support for students with autism spectrum disorder

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Support for students with diverse learning needs | Autism spectrum disorder

AUTISM SPECTRUM DISORDERSUPPORT FOR STUDENTS WITH

DIVERSE LEARNING NEEDS

PARTICIPANT

WORKBOOK

Autism Spectrum DisorderSession One: Understanding Our

Students with ASD

SUPPORT FOR STUDENTS WITH DIVERSE LEARNING NEEDS

Participant WorkbookNumber 1 of 4

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© The Department of Education WA 2020 - See Copyright Statement for conditions of use.

We acknowledge and respect the traditional custodians of the lands and waters onwhich our students live and are educated throughout Western Australia.

We acknowledge and understand that Elders, parents, families and communities arethe first educators of their children. We recognise and value the cultures andstrengths that Aboriginal children bring to the classroom. Aboriginal people have along tradition of teaching and learning through sharing their connections with landand waters, and through their stories and lived experiences that are passed fromgeneration to generation.

“This is the best autism professional learning package for educators I have seen. Ithas the potential to make system wide change, and help support each and everystudent on the autism spectrum reach their full potential.”Professor Andrew Whitehouse, PhD, Chief Research Officer of the Cooperative Research Centre forLiving with Autism and chair of committee that generated Australia’s first national guideline for autismdiagnosis.

“All teachers should know more about autism.”Jade Burnett, adult with autism

“The Autism Association of Western Australia are pleased to have collaborated withthe Department of Education WA through the development of this resource.

We believe this resource to be an important support for educators to create inclusivecommunities that positively support and engage individuals with Autism to havesuccessful experiences in education.”The Autism Association of Western Australia

Copyright Statement

© 2020 Schools of Special Educational Needs, Department of Education, Western Australia. All rightsreserved.

Except as permitted by the copyright law applicable to you, you may not reproduce or communicateany of the content on this publication, without the permission of the copyright owner.

Australian educational institutions may reproduce this publication in whole only, without modification,for non-commercial educational purposes providing all original copyright information is retained.

For uses of this publication other than those expressly provided above contact the Schools of SpecialEducational Needs, Department of Education at [email protected]

Story Pop Illustrations © Stupid Raisins, LLC. Used with permission.

DSM - 5 images and text reprinted with permission from the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual ofMental Disorders, Fifth Edition, (Copyright © 2013). American Psychiatric Association. All RightsReserved.

DSM - IV images and text reprinted with permission from the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual ofMental Disorders, Fourth Edition, (Copyright © 2000). American Psychiatric Association. All RightsReserved.

Flaticon icons © Flaticon.com. Used with permission.

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Understanding Our Students with ASD: Post-session survey - complete afteryou finish this session

Tap the link or scan the QR code below to access the post-session survey, or typethe link into your device browser: bit.ly/3kC67cm

Session one surveysPlease complete the online pre-session and post-session surveys to assist us inassessing the effectiveness of this learning content. Each session of the module hasan individual online survey that can be accessed as shown below.

Understanding Our Students with ASD: Pre-session survey - complete beforeyou begin this session

Tap the link or scan the QR code below to access the pre-session survey, or type thelink into your device browser: bit.ly/33UArsP

Pre-session survey QR code

Post-session survey QR code


https://bit.ly/3kC67cm

https://bit.ly/33UArsP

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ContentsAbout the module and workbook..................................................................................6

Workbook interactivity ............................................................................................ 6

To the participants ........................................................................................................7

Activities for teachers and education assistants...........................................................8

Introduction............................................................................................................. 8

Activity 1 - Choosing a focus student ..................................................................... 8

Activity 2 - Student profile: Social communication indicators ................................. 9

Activity 3 - Student profile: Restricted and repetitive behaviours indicators......... 10

Activity 4 - Student profile: Co-morbid conditions................................................. 11

Activity 5 - Student profile: Strengths ................................................................... 12

Activity 6 - Student profile: Special interests ........................................................ 13

Reflections for school leaders ....................................................................................14

Reflection 1 - My context ...................................................................................... 14

Reflection 2 - Social communication indicators.................................................... 14

Reflection 3 - Restricted and repetitive behaviours indicators ............................. 15

Reflection 4 - Co-morbid conditions ..................................................................... 15

Reflection 5 - Strength based approach............................................................... 16

Reflection 6 - Special interests............................................................................. 16

Content summaries ....................................................................................................17

Case studies...............................................................................................................19

Glossary .....................................................................................................................25

References .................................................................................................................30

Participant notes.........................................................................................................32


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About the module and workbookThis workbook is part of the module Support for students with diverse learningneeds | Autism spectrum disorder.

The module is made up of four sessions.

In this workbook you will find content relating to Session One: Understanding OurStudents with ASD.

You will be provided with further workbook content when you undertake the relevantsession.

During the module learning journey, you will navigate between the module slideshowand this workbook as indicated.

Your presenter will provide further guidance.

Content summariesSummaries of the content contained in the videos and slideshows are included inthis workbook.GlossaryContent specific vocabulary will be used in this module. To support participants, aglossary of relevant terms and their meanings have been included in this workbook.Participant notesSpace for note-making is provided at the back of this workbook.

Workbook interactivity

If you are accessing this workbook on a device, there are some interactive featuresincluded, such as:

◦ a linked contents page for ease of navigation

◦ fillable text fields* for completing activities and reflections

◦ check boxes

◦ hyperlinks

*Please note that interactive text fields are limited to the amount of text that is visible.


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For all participantsMany of us have previously worked with, or are currently working with, a student withautism spectrum disorder (ASD).

Prevalence figures indicate that educators who have not yet worked with a studentwith ASD will most likely do so in the near future. Reflecting on students that youknow and on your school context will allow you to gain the maximum benefit from thecontent in this module. For this reason, you will be asked to consider a student orstudents you have previously worked with, or are currently working with. Studentcase studies are provided for those who do not have experience of working withstudents with ASD.For teachers and education assistantsYou will be completing activities in this workbook. These activities will be done one ata time as indicated at various points in the slideshow. As you work through theseactivities you will reflect on a focus student* with ASD.For school leadersYou will be completing reflections in this workbook. These reflections will assist youto set the conditions to build supportive learning environments for students with ASD.These reflections will be done one at a time as indicated at various points in theslideshow. Where appropriate, school leaders may also choose to undertake theteacher and education assistant activities.

*An activity in Session One: Understanding Our Students with ASD involves choosinga focus student. This student should continue to be the focus of activities throughoutthe remaining sessions.

To the participants


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Activities for teachers and education assistantsIntroductionThroughout this module you will reflect on an individual student. This could be astudent:

◦ with ASD who you are currently working with

◦ with ASD who you have previously worked with

◦ a student chosen from the case studies included in this workbookThis student will become integral to your learning throughout the remainder of the module, and you will be asked to complete further activities based on your knowledge of this student. This series of activities will assist you to create a comprehensive profile of the student.

Activity 1 - Choosing a focus student

a. Choose a student who will form the basis of your student profile andwrite their first name in the space below.

My focus student:

b. Indicate the student’s phase of schooling:

� Early childhood

� Primary

� Secondary

c. Indicate when you worked with this student:

� I have previously worked with this student.

� I am currently working with this student.

� I will need to choose a student from the case studies included in thisworkbook.


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Activity 2 - Student profile: Social communication indicatorsActivities for teachers and EAs (cont.)

a. Write some indicators within the social communication domain that your focusstudent may demonstrate. You can use the examples below as a guide.

Examples of indicators within the social communication domain during thephases of schooling*Early childhood Primary Secondary◦ Reduced facial

expressions

◦ Reduced pretend play

◦ Preference to be alone

◦ Interpretation oflanguage

◦ Taking languageliterally

◦ Reduced awareness ofpersonal space

◦ Difficulty withconversation

◦ Difficulty interpretingnon-verbalcommunication

◦ Difficulty using non-verbal communication

*It is important to note that these examples are not exclusive to a particular

age range.


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Activity 3 - Student profile: Restricted and repetitive behavioursindicators

Activities for teachers and EAs (cont.)

a. Write some indicators within the restricted and repetitive behaviours domainthat your focus student may demonstrate. You can use the examples below asa guide.

Examples of indicators within the restricted and repetitive behavioursdomain during the phases of schooling*Early childhood Primary Secondary◦ Obsessive interest in a

toy or object

◦ Repetitive movement(e.g. rocking, handshaking, flapping,spinning of objects)

◦ Unusual interests orobsessions

◦ Strict rigidity infollowing rules

◦ The need to followroutine and becomingupset with change

◦ Compulsivebehaviours

◦ Anger around changesto routine

*It is important to note that these examples are not exclusive to a particular

age range.


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Activity 4 - Student profile: Co-morbid conditionsActivities for teachers and EAs (cont.)

a. Write any co-morbid conditions that you are aware of that your focus studenthas. You can use the examples below as a guide. If you are not aware of any,indicate using the check box below.

Some conditions that are commonly co-morbid with ASD

◦ Anxiety

◦ Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD)

◦ Chronic gastrointestinal disorders

◦ Chronic sleep problems

◦ Depression

◦ Intellectual disability

◦ Language impairment

� I am not aware of any co-morbid conditions in relation to my focus student.


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Activity 5 - Student profile: StrengthsActivities for teachers and EAs (cont.)

a. Write some strengths that your focus student demonstrates and where and/orwhen these strengths have been apparent. You can use the examples below asa guide.

Some strengths of students with ASD, and how they might be apparentStrength When this strength may be apparentDetailfocussed

When the student is undertaking tasks that require fine attention todetail such as coding, programming and editing.

Strong visualskills

When the student is understanding requirements that areexpressed or supported visually.

Followingrules

When the student is following guidelines that have been madeclear and explicit.

Visuospatial skills

When the student is undertaking tasks which involve hiddenfigures such as geometry and mapping.


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Activity 6 - Student profile: Special interestsActivities for teachers and EAs (cont.)

a. Write a special interest or interests that your focus student has.

c. Write some planning notes about how you could incorporate the student’sspecial interest into a class activity. You can use the examples below as aguide.

Examples of special interests of students with ASD, and how they have beenutilised by educatorsSpecial interest How an educator has utilised this special interestDinosaurs Class theme - An early childhood educator makes dinosaurs

the subject of a classroom theme. A student with ASD is able tobecome the class ‘expert’ on the subject.

Chess Social group/lunchtime club - A primary school creates alunchtime chess club. A student with ASD forms friendshipsbased on common interests.

Titanic Activity topic - A primary teacher encourages a student withASD to use the theme of the Titanic as the topic for a classpresentation.

Engines Individual reinforcement - A secondary student with ASD whohas interest in engines is allocated time by a school to work onan old donated engine as a reinforcer for positive behaviour.

b. Indicate below the part of your planning into which you could incorporate thestudent’s special interest:

� Class theme

� Activity topic

� Social group activity

� Individual reinforcement


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Reflections for school leaders

a. What is your role in regard to students with ASD, their families and the staffwho support them?

a. Consider your current school cohort. What social communication indicators arepresent in the students with ASD?

b. Who would be involved in supporting students with ASD with socialcommunication considerations?

Reflection 1 - My context

Reflection 2 - Social communication indicators


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a. Consider your current school cohort. What restrictive and repetitive behaviourindicators are present in the students with ASD?

a. Consider your current school cohort. What co-morbid conditions are present inthe students with ASD?

b. Who would be involved in supporting students with ASD with restrictive andrepetitive behaviour considerations?

Reflection 3 - Restricted and repetitive behaviours indicators

Reflection 4 - Co-morbid conditions

Reflections for school leaders (cont.)


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a. How can you support educators in your school to take a strength basedapproach to working with students with ASD?

a. How can you set the conditions in your school so that educators can employthe special interests of students with ASD when providing support for them?

Reflection 5 - Strength based approach

Reflection 6 - Special interests

Reflections for school leaders (cont.)


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Content summariesOutcome 1: Learn what autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is

Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is a lifelong neurodevelopmental condition thataffects individuals in two core domains:

◦ impaired communication and social interaction across a range of settings

◦ restricted and repetitive patterns of behaviour, interests or activities

To obtain a diagnosis of ASD, these symptoms need to be evident from earlychildhood and impair daily functioning. ASD is a heterogeneous condition, meaning itlooks different for all individuals and has many different presentations. The reportedratio of males to females diagnosed with ASD is 4:1.

Outcome 2: Learn about the prevalence of ASD in Western Australianschools

◦ 2015 data indicated a rate of diagnosis of ASD of 1 in 49 for children agedbetween five and fifteen years; and

◦ Over 80% of individuals with ASD in Australia are under the age of 21.

◦ 2019 data indicated that, of students who have ASD 64% of students with ASDare in Kindergarten to Year 6, while 36% are in Year 7 to 12; and

◦ In Western Australian public schools, 17% of students with ASD are in specialeducation settings, meaning that 83% of students with ASD are in mainstreamschools.

Outcome 3 : Learn about the diagnostic criteria for ASD

The Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, or DSM-5, is a publicationthat is used by clinicians and researchers to diagnose and classify mental disorders,including ASD. The diagnostic criteria of autism spectrum disorder are listed withinthe DSM-5.

Prior to the publication of the DSM-5, the DSM-4 listed the following disordersindividually:

◦ Autistic disorder

◦ Asperger’s disorder

◦ Childhood disintegrative disorder

◦ Pervasive developmental disorder not otherwise specified (PDD-NOS)

Since the implementation of the DSM-5 in 2013, these conditions come under thesingular diagnostic category of autism Spectrum Disorder.


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Content summaries (cont.)

Within the DSM-5, the essential features of autism spectrum disorder are divided intotwo main areas: Criterion A and Criterion B.

◦ Criterion A – Persistent deficits in social communication and social interactionacross multiple settings

◦ Criterion B – Restricted, repetitive patterns of behaviour, interests, or activities

In order for a student to receive a diagnosis of ASD, indicators of these criteria needto be present currently or in the documented past.

Outcome 4: Understand the importance of a strength-based approach forstudents with ASD

The neurological differences in the brain that cause the behavioural diagnosticcharacteristics of a student with ASD are also responsible for a number of strengths.

Special interests are topics or activities that individuals are highly interested in, evento the point of obsession. Special interests can be utilised in the pursuit of positivelearning outcomes.

If students with ASD are given opportunities to use their strengths and develop theirspecial interests, they will be much more likely to experience success.


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Case studiesWhile prevalence figures indicate that Western Australian educators have, or willsoon, work with a student with ASD, it is possible that some learners will needexamples of students with ASD in order to engage with parts of this resource. For thisreason, the following case studies of students with ASD have been included.

List of case studies

◦ Case study A - Early childhood 1

◦ Case study B - Early childhood 2

◦ Case study C - Primary 1

◦ Case study D - Primary 2

◦ Case study E - Secondary 1

◦ Case study F - Secondary 2

Who might use the case studies?

◦ Educators who have not yet worked with a student with ASD

◦ Graduate teachers

◦ Pre-service teachers


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Case study A: Early childhood 1

Calvin is 6 years old. He has a diagnosis of ASD level 2 **. Calvin attends Pre-Primary in a mainstream metropolitan primary school.

Calvin has significant difficulties with vocal language. He can’t seem to form fullwords and is therefore difficult to understand when he speaks. Calvin uses a visualcommunication system to communicate his needs to parents and staff. His parentsreport that he is fussy when it comes to food. He doesn‘t like different foods to touchon his plate and will scream for his favourite foods most meal times. Calvin’s parentsare using a range of strategies with their early intervention providers to increase hisdiet but notice that some foods seem to make him feel sick. Calvin has two oldersiblings who do not have a diagnosis of ASD. Calvin loves using a tablet computerand playing with matchbox cars. His parents report if he is left alone he will lie on thefloor and line up his toy cars for hours.

Calvin’s teacher has put in a range of visuals to help Calvin know what he is going tobe doing. He has visual schedules throughout the day and is very independentaccessing them now. He doesn’t like it when the timetable changes without noticeand will get upset if there is a relief teacher or other visitors in the room. He has beenin this classroom for two terms and has made good progress across all areas. Duringplay time he will go to the puzzles and is able to do complex puzzles upside down.Calvin dislikes saying hello on the mat at the start of the day. He refuses to packaway and will often still be playing when the greetings session has finished. Literacyis always first in the morning. Calvin requires an education assistant to do literacyactivities with him and doesn’t seem to enjoy them, but he has strengths in mathsand is very active, so excels at physical education. Calvin has an independent workarea and the education assistant will often take him there to do activities.

Calvin has started screaming on arrival to school. Staff are trying to work through thebehaviours with a ‘quiet’ visual and physical prompting. They are trying to wait untilhe is quiet and ready to walk to class but he refuses to stand and start towards class.The mother is supportive of all of the efforts of the staff and has tried walking Calvinto class herself but he displays the same behaviours. The principal wants thebehaviour to stop as the drop off area is next to the assembly area and some parentsfrom the school are complaining. The teacher is unsure what to try next to eliminatethe behaviour.

**Please note that levels in this instance refer solely to the diagnostic criteria set out in the DSM - 5.

Case studies (cont.)


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Case study C: Primary 1

Tameesha is a 7 year old girl with ASD level 2**. She takes medication for anxietyand to help her sleep. She is in a mainstream Year 2 class.

Tameesha is highly verbal although she does tend to talk about a particular children'spony character a lot of the time – they are her favourite toys and TV show. She likesto line up her ponies in colours and sort them. She doesn’t like to share these toyswith anyone, although she will show them to people and explain them. She will tellpeople about her ponies again and again. Her parents report that she enjoys comingto school but doesn’t like that she has to sit down and be quiet. She especiallydoesn’t enjoy going to library.

Case study B: Early childhood 2

Mariam is 4 years old and has been in Kindergarten for a term. She has a diagnosisof ASD level 1**.

Mariam is highly verbal and enjoys talking about a television show featuringchildren's entertainment characters. She often sings songs or will re-enactconversations from the show. She is an only child and she lives with her mother whoreports she has difficulty sleeping, saying she is often up at night singing or talking toherself about the characters from the show. The mother has tried using melatonin tohelp her sleep but it isn’t working and she is planning on speaking to thepaediatrician next time she attends. Mariam is on a toileting schedule and needsassistance to wipe herself.

Mariam enjoys going to school. She likes to take her character dolls with her and alsohas a range of ‘fiddles’ she likes to take in her bag, such as slime, flicky ribbons andfidget toys. She will get upset if any of the other children try to touch her toys. Theactivities that Mariam likes best at school include art, music and dancing. She willengage with video clips on the smart board, but won’t attend during regular matsessions – often getting up and walking around, or playing with her toys. She alsolikes building brick toys and will play with these if she has a choice. She does notrespond with the other children when they speak to her and will seek out adults if sheneeds something.

Mariam has started to scream at other children if they touch her building bricks in theplay corner. She will go straight to these toys and keep them close to her, refusing toallow other children to play with or alongside her. If someone is playing with themwhile she is doing something else and she notices, she will run straight there andtake them off them. The teacher would like to address this and teach Mariam that shehas to share.



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Case study D: Primary 2

Tom is in Year 5 at a regional primary school. He has a diagnosis of ASD Level 1**.

Tom likes physical activities. He chooses outdoor play whenever he can and lovesbasketball. Tom is also very good at maths and science. He does well with mostlearning areas but has constant refusal within literacy sessions. If he comes in andsees literacy on the timetable, he will go to his desk and look at the work then throw itonto the floor and start kicking furniture. He usually ends up having to go outside tocool down. Staff can usually get him to do some of the work if they sit with him andgo through each activity separately.

Tom’s parents report that he dislikes reading. He will listen to a story and enjoyswatching movies, but seems to struggle reading for a long period of time. Tom likes tobe active, and the parents have registered him in lots of after school activities.

Tom likes visual rules and timetables. If something is explained visually he will followit exactly. Tom can be a policeman and report inappropriate behaviour or rulebreaking to the teachers, and as such he doesn’t have many friends. Often at freetime he will choose solitary play or seek out adults to speak with. He likes toy building

Tameesha likes being with the education assistant. She doesn’t mind noise butunfamiliar sounds can worry her. When her education assistant is on duty she willspend all of her time following her. She won’t put her hand up when she wants helpbut the education assistant has worked out when she needs assistance or to go tothe toilet. She doesn’t have a preference for children to play with. When promptedshe will join in with other children in what they are playing with but after a while willwander off on her own.

Tameesha finds it difficult to sit and pay attention for long periods during mat time.The teacher tries to give the most important information at the beginning of thesession because often Tameesha will get up and walk off after about 10 minutes. Theeducation assistant can sit and explain the task one to one afterwards and Tameeshais able to engage with her work. Without this she would not know what she has to do.Tameesha also finds it hard to sit and write her responses but can tell the teacherwhat the answer is when asked.

There is a band coming to play at assembly in two weeks and the teacher isconcerned. Usually during assembly Tameesha sits quietly for almost 7 minutes thenshe starts calling out to the teacher. The education assistant quickly moves over toher and she sits better, but continues to make noise until the teacher tells theeducation assistant to take her for a walk. The teacher is wanting to prepare her forthe assembly so she can see the band.



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Case study F: Secondary 2

Heidi is in Year 10 and has a diagnosis of Asperger’s Syndrome (indicating she hasbeen diagnosed under criteria listed in the DSM-IV, which was superseded by theDSM-5 in 2013). She attends the local mainstream metropolitan secondary school.

She is medicated for anxiety and has a high rate of absenteeism. Her parents reportthat at times she can’t get out of bed – particularly if she has a test on that day. Sheis in the chess club and speaks well to the other students within the group. Outside ofclass she doesn’t appear to choose to socialise, spending recess and lunchtime in


bricks and did a workshop on the holidays in robotics, which his mother said he reallyenjoyed. Tom’s parents would like him to have more friends and want the school tohelp him with this.

Case study E: Secondary 1

Alvaro is in Year 8, and is 13 years old. He has a diagnosis of ASD and also has amild intellectual disability. He attends a mainstream high school but is in all learningsupport classes.

Alvaro can read, but is at a Year 4 level. He still likes collectible characters targetedat much younger children and will attempt to discuss this personal interest witheveryone he encounters. Alvaro is having difficulty with an assignment he was givenin health education. He has been asked to research recycling and give a shortpresentation. He keeps reporting that he hasn’t finished it and asks if he can presentthe following week. He doesn’t seem to make any progress week to week.

Alvaro’s parents report that he is still very immature for his age in his interests. He isinterested in pirates and likes looking at treasure maps and following clues. Hisparents will develop these for him at home. His parents report that he is terrible atmanaging his time. They ask him constantly if he has homework, but he says no.

Alvaro attempts to play chasey games with students and will keep running up to themand saying “You’re it”, to get them to play. He walks up to groups of students andmakes noises or repetitively says “Hi”. He also yells out to individual students that herecognises from a distance and will continue to yell until they respond to him. Heasks to hang out with other students and will become agitated if they refuse. Hereports that other students are bullying him. Alvaro’s parent’s report he likes to go tothe movies with his sister and her friends, but his parents are concerned he doesn’thave friends of his own.


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the library on her own. Heidi is a vegan and enjoys alternative music. She goes onstrike for climate change and is in a range of environmental groups. On free days andoutside of school she wears very alternative clothing and hairstyles that her parentssay she copies from music videos.

This year Heidi has been diagnosed with an eating disorder. She won’t eat when sheis anxious and has lost a considerable amount of weight. Her parents have asked ifthe school can help monitor her eating habits while at school.

Academically, Heidi continues to keep up with her school work even with her highrate of absenteeism. She is in all of the advanced classes and has above averagegrades. She has difficulty with group work as she tends to want to take over andwon’t consider other people’s opinions. She will ask the teacher if she can work onher own, even if it means doing more work, rather than work in a group. The teacherwants to make participating in a group easier for Heidi, without making her moreanxious.



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GlossaryTerm DefinitionABC model A tool used to help examine behaviours, what to change,

how the behaviour is triggered and what the impact of thebehaviour is.

Adaptive behaviour Behaviour that enables a student to get along in his or herenvironment with the greatest success, both socially andacademically, with the least amount of conflict with others.

Adjustment In education, adjustments are actions taken to enable astudent with disability to access and participate ineducation on the same basis as other students.

Antecedent Antecedent is the 'when' of behaviour, or anything thathappens before, or leading up to the behaviour.

Applied BehaviourAnalysis

The process of studying and modifying behaviour. ABA isapplied in understanding how behaviour works in realsituations.

Appropriatebehaviour

In education this is behaviour that maximises the safety ofeveryone, promoting a positive school culture and learningoutcomes. Sometimes referred to as productive behaviour.

Autism spectrumcondition (ASC)

See autism spectrum disorder. Some individuals with ASDprefer the term ASC as the term ‘disorder’ is seen to implya deficit.

Autism spectrumdisorder (ASD)

A lifelong neurodevelopmental condition that affectsindividuals in two core domains, including impairedcommunication and social interaction across a range ofsettings and restricted and repetitive patterns of behaviour,interests or activities (RRBs). These deficits are evidentearly in life and significantly impact on the individuals dailyfunctioning.

Avoidance behaviour Behaviour that an individual exhibits when they areavoiding a task or situation they believe that cannot do ordon't want to do. Also known as avoidance strategies.

Behaviour The way in which an individual behaves in response to aparticular situation or stimuli. For the purposes of thislearning, how an individual acts in a given instance.


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Glossary (cont.)

Behaviouralinterventions

Interventions which utilise the scientific principles ofbehaviour to increase productive behaviours, whilstreducing or eliminating those behaviours that interfere withlearning.

Behaviour target For the purposes of this learning, a chosen behaviouraloutcome an educator wants to see a student exhibit.

Bullying An ongoing and deliberate misuse of power inrelationships, that is used to cause physical, social and/orpsychological harm.

Challengingbehaviour

An inappropriate behaviour that challenges an individual’scapacity to remain objective about that behaviour.

Co-morbid condition A condition that is diagnosed in the addition to the primarydiagnosis.

Consequence Anything that happens after the behaviour.

Criterion A As referred to in the formal diagnosis of ASD - Persistentdeficits in social communication and social interactionacross multiple settings.

Criterion B As referred to in the formal diagnosis of ASD - Restricted,repetitive patterns of behaviour, interests and activities.

Diagnostic andStatistical Manual ofMental Disorders(DSM-5)

A publication that is used by clinicians and researcherswhen diagnosing and classifying mental disorders,including ASD.

DisabilityDiscrimination Act(DDA)

Passed in 1992, the DDA prohibits discrimination againstpeople with disabilities in employment, education andother contexts. The DDA is legislation and applicable in allstate and territories within Australia.

Disability Standardsfor Education (theStandards)

Created in 2005, the Standards were created under theDDA. All educators within Australia are bound by theStandards to provide fair and inclusive education forpeople with disabilities. Under these standards, educatorsmust provide strategies to eliminate the harassment andvictimisation of people with disabilities within their care.


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Glossary (cont.)

Equitable Fair and impartial.Explicit teaching A clear, direct and transparent pedagogical approach to

instruction.Function of behaviour Why a behaviour is occurring.Heterogeneous Diversity in character and content.Hypo A prefix meaning under. In the case of hypo-sensitive, an

individual would describe an absence of or lack of feelings;under sensitive.

Hyper A prefix meaning over. In the case of hyper-sensitive, anindividual would feel things in a heightened way; oversensitive.

Inappropriatebehaviour

For the purposes of this module, behaviour that decreasessafety and lessens the chance of strong learningoutcomes.

Indicator Anything that serves to demonstrate a condition.Law of Effect A response that produces an effect in a situation that

becomes more or less likely to occur depending on thelevel of comfort or discomfort from the effect. The Law ofEffect is theorised by Edward Thorndike.

Maladaptivebehaviour

The opposite of adaptive behaviour, this is behaviour thatan individual uses to obtain a desired outcome, that is notconsidered contextually appropriate.

National ProfessionalDevelopment Centreon Autism SpectrumDisorders

A U.S. organisation that develops free professionalresources for teachers, parents and therapists who interactwith individuals with ASD on any level.

National StandardsProject (NSP)

A systematical review of educational and behaviouraltreatment research involving individuals under 22, in orderto determine the strength of evidence supporting theapproaches being reviewed.

Nationally ConsistentCollection Of Data OnSchool Students WithDisability (NCCD)

NCCD is an annual collection of information aboutAustralian school students with disability. The NCCDenables schools, education authorities and governments tobetter understand the needs of students with disability, andhow they can be best supported at school.


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Neurodevelopmental Relating to or involving the development of the nervoussystem.

Neurodiversity The range of differences in individual brain function andbehavioural traits, regarded as part of normal variation inthe human population.

Neurotypical Not displaying or characterised by neurologically atypicalpatterns of thought or behaviour.

Neutral Impartial and unbiased.

On the same basis An educational approach in which students with a disabilityare given the same opportunities as their peers, specifyingthat they are entitled to rigorous, relevant and engaginglearning opportunities, as laid down in legislation.

Objective Not influenced by personal feelings or opinions.

Pervasive Present in every aspect of something.Prevalence The extent to which something is present, widespread or

common.Productive behaviour See appropriate behaviour.Reciprocity The equal give and take in interactions between two

people.Special interests Topics or activities that individuals with ASD are highly

interested in, even to the point of obsession.Strength basedapproach

An approach to supporting an individual in theirdevelopment that focuses building upon the strengths ofthe individual to create supportive learning environmentsand opportunities for success.

Supporting behaviour For the purpose of this learning this denotes strategies andactions that are implemented to strengthen and reinforcesafe, appropriate and productive behaviour.

Sustained Continuing for an extended period of time withoutinterruption.

Theory of mind Theory of mind is a social-cognitive skill that allows anindividual to think and consider mental states, both theirown and those of others.

Glossary (cont.)


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Glossary (cont.)

Trauma The result of an event, series of events, or set ofcircumstances that is experienced by an individual asphysically or emotional harmful, or life threatening, and thathas lasting adverse effects on the individual's functioningand wellbeing.

Trauma informedpractice (TIP)

A strength-based framework that is grounded in theunderstanding of the impact of trauma. TIP emphasisesphysical, psychological and emotional safety.

Unproductivebehaviour

See inappropriate behaviour. Unproductive behaviour isanother term used to describe behaviour that isinappropriate.

Vacuum of adaptiveskill

Through a lack of skill, an individual is not about to exhibitthe behaviour required to adapt to their environment.

Visuospatial skills An individual’s ability to process visual stimuli allowing thatindividual to comprehend spatial relationships betweenobjects, scenarios and images.


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ReferencesAmerican Psychiatric Association. (2013a). Autism Spectrum Disorder [Fact

Sheet].

https://www.psychiatry.org/psychiatrists/practice/dsm/educational-resources/dsm-5-fact-sheets

American Psychiatric Association. (2013b). Diagnostic and Statistical Manual ofMental Disorders (5th ed.). American Psychiatric Association.

https://doi.org/10.1176/appi.books.9780890425596

Autism Speaks Inc. (2019). Autism Facts and Figures.

http://www.autismspeaks.org/autism-facts-and-figures

Baio, J., Wiggins, L., Christensen, D., Maenner, M., Daniels, J., Warren, Z., Kurzius-Spencer, M., Zahorodny, W., Robinson Rosenberg, C., White, T., Durkin,M.,Imm, P., Nikolaou, L., Yeargin-Allsop, M., Lee, LC., Harrington, R., Lopez, M.,Fitzgerald, R., Hewitt, A., … Dowling, N. (2018). Prevalence of Autism SpectrumDisorder Among Children Aged 8 Years — Autism and DevelopmentalDisabilities Monitoring Network, 11 Sites, United States, 2014.MMWR SurveillanceSummaries 2018, 67(6), 1–23. http://doi.org/10.15585/mmwr.ss6706a1

Baron-Cohen, S. (2017). Editorial perspective: Neurodiversity – A Revolutionary Conceptof Autism and Psychiatry. Journal of Child Psychology and Psychiatry, 58(6), 744-747. http://doi.org/10.1111/jcpp.12703

Durkin, K., Boyle, J., Hunter, S., & Conti-Ramsden, G. (2013). Video Games forChildren and Adolescents with Special Educational Needs. Zeitschrift fur Psychologie,221(2), 78-89.

http://doi.org/10.1027/2151-2604/a000138

Ferri, S. L., Abel, T., & Brodkin, E.S. (2018). Sex Differences in Autism SpectrumDisorder: A Review. Current Psychiatry Reports, 20(9).

http://doi.org/10.1007/s11920-018-0874-2

Frith, U., & Hill, E. (Eds.). (2003). Autism: Mind and Brain. New York, NY,US. Oxford University Press.

Gunn, K. C., & Delafield-Butt, J. T. (2016). Teaching Children with Autism SpectrumDisorder with Restricted Interests: A Review of Evidence for Best Practice. Review ofEducational Research, 86(2), 408-430. http://doi.org/10.3102/0034654315604027

Head, A. M., McGillivray, J. A., & Stokes, M. A. (2014). Gender Differences in Emotionalityand Sociability in Children withAutism Spectrum Disorders.Molecular Autism, 5(1), 19.

https://doi.org/10.1186/2040-2392-5-19

Mandy, W., & Lai, M. C. (2017). Towards Sex-and Gender-Informed Autism Research.Autism, 21(6), 643-645. https://doi.org/10.1177%2F1362361317706904




https://doi.org/10.1176/appi.books.9780890425596

http://www.autismspeaks.org/autism-facts-and-figures

https://www.cdc.gov/mmwr/volumes/67/ss/ss6706a1.htm?s_cid=ss6706a1_w

https://acamh.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.1111/jcpp.12703

http://doi.org/10.1027/2151-2604/a000138

http://doi.org/10.1007/s11920-018-0874-2

http://doi.org/10.3102/0034654315604027

https://doi.org/10.1186/2040-2392-5-19

https://doi.org/10.1177%2F1362361317706904

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References (cont.)

Martin, J., Cooper, M., Hamshere, M. L., Pocklington, A., Scherer, S. W., Kent, L., Gill,M., Owen, M. J., Williams, N., O'Donovan, M. C., Thapar, A., & Holmans, P.(2014). Biological overlap of attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder and autismspectrum disorder: evidence from copy number variants. Journal of the AmericanAcademy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, 53(7), 761-770.

https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jaac.2014.03.004

Meilleur, A. A., Jelenic,P., & Mottron, L. (2015). Prevalence of Clinically andEmpirically Defined talents and Strengths in Autism. Journal of Autism andDevelopmental Disorders, 45(5), 1354-1367.

http://doi.org/10.1007/s10803-014-2296-2

Simpson, R. L., de Boer-Ott, S. R., & Smith-Myles, B. (2003). Inclusion of Learnerswith Autism Spectrum Disorders in General Education Settings. Topics inLanguage Disorders, 23(2), 116-133.

http://doi.org/10.1097/00011363-200304000-00005

Whitehouse, A., Evans, K., Eapen, V., & Wray, J. (2018). A National Guideline forthe Assessment and Diagnosis of Autism Spectrum Disorders in Australia. Brisbane,Australia. Cooperative Research Centre for Living with Autism.

https://www.autismcrc.com.au/knowledge-centre/resource/national-guideline


https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jaac.2014.03.004

http://doi.org/10.1007/s10803-014-2296-2

http://doi.org/10.1097/00011363-200304000-00005




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Participant notes


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Participant notes (cont.)


support for students with autism spectrum disorder

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