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STAR Autism Supportwww.starautismsupport.com

Developing a Districtwide Autism Program: A Training Model for Serving Students with ASD

Building Sustainable Systems of Support Within Local School Districts

What:

Focus on positive outcomes for:

o Students, Staff and Parents

Why:

Research guides us:

o Effective practices for students

o Effective staff development

How:

Empower school districts:

o Implementation and training sites throughout the state/district

o Practical solutions for teachers

o District level coaches for sustainability

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Research Guides PracticeNational Professional Development Center on ASD

and National Standards Report

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http://autismpdc.fpg.unc.edu/

www.nationalautismcenter.org

Principles of ABATask AnalysisDiscrete Trial TrainingReinforcement SystemsPeer Mediated Instruction SchedulesVisual SupportsAug CommunicationSelf-ManagementModeling/ImitationPivotal Response Training

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Use Evidence-Based Practices

Research on Professional Development

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Content FocusActive LearningCoaching

• To achieve fidelity of implementation of behaviorally based curricula, it requires a system-wide response at the local level via in-service training that provides for on-going support (National Autism Center, 2009).

• Research has documented that when teachers are engaged in active learning (observation, practice and collaboration with professionals) they are more likely to improve their practice (Lieberman, 1996; Louks-Horsley, Hewson, Love, & Stiles, 1998).

• The best staff training includes demonstration, coaching and follow-up training. Bolton & Mayer (2008)

Capacity Building Components

Professional Development Workshops

Teacher Tools Including Curricula and Classroom Visual Supports

In Class Coaching

Building Capacity through Training Sites and District Level Coaches

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Teachers Need Tools

Comprehensive Curricula for students with ASD

Visual Supports

Progress Monitoring

IEP Goals

Training for General Educators

Self-Assessment on

Quality Program Indicators

Fidelity of Implementation Checklists

Lesson Plans

Technology

Guides to the Common Core

Transition Planning Across Grade Levels

Post-secondary

Research into Practice:Curriculum Tools

Preschool/Elementary STAR Program

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Middle School/High School

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PROGRESS VIDEO

Expressive Language (PRT)

Receptive Language (DT)

Routines-Arrival (FR)

Routines-Handwashing (FR)

Spontaneous Language (Progress Video)

Middle and High School Students

Themes:• Independence and Self-Determination

• Functional and Generalized Skills

• Strength-Based Curriculum

• Post-Secondary Transition and Employability

Content:• Expressive/Receptive Language

• Academics in the Context of Daily Life Routines

• Social Communication

• Complex Vocational Tasks

• Functional Daily Routines

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Assessment and

Instruction for

Secondary

Students

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Monitor ProgressSchool Job Routine (#27)

Recycling

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Example Fidelity Checklists: Preschool/Elem

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Empower School DistrictsAdministration, Instructional Staff, Parents, Students

Training Site Development Process

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Professional Development Opportunities for General Education Teachers

Promoting Inclusive Practices

Web-based on

demand professional

development

modules

State and Districtwide Projects

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ORPATS: Statewide Training NetworkEstablished 42 School District Training Sites modeling research-based methods

and established a cadre of school district coaches

Outcome data on student progress collected(Arick, Young, Falco, Loos, Krug, Gense and Johnson, 2003)

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OrPATSwww.orpats.org Easter Seals Arkansas

State-wide Outreach Program

Supports school districts throughout the state of Arkansas in implementing evidence-based instructional practices for students with ASD across the grade range (preschool through secondary)

Connect • A summer weekly “basic training” with students and coaches

Workshops and in-classroom coaching throughout the school year

Coordinate with local school districts , state education department and Arkansas Autism Commission

Collaboration with STAR Autism Support to provide training

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Two Day STAR Workshop

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CONNECT Training

one week with students

“Together we can make a difference”

Coaching

Average Number of Lessons Mastered (34 students across 4 districts)

A Collaborative Relationship between

a Local High School

Community Based Instruction and

Easter Seals Outreach

To ensure that all students were receiving academic and functional skills instruction to meet individual needs

To train the classroom staff using evidence-based teaching strategies and behavioral interventions secondary students with a variety of developmental disabilities

To implement meaningful, real-world, classroom/community jobs to promote student engagement, skills development, and vocational experience

The Plan… The Foundation…

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The Progress…

Visual Supports

Discrete Trial

Positive Behavior Supports

Small Group Instruction

Job Training

The Philadelphia AIMS Elementary School Project

The Philadelphia Autism Instructional Methods Study (AIMS) represents an academic-public partnership designed to improve intervention quality for elementary school children with autism in the School District of Philadelphia.

STAR Autism Support provided training and support for three years during the development of the project. AIMS continues to support more than 120 classroom teams in kindergarten-through-5th-grade autism support classrooms across the School District of Philadelphia.

As part of the Philly Aims Project the University of Penn conducted a randomized control trial study of the STAR Program directed by Dr. David Mandell. In a presentation at the 2014 National Council for Exceptional Children’s Conference, Dr. David Mandell stated that students in the K–3 classrooms that implemented the STAR Program with fidelity made significantly greater IQ gains than students in the control group.

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Philly AIMS

The Philadelphia Secondary Autism Project

District-wide implementation of the Links Curriculum

District-wide training provided by STAR Autism Support

Phase I Activities: 2016-2017

District-wide workshops and webinars

District-wide subscription to the Links Curriculum

Classroom Consultation in 110 classrooms throughout the school district

Administrator Training

General Education Techer Training

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Philadelphia Secondary Project:Progress Since November 2015

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Conducted 3 workshops with 130 Participants

Conducted 5 Webinars with 168 Participants

Completed 107 Classroom Consultation Visits

Teachers are beginning to implement evidence-based

strategies using the Links Curriculum

Students are gaining opportunities to become engaged

in age appropriate and individualized instruction

Arizona Autism Project

Arizona Department of Education in collaboration with STAR Autism Support.

40 School

Districts

throughout

the state

Arizona Autism Project Goals

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2012-2014Provided training and curriculum materials to 27 early childhood

teams throughout the state in evidence-based practices for students

with ASD.

2014-2015• Expanded project to include 20+ more elementary teams.

• Addressed program specific needs to assist in implementation of

curriculum.

• Assist teams when transitioning students from preschool to school

age.

2015-2017

• Expanded project to more elementary teams

• Expanded project to include secondary teams.

• Establishing regional Training Sites

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Comprehensive Workshops

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Program Planning and On-Site Coaching

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Arizona Autism Project: Progress

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Seven Pre-school and/or

Elementary Training sites

Thirty Seven Districts with Pre-

school or Elementary

Implementation sites

Eleven Districts with

Secondary Implementation

sites

State-wide Implementation

of Evidence-based Practices

Example Student Outcomes

Puerto Rico Autism Project

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Project Phases

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Puerto Rico Autism Project Web Page

Página cibernética: Proyecto de Autismo de PR

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Progress To Date

Participating Classrooms: 76

Educators Participating in Training: 250+

Training Sites in Development: 20

Implementation Sites: 56

District Coaches: 3

Students Supported 300+

Workshops: Active Training Process

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Classroom Coaching Modeling Instruction

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Classroom Coaching Modeling Data Collection

Classroom CoachingSetting up Visuals and Environmental Supports

Student Schedules

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Classroom CoachingEnvironment: Independent Work Area

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Classroom CoachingEnvironment: Visual Supports

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Classroom CoachingEnvironment: Classroom Store (Middle School)

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Parent Training and Community Information Sessions

www.starautismsupport.com

www.linkscurriculum.com