We have been exploring the development and implementation of a feelings chart to help students apply coping skills when problems arise. A related strategy that accomplishes the same goal is called “Antiseptic Bouncing”.

Kindergarten teacher helping student with reading skills

The difference is that the adult recognizes that the individual with Asperger’s is beginning to have a problem, and rather than draw any attention to those brewing feelings, the adult decides to intervene more discretely.

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A reader of this blog asked that we provide advice about resources that exist to aid students with ASD as they transition from high school to college. When considering the transition, it is important to recognize several critical elements:

Graduation

  • It’s never too early for any student to begin planning for the transition, but early planning is critically important for students diagnosed with ASD
  • Practical, on-campus experience is helpful to the process
  • Teaching self-advocacy is vital

Helpful resources I’ve encountered include:

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You might already use mnemonic techniques in your life. If you have five things to get at the grocery store: sugar, tea, apples, rice and soup, you might create and visualize STARS remember your list. In classrooms, mnemonics is a memory enhancing instructional strategy that involves teaching students to
link new information that is taught to information they already know.

Detail of elementary school art class

Mnemonic devices are patterns of letters, sounds, or associated ideas that aid people in remembering information. Keyword, pegword, and letter strategies were the mnemonic devices used in the studies included in this meta-analysis.

These mnemonic techniques use acoustically linked proxy words to connect two pieces of information. For example, students were given the keyword “rainy day” and told to think of a frog sitting in the rain to remember that the scientific classification for common frogs is ranidae.Continue Reading

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In 2013 I surveyed disability service professionals at 578 degree-granting, four-year public institutions of higher education. The survey was designed to determine the current readiness of higher education to support the academic, social and communication, and independent living needs of college students diagnosed with Asperger’s Disorder. 230 colleges participated in the survey. You can read part one of this blog series here.

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The survey was designed around the Benchmarks of Effective Supports for College Students with Asperger’s Disorder (Ellison, Clark, Cunningham, & Hansen, 2012), a checklist of efforts determined by experts as integral to effective college supports for this student population. The 2012 study demonstrated college students with Asperger’s Disorder required specialized supports, and that disability services available traditionally on campus to this population were generally ineffective. The 2013 nation-wide survey explored, in part, whether or not colleges had specialized supports for this student population outside of traditional disability services.Continue Reading

phone apps, aspergers, personal growth

As mentioned in the previous article, mobile applications support developmental concepts that foster virtually every aspect of personal and professional growth. This growth encompasses five categories: Personal/Family Needs; Endeavors/Professional Tools; Entertainment; Life Improvement; and Lifelong Education.

phone apps, aspergers, personal growth

All apps that I discuss here are samples from the iPhone.Continue Reading

Another pioneer in the world of social skill development is Elisa Gagnon, who has written about another type of narrative called Power Cards. A Power Card is a brief scenario or character sketch describing how the hero solves the problem. The Power Card then recaps how the person with ASD can use the same strategy to solve a similar problem.

Happy group of kids

I am often asked, “How is a Power Card different from a Social Story?” While there are many similarities, I would describe their differences by saying that a Power Card is usually very brief, and always incorporates a student’s interest within the narrative.Continue Reading

The Autistic Mind is different in both function and anatomy.

Understanding the function of the Autistic Brain may help you understand, or explain, the different behaviors exhibited by someone with Aspergers Syndrome. In this edition of Top of The Spectrum News doctors reveal studies proving the importance of therapy, explaining that the autistic brain is different in both function and anatomy from a neuro-typical brain. In other words. . . it’s not bad behavior; Aspies are coming from a place of neurological difference. This is a great video clip to show to friends or family members who do not understand your Asperger childs ‘differences’.

The above is an excerpt from the documentary “Coping to Excelling: Solutions for School-Age Children Diagnosed with High-Functioning Autism or Aspergers Syndrome”

Medical Overview of HF Autism or Asperger Syndrome

If you have never created a movie, the sheer technology of it might seem overwhelming. You might be surprised how simple it can be if you know just a few key features. If you have access to Movie Maker on a PC, then here is some information that will help you through.

How to Make a Video

Make a movie in four simple steps:

  • Step 1: Get video, digital photos, and music into Windows Movie Maker
  • Step 2: Start editing
  • Step 3: Add titles, transitions, and effects
  • Step 4: Publish your movie and share it with other people

With Windows Movie Maker in Windows Vista, you can quickly go from just watching movies to making your own great-looking home movies and sharing them with your family and friends.

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The following is a list of tips to create and use your own video modeling tool.

  • Videos are short, usually 2-5 minutes, or even shorter
  • The student will typically watch the video 3-5 times at one session
  • The student will then practice the skill/behavior targeted in the video. The teacher might say, “Now it’s your turn, just like the video” and support the student as they attempt the skill/behavior
  • Continue to create opportunities to practice the new skill at natural and planned times throughout the day

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Ways to highlight important information:

  • Slow motion
  • Up Close- zoom in
  • Highlight single words
  • Use text
  • Use symbols
  • Use magnetic letters for titles

Remember to:

  • Title your video
  • Limit distractions
  • Highlight relevant information
  • Incorporate student drawings
  • Secure photo/video releases from parents
  • Don’t over think it…get started and then revise as needed

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By Lisa Rogers

Click HERE to help support Lisa Rogers’ video modeling project, “The Orion Files.”

Learning with Less Stress and Anxiety

Stress and anxiety create a negative situation, which makes learning difficult. In a traditional teaching situation the need for person-to-person interaction can be a cause of stress and anxiety. A child is unnecessarily burdened by the need to overcome this stress and anxiety before they can focus on what is being taught. Learning either suffers, or does not happen.

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Video modeling changes all that. An important benefit of video modeling is that it removes the necessity of person-to-person interaction from the learning process. Removing this interaction takes pressure off the child and allows the child to concentrate on the video. Attending to video only, a learner concentrates and is less distracted.Continue Reading

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The focus of our last blog was the use of mnemonic devices to support academic success. This week we will expand on this concept with the introduction of anchor charts. I love that anchor charts are considered a general education strategy to support typical learners. As we have discussed before, most individuals benefit from visual supports. Individuals with an autism spectrum are especially responsive to visual strategies as indicated by studies on the brain.

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