to go, and when to do it.

Slide 11: How to modify the environment

• Modify the environment and provide settings that are:

o Safe

o Physically structured

o Organized

• Use routines whenever possible.

Transcript:

There are many ways to structure the environment. As we modify the environment, it’s crucial to provide settings that are safe, physically structured, and organized. Also, use routines whenever possible. Let’s briefly go through each one of these in the next slides.

Slide 12: A safe environment

• Safety is one of our top priorities.

• One major problem in the classroom is the EXIT.

• Keep the student’s desk and activities away from the exit.

• Windows may be a safety issue.

Transcript:

Safety is always one of our top priorities for the student with ASD. One of the problems with the classroom environment and the student with ASD is the exit. A student with ASD may be prone to running or may have trouble with impulse control. For these students, it can be important to keep the student’s desk and other activities away from the exit. This will prevent the student from running out of the room so easily. Also, consider windows and whether they pose a safety issue or not for the students with whom you work.

Slide 13: Modify environment

Video example – Moved Away From Door

Notice:

• Dwight started leaving the classroom without telling anyone.

• The teacher gets the students started on their work.

• She moves Dwight to another seat farther away from the door.

Transcript:

Remember Dwight? Dwight started leaving the classroom without telling anyone and even left the building on two different occasions. In this video, we’re going to look at what Dwight’s teacher did to help with this situation. Notice how the teacher gets the students started on their work and then casually moves Dwight to another seat farther away from the door.

Video Transcript:

Teacher: All right. We are going to work on our crates. Remember when you pick each folder; you need to read the directions. The directions. And then finish your task. Ready, make groups of two, then put a rubber band around them.

Dwight: It’s in the right box.

Teacher: There you go.

Dwight: In the right box.

Teacher: Dwight, could you move to the blue chair with Ms. G?

Dwight: Sure.

Teacher: Bring your work. Thank you.

Dwight: You got it. I’m on it.

Teacher: Thank you.

Dwight: Ah.

Slide 14: Physical structure

• Physical structure refers to:

o Location of student’s desk

o Location of the student’s desk and materials

o Amount of furniture and materials

o Number of items on the wall

Transcript:

Physical structure refers to how the classroom is arranged and organized to help the student focus and learn. This includes:

• where you place the student’s desk,

• where materials are located,

• the amount of furniture and materials placed in the room, and

• how many items the teacher hangs on the wall.

We’ve all been in a classroom that has far too many decorations and just feels chaotic. The desks are arranged haphazardly around the room, or the room has too much furniture, and the student’s desk is a disorganized mess. As we mentioned with Lloyd, it may be necessary to put the student’s desk away from distractions. Simply rearranging desks can make a dramatic difference for the student with ASD. The same can be said for removing furniture and creating a clearly defined space for different activities. Reducing clutter and removing wall hangings help a student with ASD keep focused on the lesson. Finally, organizing a student’s desk using bins, folders, and color coded systems reduces confusion and creates independence! The next two slides will show you examples of how to physically structure your classrooms.

Slide 15: Example: Physically structured classroom

(Note: Photo of physically structured classroom)

[pic]

Transcript:

This classroom photo shows an example of an organized, well defined space. In this picture, you can see a classroom with different tables, desks, and chairs. You can see the area is free of many distractions and there are different spaces that can serve different purposes for the student. For instance, there is an open area including a table with three chairs that can be used for a specific activity. To the right of this table, there is an area with dividers where a student could sit shielded from visual distractions or other students. To the left side of the room, there is a bookshelf where supplies can be located along with another activity area that includes a table and three chairs. The wall serves as a divider to block or limit access to the entrance of the classroom if students are seated in this area. All of these areas are clearly divided from each other by open space that is free from any other school supplies or furniture. The walls are bare and do not have posters hanging on them to distract the students.

Slide 16: Example: Reducing distractions example

(Note: Photo of reducing distractions)

[pic]

Transcript:

This picture demonstrates a great way to reduce distractions for the student with ASD. In this classroom, you can see a student working at her desk with a divider around her. She can still sit at her desk like the other students, but has fewer distractions around her to prevent her from completing her work. Other students can be seated in the same area since multiple dividers define this workspace. This allows the teacher or paraprofessional easy access to a number of students while providing a distraction free area for several students in the same classroom.

Slide 17: Organization

• Organization is VERY important to students with ASD.

• Autism impacts a student’s ability to plan, organize and problem solve.

Transcript:

Organization is crucial for everyone, but it is very important to the student with ASD. Autism impacts a student’s ability to plan, organize and problem solve so it is crucial that we provide the support a student needs to succeed! For example, Lloyd is distracted during class and doesn’t often get his books and materials out. Then, once Lloyd attends to the lesson, he sometimes has difficulty getting through the steps of starting, completing, and handing in assignments. For this student, it will be necessary to organize both materials and activities in order for him to be successful.

In Lloyd’s situation, you might want to simply get his materials out and hand in assignments for him. However, this does not help Lloyd become an independent student! Lloyd’s teacher decides to organize his desk, putting the books in the order they will be needed throughout the day, as well as, create a color-coded binder for each subject complete with written steps for how to start, finish, ask for help, and hand in assignments.

Slide 18: Organization using a notebook

(Note: Photo of organization using a notebook)

[pic]

Transcript:

This slide shows an example of a color-coded binder that I mentioned in the previous slide for Lloyd. In the picture, you can see that the binder has two folders. One is yellow, and the other folder is green. The green folder is labeled, "homework folder" so Lloyd knows what to take home at the end of the day. The yellow folder is the work that Lloyd needs to turn in when he gets to school.

Slide 19: Routines

• Just like everyone, the student with ASD needs routine.

• A student with ASD may need MORE routine.

• Routines help the student PREDICT what will happen.

• Routines make students feel safer.

• Routines are crucial for every person.

Transcript:

Just like everyone else in this world, the student with ASD needs routine. Think about what you do every morning before work. Do you generally follow a routine? I generally make a cup of coffee, shower, get dressed and then drink my coffee as I watch the morning news. On the day I’m out of coffee, well, let’s just say I’m definitely out of sorts for the entire day! The student with ASD is just like the rest of us, only he or she NEEDS routine and may need MORE routines than the typical person.

Think about it this way, routines make the world predictable. For the student with ASD, who may hear more, feel more, see more, and understand less than your typically developing students, routines make an out of control world feel a little safer. Generally, students with ASD also prefer for things to occur in the same order day in and day out. When the student with ASD can predict how his day will unfold and feels safer because of that, YOUR day will better as well!

Imagine for a moment that on one day, lunch happens before math and on the next day it happens after math, and on the third day, math is substituted by a slightly longer assembly and lunch happens after the assembly. What is the problem with this schedule for the student with ASD? The problem is that he or she can’t figure out when lunch is every day because it changes too often. There’s a reason why routines are crucial for every person, use them to your advantage!

Slide 20: The A in M.A.P.S.—Adjust instruction

• The student with ASD may:

o Be a concrete learner

o Have difficulty with figurative language

o Have problems with sequencing and executive functioning

o Learn in other ways than typical students

• This doesn’t mean the student with ASD can’t learn!

• We must ADJUST the way we present information!

Transcript:

The next part of the M.A.P.S. system is to adjust instruction. This is a critical piece of behavior support that is often forgotten about. We often forget how the student with ASD thinks and learns. For example, a student with ASD may be a concrete learner and not understand figurative language. He may also have problems with sequencing and executive functioning skills. The student with ASD may learn in other ways than typically developing students. This doesn’t mean the student can’t learn, it simply means we often have to adjust the way we present information in order for them succeed! When we provide instruction, it is important to consider the student individually and to provide instruction in a way they can be successful. For example, some students are visual learners, some students do better with hand over hand, and other students do better when they hear information. How about you? How do you learn best?

Slide 21: Ways to adjust instruction

• There are many ways to alter instruction:

o Change the assignment so the work is done differently.

o Change the task order, length of the task, or the level of difficulty.

o Use the student’s interests as part of the task.

o Switch between easy and hard tasks.

Transcript:

There are many ways to alter instruction for the student with ASD. By altering a student’s instruction, you can decrease frustration and increase motivation—it’s a win-win situation! Remember, it’s ok to be flexible in HOW the student demonstrates what he or she knows; there really are no hard and fast rules to getting assignments done. You can change the assignment so the student still does the work but does it differently than others. You can allow the student to demonstrate knowledge in a different way. You can change the task order, change the length of the task, or even change the level of difficulty by making it easier and shorter for the student with ASD. You can also use the student’s intense interests as part of the task. Finally, you can switch between easy and hard tasks so that the student does not have to complete all of the hard or difficult activities at once.

Slide 22: Examples: Adjust instruction

1. Lloyd's behavior: He has interfering behaviors during writing assignments.

Teacher's strategy: Alter instruction. He writes three sentences instead of six.

2. Lloyd's behavior: He gets irritated with repetitive worksheets.

Teacher's strategy: Allow him to demonstrate skills with five questions rather than 25.

3. Lloyd's behavior: He gets frustrated with writing words five times each.

Teacher's strategy: Let him alternate between difficult spelling task and something he loves, like reading.

Transcript:

Let’s go over an example. In this table, we will see some examples of behavior that Lloyd exhibits in the left hand column and the strategy that Lloyd’s teacher has put in place to support Lloyd, in the right hand column.

Lloyd doesn’t like to write and often uses interfering behavior when presented with a writing assignment. As part of the M.A.P.S. system, Lloyd’s teacher alters the instruction so that he only has to write 3 sentences instead of the required 6.

Lloyd does well in math, but often gets irritated with having to do repetitive worksheets. Lloyd’s teacher allows him to demonstrate his skills with only five questions rather than the normal 25.

During spelling, Lloyd gets very frustrated with writing out the words five times each, so his teacher lets him alternate between the difficult task of spelling and something Lloyd loves, like reading.

Slide 23: Examples: Adjust instruction

1. Adjustment: Change the assignment.

Instead of: Student writing sentences with spelling words.

Try: Student tells a peer the definitions. Student fills in the missing words on a worksheet.

2. Adjustment: The assignment is done differently.

Instead of: Student handwriting an assignment

Try: Student uses a rubber stamp. Student uses a keyboard to write a paper.

3. Adjustment: Switch between easy and hard tasks.

Instead of: Student doing tasks in a specific order.

Try: Student chooses the next task completing a highly preferred task before something difficult.

Transcript:

Let's look at some creative ways to adjust instruction for the student with ASD.

In this table, you will see three columns. The left hand column presents the adjustments that you can make for the student. In the middle column, there is an example of what you could do but probably won’t be successful. In the right hand column, you can see a strategy to try instead that might make the student more successful and decrease the interfering behaviors that you see.

The first adjustment is change the assignment so the student still does the work but does it differently than others. Instead of forcing the student to write sentences with spelling words, try having the student tell a peer the definition of the work. Or, try giving the student a worksheet where he has to fill in the blanks of missing vocabulary rather than writing the entire sentence.

The second adjustment is to allow the student to demonstrate knowledge in a different way. Instead of forcing the student to handwrite an assignment, try having the student use a rubber stamp to put the answer to a math problem or try using a keyboard to write a paper.

The third adjustment is to switch between easy and hard tasks. Instead of forcing the student to do tasks in a particular order, try allowing the student the freedom to choose which task to do next. Allow them to complete a highly preferred task before doing something more difficult.

Slide 24: Examples: Adjust instruction

1. Adjustment: Change the task order.

Instead of: Forcing the student to re-write a paper.

Try: Student makes punctuation edits. Student rewrites three sentences.

2. Adjustment: Use the student’s interests.

Instead of: Forcing the student to ignore an obsession.

Try: Student writes a report on cloud formations. Student does math using trains

Transcript:

Here are some more ways of adjusting instruction:

In this table, you will see three columns again. In the left hand column, you will see the adjustments that you can make for the student. In the middle column, you can see an example of what you could do but probably won’t have much success with. In the right hand column, you can see a strategy to try instead that might make the student more successful and decrease the interfering behaviors.

The fourth adjustment is to change the task order, the length, or the level of difficulty by making it easier or shorter. Instead of forcing the student to rewrite an entire paper, you could try to allow the student to simply make punctuation edits. Or you can have the student demonstrate knowledge by rewriting three of the sentences.

Finally, the fifth adjustment we are going to discuss is using the student’s intense interests as part of the task. Instead of forcing the student to ignore his or her obsession, try having the student write a report on that interest such as a report on cloud formations. Or, try having the student do his or her math using manipulation of their intense interest such as counting using trains.

Slide 25: The P in M.A.P.S.

• PROVIDE opportunities to communicate and make choices.

• Students often have difficulty communicating wants and needs.

• Students need an opportunity to make choices.

• These strategies will help REDUCE interfering behavior.

Transcript:

The next part of the M.A.P.S. system is to provide opportunities to communicate and make choices. As you’ve learned throughout this course, students with ASD often have trouble communicating their wants and needs, as well as, interacting with others. Imagine how frustrating it is for the student with ASD when he or she cannot tell you something as simple as, “No,” or something as complex as, “That hurt my feelings.” Also consider what life would be like if you had no control over what you ate, where you went, or what you did? A student with ASD is much like anyone else and needs an opportunity to make choices when possible throughout the day. Providing opportunities to communicate and make choices will help reduce the chance of interfering behavior throughout the day.

Slide 26: Providing communication supports

• Students with ASD

o May use natural speech, sign language, pictures, and VOCAs

o May need a time and a place to talk about intense interests

• A student with ASD may need to:

o ASK for things or help

o TELL you no

o MAKE requests and comments

o HAVE conversations

Transcript:

We’ve talked about providing communication supports, and it is important to remember that being able to communicate will reduce interfering behaviors. Some students with ASD may use natural speech, sign language, others may use pictures to communicate and others still, may use a complex technological system called VOCA or Voice Output Communication Aid. Some students can communicate spontaneously and independently, but simply need a time and a place to talk about intense interests. Regardless of how a student communicates, the key is to provide support, while continuing to build skills. So let’s think about what a student with ASD might need to communicate. A student may need to ask for things or help; tell you no; make requests and comments; and have conversations.

Let’s consider Dwight for a moment. Dwight is able to communicate his wants and needs, but doesn’t always do so, especially with unfamiliar people. It will be important to consider communication supports for Dwight as a way to REDUCE or PREVENT interfering behavior. An evaluation of Dwight’s strengths and challenges will provide his communication team with the information needed to make the best choices for his communication supports.

Slide 27: Comment and answer questions

Notice:

• Sometimes the student has difficulty answering the questions.

• The teacher writes the words on an index card to prompt the student.

Transcript:

In this video, you will see the teacher asking the student some questions that he should know the answers. Notice how the student sometimes has difficulty answering the questions. The teacher uses a simple visual prompt of writing the words on an index card to prompt the student on how to answer the question.

Video Transcript:

Teacher: Are you ready?

Dwight: Ready.

Teacher: Ok. Dwight, do you like band class?

Dwight: I sure do.

Teacher: You do? What instrument do you play?

Dwight: Well I play the big triangle.

Teacher: The big triangle? Cool! Who do you stand next to at band?

Dwight: Well, the cupboard is really big.

Teacher: Who do you stand next to? Hold on.

Dwight: Can I see?

Teacher: Hold on.

Dwight: Taynen is…

Teacher: Who do you stand next to?

Dwight: Taynen.

Teacher: Good job, you stand next to Taynen at band. And what day is your concert? Your Christmas concert? When is that?

Dwight: Well, I just ring these bells.

Teacher: Ok, hold on. Your concert is…

Dwight: Tuesday, Tuesday, Tuesday. Tuesday night.

Teacher: Tuesday night. Good job and are you excited about your band concert?

Dwight: Yeah, I went to band and Christmas concert.

Teacher: Yes, you are.

Slide 28: The S in M.A.P.S.

• SUPPORT the student visually.

• Visual supports help the student understand:

o The environment

o Academic tasks

o Schedules

o What is being communicated

o Expectations of the student

• A visual support shows the student WHAT to do or WHAT is happening next.

Transcript:

Let’s move on to the S in M.A.P.S., or SUPPORT the student using visuals. Visual supports help the student understand the environment, academic task, schedules, and what is being communicated or expected of the student. A visual support is anything that shows the student what to do or what is happening next. It helps the student understand the world around him or her. By using visual supports, the student can understand our expectations in any environment. Everyone benefits from the use of visual supports.

A visual support can be as simple as showing the student a picture of ‘work’ in preparation for doing an assignment, or can even be a visual schedule helping to outline his day. Students with ASD tend to be primarily visual learners, so you should always SHOW the student what to do rather than TELL the student what to do! The next slide provides some examples of visual supports.

Slide 29: Visual supports

Video example – Task Analysis

Notice:

• The student is using a visual support that contains a task analysis.

• This visual support allows him to work independently.

Transcript:

In this video, you will see a student who is using a simple visual support that contains a task analysis or the steps needed to complete his work. The use of this visual support allows the student to work independently.

Video Transcript:

Dwight: Get worksheet. Write your name. Do math worksheet. Eight plus three equals?

Slide 30: Example of visual supports

(Note: Photo of worksheet with world map)

[pic]

Transcript:

This slide provides an example of a visual support. The worksheet has been altered so that the student doesn’t have to write on it. Instead, there are strips of paper, and each has a different term typed on it. The student can then physically manipulate these strips of paper by placing them on the worksheet to indicate the correct answer.

Slide 31: Visual schedules

• Visual schedules an important and common support.

• Visual schedules are a visual representation of daily activities.

• No two visual schedules will be the same!

Visual schedules are a very important and very common support for students with ASD. Visual schedules are a visual representation of the student’s daily activities. It provides a list or series of pictures showing what the student is supposed to be doing.

Take a moment and think what you use to keep you on track each day. Some people use calendars posted on their refrigerator. Other people use a calendar/reminder function on their phone or computer. Others still may use sticky notes in their car. Most of us have some kind of schedule that helps organize our appointments and reminds us what to do and when to do it! Without calendars, none of our bills would ever get paid on time! Students with ASD also use calendars like this, but may need to use one with pictures and may need their ‘calendar’ broken down into smaller hourly, daily, weekly, and monthly schedules!

What a schedule looks like for a student with ASD depends on their individual skills and needs. Remember, no two students with ASD are alike; therefore no two visual schedules will be the same!

Slide 32: Review schedule

Video example – Review Schedule

Notice:

• The team decided to review Lloyd’s schedule with him.

• This will prepare him for the difficult times during the day.

• This will remind him of the things he enjoys during the day.

Transcript:

Let’s think about Lloyd again for a moment. One of the strategies that his team determined appropriate was to review his schedule with him and prepare him for the difficult times during the day as well as reminding him that there are things he enjoys during the day. Let’s watch this video as his teacher reviews his schedule with him to prepare him for the day. Notice how they go through the schedule together so that Lloyd will know what comes next.

Video Transcript:

Teacher: All right. Lloyd, we’re going to start with reading. Once we’re finished with our reading, then you get a break. Ok? All right. You know to put your name at the head and then read the directions. All right? So we’ll match the pictures with the faces ok? And the sentences, ok? Go ahead and get started.

Lloyd: Ok.

Slide 33: Think About It!

• Locate the Think About It! entitled: Behavior and find: Mikiah.

• Mikiah attends general education for math.

• It is his second class after gym.

• He is having difficulty staying focused.

• When he needs help, he gets up to find the teacher.

• The teacher reprimands him, but then asks what he needs.

Transcript:

In your packet find the Think About It! document entitled: Behavior. Go to the question entitled: Mikiah. Do you Remember Mikiah? Let’s revisit his story for a minute and see how we may alter the setting event or antecedent to prevent his behavior.

Mikiah is a third grade student with autism. He attends the general education setting for math since math is a strong area for him and he seems to enjoy it. Math class is his second class of the day and immediately follows gym class. Lately Mikiah has been having difficulty staying focused in math and is becoming increasingly distractive to the class. When Mikiah needs the teacher’s help, he will get up and find her regardless of what else she may be doing including helping another student. The teacher always reprimands Mikiah and tells him he has to raise his hand to get her attention then she proceeds to ask him what he needs.

Let’s think about all this information for a few minutes. Take a few minutes and write down possible interventions that can be used to address the antecedent. The next slide will give you some options to address his situation.

Slide 34: Thoughts!

• Allow Mikiah to work with a partner.

• Provide a ‘help’ card.

• Teach him to skip the problem and come back.

• Teach him to raise his hand and give him attention immediately.

• Place Mikiah near the teacher’s desk.

• Give Mikiah a visual cue of the rules.

Transcript:

There are several options available to address the antecedent in Mikiah’s situation. One option may be that the teacher allows Mikiah to work with a partner, which will eliminate his need to get up from his desk to seek attention from the teacher. He will have peer attention at his desk. Another option is to provide Mikiah with a ‘help’ card that he is to hold up in the air when he needs help. The ‘help’ card can be affixed to Mikiah’s desk so that it is clearly visible to him. If help is not immediately, available, Mikiah can be taught to skip the problem and come back to it later when help is available. The key is that the teacher will need to provide Mikiah attention immediately until he is able to consistently demonstrate raising his hand. Another option might be to place Mikiah near the teacher's desk. Or, give him a visual cue of the social class rules. These are only examples. Did you come up with others?

Slide 35: Summary

• Positive and proactive strategies cover a wide range of solutions.

• The M.A.P.S. system is the best way to decide on strategies.

o Modify the environment.

o Adjust instruction.

o Provide communication opportunities and choices.

o Support the student visually.

Transcript:

As you can see, positive and proactive strategies can cover a wide range of solutions. The best way to remember how to determine strategies is to use the M.A.P.S. system. Remember, modify the environment, adjust instruction, provide communication opportunities and choices, and support the student using visuals! By using the M.A.P.S. system, you work with your student’s strengths and weaknesses in order to create success!

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