References and Photo

Credit

Tips and Strategies to help students

with ASD in the classroom:

Utilize nonverbal communication, like

ASL, and voice producing Assistive
Technology (AAC) for children who lack
the ability to communicate vocally.
Make a schedule/routine and post a
physical copy of it where youre the
student can see it. Children with ASD
need structure and consistency, and
keeping firm with a schedule is a great
way to provide that.
Individuals with ASD often have difficulty
in recognizing figurative speech, taking
spoken and written word literally. Speak
(and write) without idioms or sarcasm.
Children with ASD might have difficulty
in knowing whether a behavior is
acceptable in different social settings.
Use Social Stories to delineate when and
when not to behave in particular ways.
Utilize reinforcement strategies, like
token economies, to encourage
motivation and persistence in completing
an unfavorable task.

Autism Acrostic. Retrieved from

https://carainternational.files.wordpress.
com/2013/04/autism3.jpg
Autism Speaks Inc. (2016). Autism speaks.
Retrieved from
https://www.autismspeaks.org/
Gargiulo, R.M. (2015). Special education in
contemporary society: An introduction to
exceptionality (5th ed.). Thousand Oaks,
CA: SAGE Publications Inc.
Kids Group Learning. Retrieved from
https://www.melbournechildpsychology.
com.au/wpcontent/uploads/2013/11/kids-grouplearning.jpg
[Untitled image of puzzle brain].
Retrieved from http://addassets.com/asset/5556.jpg
[Untitled photograph of woman and child
using AAC]. Retrieved from
http://peninsulaspeech.com.au/wpcontent/uploads/2016/03/aac_language_
lab.jpg
Special Education Guide (2016). Autism.
Retrieved from
http://www.specialeducationguide.com/
disability-profiles/autism/
CDC Newsroom ( 2014). CDC estimates 1
in 68 children has been identified with
autism spectrum disorder. Retrieved from
http://www.cdc.gov/media/releases/201
4/p0327-autism-spectrum-disorder.html

AUTISM
SPECTRUM
DISORDER
(ASD)
Katherine Newsham &
Shannon Leahy

When is ASD diagnosed?

Children may show signs as early as age 2,
and many children are diagnosed around age
4.

How likely is it?

The CDC has estimated that 1 in 68 children
are diagnosed with an Autism Spectrum
Disorder, as of 2013. ASD is more prevalent
in boys than it is in girls, 1 in 42 boys versus
1 in 189 girls.

Autism: What is it?

IDEA defines ASD as, a developmental
disability significantly affecting verbal and
nonverbal communication and social
interaction, generally evident before age
three, that adversely affects a childs
educational performance.
This means that individuals with ASD often
have significant impairments in their ability
to verbally communicate and interact with
other people. These impairments can pose a
real challenge in educational attainment, but
they do not bar students with ASD from
succeeding.

What are some warning signs to look

out for?

What impact will this have on a childs

life?

ASD is a spectrum disorder, meaning the

symptoms range from severe to mild, and
everywhere in-between. Common signs of
ASD are an aversion to eye contact, trouble
recognizing facial expressions and body
gestures, sensory issues (such as aversion to
physical touch, textures, fabrics in clothing,
etc.), delayed speech or loss of speech, overreliance on a schedule/routine, and a strong
dislike of changes in the routine.

Intelligence of children with ASD varies

significantly. While some children
experience above average intelligence,
others are shown to be average, and some
may have severe intellectual impairments.
Regardless of intelligence, all children with
ASD are capable of learning and often enjoy
doing so. These children might even find
some things so fascinating, theyll want to
learn all about it!

Some People with ASD practice selfstimulating behaviors, like rocking, while
some may be hyper-sensitive to touch,
sights, or sounds.

Children with ASD might need some

guidance on the steps of communication and
building relationships, as they often struggle
with understanding facial cues, body
gestures, and reciprocation in conversation.
These ideas should be explicitly explained
and modeled in order to teach them.

Useful Resource:
https://depts.washington.edu/dbpeds/Scre
ening%20Tools/DSM5(ASD.Guidelines)Feb2013.pdf

Most importantly, be positive,

be creative, and, most of all, be
flexible! (Gargiulo, 2015).

Children with ASD can still be

successful!
There are many people with ASD that
were/are successful. There are famous
artists, scientists, engineers, mathematicians,
musicians, and other celebrities that have or
were thought to have ASD.