ASD

Challenging Behaviors of Students with Autism

Strategies for Challenging Behaviors of Students with Autism

Jan 14, 2019

“Every individual should be able to access things that they like,” said Monica Fisher, M.Ed., BCBA/COBA, Director of the Behavior Department at Monarch Center for Autism during an edWebinar. “It is our right to engage in preferred activities, spend time with family, and connect with the community. If there are behaviors that you are seeing in your students with disabilities and challenging behaviors that are limiting these rights, then it is something we need to fix as it can have a long-term impact on their quality of life.” Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA), a technological and professional systematic approach, is designed to analyze and change behavior by identifying a behavioral problem, gathering relevant data, and formulating/testing a hypothesis. Fisher said that while ABA is a useful tool for looking at and changing the challenging behaviors of students with autism, it can apply to different parts of everyone’s lives. “ABA is how we have all learned and how our lives are shaped by behavior.”

Meeting the Needs of Students with ASD

Individualized Supports for Students with ASD

Nov 27, 2018

Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is, at its heart, a processing disorder. And while the students with ASD face a variety of challenges depending on where they fall on the spectrum, even those considered high functioning have difficulties with pragmatic social language and understanding social interactions. So, when educators mainstream students with ASD and hope that they will learn how to interact in the classroom just by watching their peers, the educators are setting up the students for failure. Nina Finkler, a learning consultant with years of experience working with students with ASD, says success comes when schools actually acknowledge the different needs of students with ASD and set up individualized supports throughout their learning career. In her edWebinar  “Meeting the Needs of Students with ASD Within the Mainstream Classroom”, Finkler outlined the biggest challenges with mainstreaming and key strategies for helping them thrive in their new environment.

Preparing Students with Significant Intellectual Disabilities for the Workforce

Preparing Students with Significant Intellectual Disabilities for the Workforce

May 6, 2015

Students with disabilities leave school and go on to opportunities that include competitive employment. Unfortunately the vast majority of students with intellectual disabilities are unemployed (Institute for Community Inclusion, 2012). Recent directives from the federal government suggests that states are not doing enough to prepare students with intellectual disabilities to gain employment after leaving high school.

5 Ways to Use Apps for Autism: Moving from Low Tech Visual Tools to High Tech Supports for Lifelong Success

5 Ways to Use Apps for Autism: Moving from Low Tech Visual Tools to High Tech Supports for Lifelong Success

Apr 15, 2015

All of a sudden. . .POOF. . .it seems like everyone has a tablet. Using iPads (smart phones and other devices) have become a “big deal” for individuals on the autism spectrum – but there must be more than Angry Birds or Candy Crush. This webinar focused on 5 key skill areas that apps can help preschoolers, school age and adults participate in life activities working toward achieving more independence.