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Autism Spectrum Disorders

Specialized Competency

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Area Introduction

This area of the Para Elink will examine Autism Spectrum Disorders (ASD). ASD is defined as patterns of behaviors in core areas of development including impairment in social interaction, impairment in communication, and restricted range of repertoire of interests and activities. There are certain challenges paraprofessionals face when supporting the education of individuals with ASD. One of the key aspects of teaching individuals with ASD is through the creation of effective interventions for specific challenging behaviors, which is why it is important that paraprofessionals work with teachers to ensure that interventions are appropriately implemented.

Each unit is an important part of working with students who have ASD. It is a complex subject and for this reason it is best to start with the first unit in the list and work through each unit in consecutive order. Knowledge from the prior units will help you to better understand future units within this section.

Key to Specialized Competency Codes
Competency types
K=Knowledge-based S=Skill-based
Example: ASD-S6
ASD–>Autism Spectrum Disorders specialized competency area S6–>Skill six Demonstrates the ability to accurately collect data for documenting learner outcomes and reports to the teacher when a strategy is or is not producing the planned effect.

Autism Spectrum Disorders (Knowledge-Based)
ASD-K1 Understanding of the range of characteristics of students with ASD in the social, communication, and behavioral domains and the implications of various learning styles unique tostudents with ASD.
ASD-K2 Understanding of the meaning and implications of the following terms: visual learner, concrete/abstract learning, stress and anxiety issues, sensory differences/issues, social-communication issues, idiosyncratic behaviors/issues, direct teaching/incidental learning.
ASD-K3 Understanding of the importance of building multiple relationships among the student, their peers, and other adults in various settings, so that the student's independence is emphasized.
ASD-K4 Understanding of the possible communicative functions of behavior and the value of interventions designed to develop more positive communicative behaviors and social skills.
Autism Spectrum Disorders (Skill-Based)
ASD-S1 Demonstrates the ability to provide structure and predictability for the student through consistent implementation of direct teaching methods that support prior learning and ongoing development of social, communication, and adaptive behavioral skills, etc. under the direction of licensed staff.
ASD-S2 Demonstrates the ability to adapt, modify, or structure the environment based on an understanding of which auditory, visual, or other sensory stimuli may be distracting, offensive, reinforcing, or calming for the individual student under the direction of licensed staff.
ASD-S3 Demonstrates the ability to consistently use various visual strategies, including environmental structuring, schedules, visual cues, and social stories to communicate social information and expectations that support the student's learning as directed by the teacher.
ASD-S4 Demonstrates the ability to communicate effectively and consistently, using strategies to help students with ASD communicate effectively, including: modeling and reinforcement, repairing social/communication breakdowns, providing relevant social/communication cues and implementing planned interventions such as picture exchange or symbolic communication systems under the direction of licensed staff.
ASD-S5 Demonstrates the ability to consistently utilize proactive strategies, positive behavioral supports including: structured teaching methods, ABA methods including discrete trial and generalization approaches, and sensory interventions to enhance learning and prevent behavior problems, as directed by the teacher or related service staff.
ASD-S6 Demonstrates the ability to accurately collect data for documenting learner outcomes and reports to the teacher when a strategy is or is not producing the planned effect.

Review

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rtf

Your facilitator may ask you to turn in a written copy of the area review, in which case you can use either the pdf or rtf file. If your facilitator wants you to submit an electronic file, download the rtf file and open it in a Word Processor.