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Presenter’s Guide

Transition to Adulthood Relevance for ASD

April 2013 Transition to Adulthood Presenter’s Guide IDEA Partnership @ NASDSE

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Acknowledgements

The IDEA Partnership extends appreciation to the

U.S, Department of Education

The Autism Society and the

Autism Research Institute for their foundational collaborative work

-and- acknowledges the contributions of cross-stakeholders, representing

Teachers,

General Education Administrators,

Special Education Administrators,

Specialized Instructional Support Providers,

Families,

Higher Education, and

Technical Assistance Providers in the creation of this presentation.

Individuals who worked together, both on-site and electronically from across the country, to create this presenter’s guide, represented the following stakeholder

groups within the IDEA Partnership. The purpose of this guide and the complementary Power Point presentation is to make research and information

more accessible to all interested stakeholders.

Behavior Analyst Educational Diagnosticians

General Education Administrators Higher Education

Occupational Therapist Parents

Person on the Spectrum Psychologists

Social Workers Special Education Administrator

Special Education Teachers Technical Assistance Providers


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Table of Contents

Purpose and Format . . . . . . . . 3

Preparation . . . . . . . . 4

Presentation/Process . . . . . . . . 6

Overview and Definitions . . . . . . . . 6

Global Scope of Transition Outcome Areas . . . . . . . 11

Evidence based Predictors for all Students . . . . . . . . 13

General Program Considerations for ASD . . . . . . . . 16

Specific Competencies for ASD . . . . . . . . 20

Communication Skills 22

Social Competence 25

Problem Solving 29

Ability to Prioritize 31

Adaptability Sensory Regulation

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Supplementary Materials 38

Additional Resources

. . . . . . . . 39


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Purpose of this guide: This presenter’s guide is intended to support the PowerPoint slides by offering

Suggested background readings;

Talking points relative to each slide;

Suggested activities to enhance learning opportunities for Participants;

Tips to facilitate the professional growth experience; and

Suggested readings for extension of learning. About the format: There are three distinct sections of this document, “Preparation”, “Presentation/ Process”, and “Supplementary Materials”. The preparation section begins on the following page and includes:

Participant objectives;

Two suggested agenda/timeframes to help you meet the needs of the audience and/or available time allotment;

Support/background materials the presenter may wish to access prior to preparation for presentation;

Materials and supplies needed for the presentation; and

Equipment needed for the presentation. The presentation/process section follows preparation suggestions and includes:

Suggested minutes for information sharing and/or suggested activities for each of the key concepts of the presentation, within each section minutes are enclosed in boxes and intended to be highlighted ahead of time dependent on the overall timeframe selected for the presentation;

Slides in miniature, in sequential order, with talking points, o Usually in bulleted format, not intended to be read verbatim, and o Presenter is encouraged to interject his/her own style;

Videos to enhance learning opportunities, indicated by a vertical line to the left of each activity,

o May be carried out as suggested, or o Adjusted to audience and time allotment;

Presenter notes to suggest background information or extension readings, noted in bold italic font;

Presenter tips to suggest facilitation techniques, noted in bold italic font; and

Suggested segue comments to bridge between ideas and/or activities, also noted in bold italic font.

The supplementary materials section contains handouts that may be copied and used to support or enhance the presentation


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ASD: Transition to Adulthood Preparation

An important goal of this guide is to support the presenter in connecting he ideas in the presentation to practices at the state, local district, and building level. Objectives: Participants will increase knowledge relative to

Transition to adulthood requirements/expectations of IDEA ‘04

Unique needs for transition implementation services for students with ASD Participants will explore

Rationale for and development process of these transition services

Suggested implementation resources Agenda/Timing: 60 minutes - Total time for sharing of information, videos, and Q&A 45 minutes - Total time for abbreviated information only 60 minutes - Total time for sharing of information, videos and Q&A Suggested time allotments:

5 min Overview and Definitions

10 min Global Scope of Transition Outcome Areas

5 min Evidence based Predictors for all Students

5 min General Program Considerations for ASD

30 min Specific Competencies for ASD

Communication Skills

Social Competence

Problem Solving

Ability to Prioritize

Adaptability

Sensory Regulation

5 min Q& A--Discussion

45 minutes - Total time for abbreviated information/awareness only Suggested time allotments:

4 min Overview and Definitions

6 min Global Scope of Transition Outcome Areas

5 min Evidence based Predictors for all Students

5 min General Program Considerations for ASD

25 min Specific Competencies for ASD

Communication Skills

Social Competence

Problem Solving

Ability to Prioritize

Adaptability

Sensory Regulation


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Support Materials:

A wide variety of information is found on the following websites and review prior to the presentation is suggested. * The IDEA Partnership www.ideapartnership.org

Office of Special Education Programs Question and Answer document on Transition http://idea.ed.gov/explore/home * National Dropout Prevention Center for Students with Disabilities www.ndpc-sd.org

National Secondary Transition and Technical Assistance Center http://nsttac.org/

Materials and Supplies: PowerPoint slides - or - Overheads prepared from the PowerPoint slides

Handout Masters – to be copied in appropriate numbers Equipment: Computer and projector if sharing the provided videos -or- Overhead projector Projection screen

Videos Provided: Videos were developed especially for this project and contributed for presenter use by the Autism Research Institute. In order to play a video, download it to the computer to be used during the presentation. It can then be played at the appropriate time using the application Quick Time Player, or a similar application on the computer. Be sure to hide the marker slides during the presentation. Be aware that the sound on the video may be amplified according to the size of room or the number of participants. The incidence rate of Autism is revised from time to time by current studies. The information reflected on slide 7 of the Presentation is taken from the March 2013 data release. The Presenter is advised to research current reports at the time of the presentation.

http://www.ideapartnership.org/

http://idea.ed.gov/explore/home

http://www.ndpc-sd.org/

http://nsttac.org/


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ASD: Transition to Adulthood Presentation/Process

Overview and Definitions

5 minutes

5 minutes

Presenter Tip: The introduction should be very brief and garner interest immediately. The following is a starting point; adapt for the particular audience.

Ideas for sharing with participants: Transition

It is a term garnering much attention in the field of education today, particularly with respect to students with disabilities

Can be a difficult process if one does not know the basics or where to find additional information

Particularly difficult when the unique needs of students with autism are the focus

We will spend the next few minutes exploring the basics of the concept/process, and then we will apply those basics to students on the spectrum.

April 2013 Presenter’s Guide to the Autism Collection IDEA Partnership @ NASDSE

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Presenter Note: This presentation was created through collaborative efforts of many individuals working within the IDEA Partnership. Participants represented a wide-range of roles within the field of education. [noted on slide] Time on this slide is very brief; however, it is important to recognize the work of those who worked to make this presentation accessible to the field and the public.

Presenter Tip: The outline slide is presented as an adult learner organizer.

Ideas for sharing with participants: * IDEA 04 is the federal law that governs the identification, evaluation and provision of services to eligible children with educational disabilities in the


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public schools. •This definition requires that not only must the specified disability (in this case, autism) be present in the child, and generally observable before age three, but that the disability must also be shown to “adversely affect the child’s educational performance”. •Educational performance is defined as academic and functional performance. Functional performance includes all aspects of communication, as well as behavioral and social functioning.

Ideas for sharing with participants: •The characteristics given are examples; they are not required to be present in each child, nor is this list all-inclusive. The IDEA definition of autism is written broadly to cover the characteristics of autism, Asperger Syndrome, and Pervasive Developmental Disorder – Not Otherwise Specified. • By the same token, a clinical evaluation diagnosing a child with autism would be a powerful indicator for the school that a comprehensive educational evaluation should be conducted to verify:(1) the presence of an educational disability and (2) its impact upon educational performance. * Educational programming is determined by the IEP Team, which includes parents. The services are based upon the needs of the individual child as determined in an individualized evaluation, thus there can be no prescribed curriculum and/or services for a child with Autism; each child will require a different and individualized scope and intensity of educational service.


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Presenter Note: Review current data in preparation for this presentation.

Ideas for sharing with participants: Prevalence equals 1 in 50! •Data from the 2011-2012 National Survey of Children’s Health (NSCH) reported the prevalence and severity of parent-reported ASD diagnoses for school-aged children (those aged 6-17 years). The prevalence is reported at 1 in 50 (from 2011-2012 data), up from 1 in 88 (from 2007 data). Some of that increase is due to the way children are identified, diagnosed and served in their local communities, but exactly how much is due to these factors is unknown. •The largest increases over time were among Hispanic children (110%) and black children (91%). It is suspected that some of this increase is due to greater awareness and better identification among these groups. However, this finding explains only part of the increase over time, as more children are being identified in all groups. •More children are being diagnosed at earlier ages, a growing number of them by age three. Still, MOST children are not diagnosed until after they reach age 4, even though early identification and intervention can help a child access services and learn new skills. • Although there are still many unanswered questions about what causes ASD and how to provide appropriate supports and services, the data tell us one thing with certainty---there are more and more children and families that require these supports and services. The emotional and financial toll on families and communities is staggering—but the outcomes of appropriate services and supports can be most impressive. Studies show that early diagnosis and intervention lead to significantly improved outcomes. • Studies in Asia, Europe and North America have identified individuals with an ASD with an approximate prevalence of 0.6% to over 1%. A recent study in South Korea found an autism prevalence rate of 1 in 34.


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Sources: Blumberg, S. J., Bramlett, M. D., Kogan, M. D., Schieve, L. A., Jones, J. R., & Lu, M. C. (2013). Change osf prevalence of parent-reported autism spectrum disorder in school-aged U.S. children: 2007 to 2011-2012. National Health Statistics Reports, 54, 1-11. Elsabbagh, M., Divan, G., Koh, Y., Kim, Y. S., Kauchali, S., Marcin, C., Montiel-Nava, C., Patel, V., Paula, C. S. Wang, C., asamy, M. T., & Fombonne, E. (2012). Global prevalence of autism and other pervasive developmental disorders. Autism Research, 5, 160-179. Kim, Y.S., Leventhal, B.L., Koh, Y.J., Fombonne, E., Laska, E., et al. (2011). Prevalence of autism spectrum disorders in a total population sample. American Journal of Psychiatry, 168, 904–912. “ Prevalence of Autism Spectrum Disorders-Autism and Developmental Disabilities Monitoring Network”, United States, 2006.Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report December 18, 2009; 58 (SS-10) CDC. http://www.cdc.gov/mmwr/preview/mmwrhtml/ss5810a1.htm Segue: Let us now consider the requirements of IDEA on the transition services required for all children with disabilities.

Presenter Note: Note particularly the underlined wording on the slide.

Ideas for sharing with participants: * The National Secondary Transition and Technical Assistance Center (NSTTAC) provides support at the federal level with resources for implementation of transition services (see Q & A dated 9/2011 on idea.ed.gov. Beginning at age 16, and younger if determined appropriate by the IEP Team, the IEP must include transition services—this is the “coordinated set of activities”.

http://www.cdc.gov/mmwr/preview/mmwrhtml/ss5810a1.htm


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Global Scope of Transition Outcomes 10 minutes

06 minutes

Ideas for sharing with participants: * How are we doing----not so great. * The National Longitudinal Transition Study 2 (NLTS 2) focuses on the adult outcomes achieved for all students with disabilities after exiting high school by surveying students, parents and teachers. NLTS 2 spans the time between 2000 and 2010 and focuses on what young adults with disabilities were doing in terms of employment, education, independent living and other adult outcomes. The NLTS 2 data suggests that approximately half of the students with ASD one year after exiting high school are not engaged in either education or employment. These numbers are concerning and confusing, as most young adults with ASD are capable of some level of continued education and employment.

Presenter Tip: Review the tips for showing a video on page 5 of this guide. This video is 2 minutes 30 seconds in length.

Ideas for sharing with participants: * The speaker in this video is Ruth Elaine Hane, an adult on the spectrum.


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* Listen for her personal strengths as she relates her work experiences. * Discuss how Ruth created a successful work environment for herself.

Presenter Note: These 3 areas will be the focus of the remainder of this presentation. This slide is to assist the viewer to become familiar with how the information that follows will be organized.

Presenter Tip: Portions of slide can be configured to show on the click for advancement as noted.

Ideas for sharing with participants: In order to achieve the scope of the desired adult outcomes for youth with ASD (CLICK), we need to consider several levels of information: (CLICK) First we will briefly review evidenced based predictors for successful adult outcomes for ALL students. (CLICK) Then based on that information and what we know about how students with ASD learn, we will discuss several general transition program considerations. (CLICK) Finally we will look further at the specific areas of competency that should be addressed in transition programs for students with ASD in order to create a successful adult life


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Ideas for sharing with participants: Transition outcomes are basically a description of the resulting adult life. The success of this life is based on the quality and meaningfulness that one experiences in work, learning and living after the educational preparation of childhood and youth. The areas listed on this slide can generate discussion about the scope and depth that “transition outcomes” can and should include. So how are we doing in success in these adult areas of life for students with ASD? Segue: The next several slides provide a few glimpses of the current trends.

Evidence Based Predictors 10 minutes

10 minutes

Presenter Tip: This is an introductory slide to the next section of the presentation.

Segue: So let’s discuss the Evidence Based Practices that Predict Post School Success for ALL Youth with Disabilities…..


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Ideas for sharing with participants: * The National Secondary Transition Technical Assistance Center (NSTTAC) reviewed the literature related to students with disabilities and post school success in a variety of facets of adult life. * Sixteen Evidence Based Practices were identified. When these 16 practices are in place there is an increased likelihood for successful adult employment, post secondary education and community participation. Segue: The next slide reviews these EBP.


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Presenter Tip: This is intended as an overview only, and will be discussed in detail for relevance to ASD on the following slides.

Ideas for sharing with participants: * These16 items are the Evidence Based Practices that NSTTAC (National Secondary Transition Technical Assistance Center) has found to be important for all Transition Age students with disabilities to achieve success in employment, education and independent living. (Note; Those with “M” have more evidence to support the use of the practice. Those with the ** have more studies than most of the others.) *The four categories are broader groupings of these EBP that allow one to think about the individual practices in terms of secondary educational programs. These include: 1. Social Skill and Independent Living skill development that prepares youth to be able to communicate and socially interact with others, as well as to make the decisions and solve problems of every day adult life. 2. Work Experience in the Community that provides authentic environments that closely mirror the environments that students will be living and working in when they exit high school 3. Academic preparation that includes passing required exams and receiving a diploma. This becomes most important for those youth that wish to attend a post high school education program (example: college bound students)/ However, even those students that are planning to go directly to employment will benefit from academic preparation that is meaningful and relevant to their adult life. 4. Systematic future planning that involves parents and other agencies involved in the youth’s life in high school and those that will be involved as an adult allows time to explore, plan and access the needed supports prior to leaving high school.


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General Program Considerations: 10 minutes

5 minutes

Ideas for sharing with participants: The slide is self-explanatory and designed to move thoughts to the specific needs of youth with ASD.

Presenter Tip: Review the directions for showing a video if you wish to include one here. This video is 4 minutes 10 seconds in length.

Ideas for sharing with participants: * Ruth Elaine Hane, an adult on the spectrum, is the speaker. * Listen for: When and how to decide the skills to be taught. Discuss her elementary school experience.


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Presenter Note: This is an introductory slide only.

Ideas for sharing with participants: The next several slides focus on ASD General Program Considerations that align with the NSTTAC general predictors.

Presenter Note: Stress that we do not need a different set of predictors for students with ASD.

Ideas for sharing with participants: There is a difference for students with ASD. The difference is in how the predictors are implemented and supported to create a good “FIT” for students. •Differences are in how these programs are structured, the interventions used, the extent of skill development needed, the intensity of programs, and early and meaningful involvement with the support systems for the next environment In the following slides, review each of these approach areas briefly. 1. Students with ASD need structure and predictability and systematic programs 2. Interventions that have are associated with general success for students with ASD need to be continued and evolve as students move through the secondary years of education 3. Skill development may need to begin at a different level than those for all students. 4.Programs will need to reflect intensity in instruction, experience and support in order that students can develop the skills necessary for success 5. Finally, reaching out, connecting and involving those that will be part of the student’s support network in the next environment is critical.


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Ideas for sharing with participants: •Structure/Predictability. Students with ASD need structure and predictability and systematic programs. The interventions used need to be carefully selected to include those that are concrete and offer a visual component. Program Structure is vital. Predictability, routine and consistency is necessary within the educational program. Programs such as TEACCH that originated at the University of North Carolina demonstrates the use of environmental structure and visual supports. •ASD Interventions. Interventions that have are generally associated with success for younger students with ASD should be continued as students move through the secondary years of education. These interventions will need to change and evolve to remain age appropriate as the student becomes an adolescent and young adult. However, interventions, such as the use of applied behavior analysis, social instruction, and visual supports should continue as part of the student’s educational program and support plan.


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Ideas for sharing with participants: • Skill development may need to begin at a different level for the youth with ASD. For example, in the area of social competency never assume the student with ASD posses all the precursor skills necessary to enter a typical career technical center or a job site. Skill development and instruction will need to begin at a different level for many of these students. • Programs will need to reflect intensity in instruction, experience and support in order that students can develop the skills necessary for success. Providing concrete, real and meaningful experiences and practice is essential. It makes generalization of skills a realizable goal.

Ideas for sharing with participants: •CONNECTIONS. Finally, reaching out, connecting and involving those that will be part of the student’s support network in the next environment is critical. Involving theses folks well before the time in which the student transitions can diminish the inconsistencies that can occur in the “hand off”. While this can be a stumbling block for many, gaps in service or unexpected change in schedule and routine can quickly “undo” progress made during the education years. Comprehensive, consistent future planning to reduce theses difficulties encountered at the time of graduation to adult life is vital.

Specific Competencies: 30 minutes


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25 minutes

Ideas for sharing with participants: * After the general program considerations, one must look even further in order to develop successful and individualized transition programs for students with ASD. The specific areas of competency and skill development for youth with ASD includes a number of areas that are vital to adult success, yet are frequently overlooked or given less attention than academic skills.

Presenter Tip: Notes are on the slide. Segue: The next set of slides reviews these areas and provides a few ideas to support students with ASD.


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Presenter Tip: You can set the items to come into the presentation on the click.

Ideas for sharing with participants: * So what do these core competencies and skill areas include? * What is it that employers, co-workers, and adult peer groups value in the workplace, college, or adult living? (Each item will appear on the “click”) * Communication: All types of communication. Includes both understanding and expressing thoughts and ideas. * Social: More than “Social Skills”. This includes a very broad range of abilities and complex social understanding * Problem Solving: The ability to quickly and efficiently determine how to correct or work through unexpected issues * Prioritizing: Multi tasking, selecting and choosing what is important and what can be “put on the back burner”, and the implications of these decisions. * Adaptability: Knowing how to change plans and being able to accept the changes that occur, and being able to move forward with those plans. * Sensory Regulation: Being able to modify or adapt to the sensory input of the environment Segue: Let’s explore each of these areas further and possible considerations for support and skill development


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Ideas for sharing with participants: Areas of Communication that individuals with ASD will struggle with include knowing how to focus on the important messages being communicated. Often employers or professors will provide multiple pieces of information assuming the individual will understand what to take from the interaction. For example, the boss may talk about the ball game, the weather and also give directions for the day. Most employees listen closely to the directions while realizing the other is social conversation. The youth with ASD as they enter the work force may not be able to understand that distinction without specific instruction of that concept. Much of communication is dependent on reading the unspoken messages that define the intent of the communication. This is in great part is dependent on reading the body language, listening to the vocal intonation and attending to the accompanying facial expressions. People must put this “package” of information together in order to know what the person is trying to say and to respond appropriately. People with ASD can have trouble pulling all this information together in a brief moment, deciphering the correct message and responding in an appropriate manner. Finally, being able to adequately express how one feels can be difficult. Sometimes, the person with ASD may seem fine and then “explode” with emotions. This can be due to a lack of ability to express the growing feelings and only when at the extreme state is he or she able to share those feelings.


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Ideas for sharing with participants: * Initially, set up communication structure such as checklists, post –it notes, visual schedules, calendars, agenda, email and other visual methods to communicate the important information that needs to be remembered in order to work successfully through a job or a college campus. * Assist the student with ASD to prepare for adult environments by observing for the unspoken messages that occur through facial expressions, body language, vocal intonation or other vague means of expression. Teach these hidden messages to the youth with ASD as they prepare to enter these adult environments. * Help the youth with ASD to understand what types of communication are easiest for them to understand and what supports will be necessary in future environments.

Ideas for sharing with participants: * These are just a few examples of the types of unspoken rules or hidden curriculums that may exist when moving into the world of employment or college. There are hundreds of these types of rules. Consider how this could cause confusion, stress and impact success if you did not understand these rules.


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Ideas for sharing with participants: * Self Determination and Disclosure involve the ability to competently communicate. Often these two areas are not given an intense focus, as they do not neatly fall into an academic component. * Transition programs for Youth with ASD should include instruction and practice to develop skills of self-determination. The youth should understand how to communicate abilities and strengths and at the same time know how to ask for the assistance that is necessary. Disclosing a disability is a skill that involves a set of specific communication skills. Knowing how much information is necessary to share, with whom to share it, and at what time is critical. Transition programs for students with ASD should assist a student to develop these skills.

Ideas for sharing with participants: To address the communication challenges of disclosure and to assist in development of self-determination, first assess the level at which the youth currently understands his/her disability and the impact the characteristics of ASD may have on their future. Discuss, use pictures and video and other creative methods in order that the individual can develop his/her “message” about strengths, interests and needs. Help the youth practice this in multiple situations in order to become competent in delivering the message and to experience responses he/she may encounter.


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Ideas for sharing with participants: * The area of Social Competence is often a major area of challenge for individuals with ASD, regardless of their abilities or strengths in other areas. This may manifest as difficulty with group interactions with individuals that may have differing social styles. Knowing how to interact and how to change that interaction depending on the social partner is incredibly complex. Yet, we assume people come to a job, the community or a college campus just knowing how to competently navigate these social interactions. * The adult world brings with it multiple layers of relationships as well. Each type of adult relationship can require a different level of social interaction…from formal to casual to intimate. A mistake here can have significant consequences! * The core of these difficulties is often a lack of understanding. Poor awareness of how others may be feeling, what they are thinking and the different perspectives that people may bring to the same situation can cause great confusion and poor social outcomes. Although this sounds quite complicated, we assume adults have these “empathetic” skills as a basic competency. This core skill is often referred to as “Theory of Mind”. Segue: Let’s look at bit deeper at “theory of Mind” or “Perspective”.


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Ideas for sharing with participants: Theory of mind is one of the core areas of challenges for individuals with ASD! This requires the ability to anticipate how someone else may feel based on the situation, past experiences, individual needs and interests, and other factors. Then it goes further to predict how someone may act or react based on those feelings and the situation. Difficulties in these areas can cause anxiety, stress and a multitude of social mistakes. Teaching awareness and social perspective taking is most important aspect of secondary educational programs for students with ASD. Segue: Let’s consider some examples of the level of concreteness that may be necessary in teaching or explaining social issues due to the difficulty of perspective taking.

Presenter Note: Slide is self-explanatory; an example of how concrete you may need to be in teaching or explaining social issues.

Segue: The next slide continues to present this same issue.


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Presenter Tip: Continue the discussion from the previous slide. The content of this slide is self-explanatory.

Segue: Ask, what is the difference between social skills and social competency?

Presenter Tip: This slide, and the next one contain the explanation.

Segue: Given this information, let’s now examine the issue of the structure of adult relationships.


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Ideas for sharing with participants: Finally, the social aspect to adult life is further complicated by the multiple and confusing relationships that can exist. These involve the ones listed on this slide as well as others. The rules for social interactions will vary from group to group and even situation to situation. Using the wrong type of interaction with a group can be a costly mistake! One can loose a job or alienate a friend. As the youth with ASD moves into adulthood, these issues become more difficult to tease out as often the supports offered by school and family are not as readily available to help the young adult avoid mistakes.

Ideas for sharing with participants: Be systematic in the approach. Consider teaching each aspects of a situation, taking small pieces at a time in order to avoid confusion or becoming overwhelmed. Use specific situations and people, rather than general concepts taught in a classroom. Think about how the social “rules” and expectations can be visually supported through the use of visual reminders or even subtle prompts (as the student learns the skills). Consistent and constructive feedback will help the person know if they have successfully navigated the situation or if they should use a different approach the next time. Again, practice and multiple experiences can help hone the desired skills.


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Ideas for sharing with participants: Individuals with ASD will need prompting and reminders in the areas of socialization and social learning. Be ready to prepare, remind, and prompt so the person uses the skills correctly. This may require intense prompting or support initially in order that the skill is practiced correctly and consistently. As the person becomes more successful, reduce the amount of support so that the individual is as independent as possible with the skills. Segue: Let’s direct our thoughts now to the area of problem solving skills.

Ideas for sharing with participants: We tend to assume that adults come to the work force or to community living with a set of skills and experiences that allow them to problem solve unexpected occurrences. These skills are often based in previous experiences and require the individual to generalize a lesson learned. This can be difficult for the youth with ASD, even those individuals that have exceptional academic skills may struggle to problem solve seemingly “simple” problems of day-to-day living. Segue: What possible techniques can be used to teach these specific skills?


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Ideas for sharing with participants: * This is an example of a social narrative. This is one type of tool that can help a person being to understand and remember show to problem solve.

Ideas for sharing with participants: * Be proactive! * Anticipate that the individual will have questions or difficulties problem solving the new situations encountered when moving to a job, college or community. * Although it is helpful to anticipate issues and problem solve them ahead of time, developing a plan of who to ask, when and how is often beneficial. Putting this information in a visual format, such as names, contact numbers etc. can decrease the anxiety and stress that occurs when faced with a difficult situation. *Using technology is often a successful choice of support. Segue: The next 2 slides shows two examples of Apps that could be considered.


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Presenter Note: This slide and the next give examples of apps for the IPAD or IPOD that will help in organization and problem solving.

Presenter Note: The slide is self-explanatory.

Segue: Another skill that we too often assume in adults is the ability to prioritize.

Ideas for sharing with participants: Moving to the adult world requires youth to become more adept at determining what is important and what may need to be placed “on the back burner”. This can be difficult for employers, supervisors and professors to understand, as it seems that these priorities are is simply “obvious”. For example, completing the


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assignment due the next day is much more important than starting an assignment that may be due in a week or later. Or…. Unloading and shelving boxes sitting in the isles of the store should take priority over straightening the stock in the back room. It all seems “obvious”. But for the youth with ASD, this may be an area of skill development that should be carefully examined and supported.

Ideas for sharing with participants: * Again, visual supports such as schedules and a work plan can help the youth to know what is important to complete and in what order this should be accomplished. * Providing timers (such as timers on watches or cell phones) can help the individual spend adequate time on a task without rushing through or not leaving enough time for another activity. * When teaching the individual how to prioritize, break up the task by providing a partially completed list or schedule. On this schedule, place all the necessary jobs. The individual can then fill in the open time slots with other items, but will not leave out tasks that need to be completed. * Five (5) point scales can help people understand the most important tasks and activities to remember to do. For example, for a college student, high priority tasks might be studying for a test and completing assignment due within 48 hours. Low priority tasks could be watching TV or playing video games. These can be visually demonstrated on a graph that the student can use to fill in as he learns about priorities. Segue: Let’s view some examples on the next slide.


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Ideas for sharing with participants: Simple examples: 1.A scale to help visually conceptualize high and low priority items 2.A work plan that includes a prompt to check with a supervisor to assure priorities are accomplished.

Presenter Note: Review the directions for showing a video if you wish to include one here. This video is 2 minutes 10 seconds in length.

Ideas for sharing with participants: * The speaker is Sondra Williams, an adult on the spectrum.


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Ideas for sharing with participants: Individuals with ASD will frequently struggle to adapt to changes especially when they have not been prepared for the changes. When people, tasks, or environments change unexpectedly, the individual may have difficulty changing their plans or accepting the changes. Unexpected change causes stress levels to rise. Stress decreases a person’s ability to problem solve, control emption or use adaptive skills.

Ideas for sharing with participants: Clearly, one strategy to consider is to prepare the individual for change that may occur. Make the work environments as predictable as possible. Avoid situations that change constantly and have little chance of predictability. Situations that are predictable can enhance independence and the individual's sense of accomplishment. Schedules, task lists, checklists and other tools that help a person preview what will happen can be very helpful. These tools can also help explain what will happen when a change does occur. Finally, some individuals with ASD can learn coping skills to use when unexpected changes occur, how to handle the situation and how to adapt to the change. Segue: Now for the last skill to be considered, that of sensory regulation.


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Ideas for sharing with participants: * One of the most difficult areas for individuals with ASD is tolerating the multiple sensory experiences that are encountered in the community, work and college environments. This slide provides only a small sample of the sensory experiences that might be difficult. Many more sensitivities are reported by individuals with ASD. *When the person finds himself in a situation that has difficult sensory experiences, he often becomes anxious and cannot concentrate on work, learning or socializing. He may only want to find a way to leave or avoid the situation. These sensitivities can be the reason an adult with ASD has difficulty in a job, in college classrooms, or enjoying typical community activities

Ideas for sharing with participants: The place to begin is to review the environment of the work or learning situation for sensory challenges or barriers. This will best be assessed when specific to an individual. Once issues such as sound, space and visual stimulation have been identified, there are many strategies that can be identified or developed so the individual can tolerate the situation. These are often the accommodations provided by schools or employers.


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Ideas for sharing with participants: There are many types of interventions that can be used to assist the person in a sensory sensitive situation, but it will depend on the specific type of sensory input and the individual’s specific tolerance as to which interventions to use. Perhaps one of the most important strategies to consider for any person that is anxious in a stressful environment is finding a place and time for the person to “escape” the stress of the sensory situation. At least a temporary escape. Just knowing that there is a place , time and method in place to “get away" for a while can decrease stress and may actually allow the person to have better tolerance. This is not such a foreign concept! All of us find ways to escape the pressures of the office or school or a social situation when it is overwhelming. We “take a break”, “excuse ourselves to the restroom”, “ or find a task that needs to be done in another location. People with ASD may need to escape situations that do not seem so difficult (from our viewpoint) or they may not know how to get a short respite unless it is proactively determined and taught.

Presenter Note: Review the directions for showing a video if you wish to include one here. This video is 3 minutes 10 seconds in length.

Ideas for sharing with participants: The speaker is Zosia Zaks, on adult on the spectrum. If time permits, discuss his view of self-advocacy.


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Presenter Tip: If time permits, a Q & A in discussion format may by implemented. Otherwise, you may choose to collect written questions to be answered later by the presenter.

Ideas for sharing with participants: This slide presents a visual review of all 6 areas of skills development that we have studied.

Presenter Tip: You might wish to distribute the handout “Resources” at this point.

Ideas for sharing with participants: * In summary this graphic reminds the transition team that in order to achieve meaningful outcomes in adult life for youth with ASD, one must not only attend to what we know is important for all students, but go further for students with ASD. * We must craft the programs and focus the program supports on interventions that have evidence of success with students with ASD. We must also work to develop skills and competencies in the critical areas that cross all outcomes and are basic to successful adult living.


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ASD: Transition to Adulthood Supplementary Materials

Handout # 1 Additional Resources


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ASD Transition to Adulthood

Additional Resources

A wide variety of information is found on the following websites: Autism Research Institute http://www.autism.com/ Established in 1967 by psychologist and renowned father of modern autism research Dr. Bernard Rimland, ARI continue to pioneer in research, outreach, and cooperative efforts with other organizations worldwide. ARI advocated for the rights of people with ASD, and operates without funding from special-interest groups. ARI produced for the IDEA Partnership the videos available for use with this presentation—“ASD Transition to Adulthood”. The IDEA Partnership www.ideapartnership.org There are numerous collections regarding Autism on this site. All the information, including Power Point presentations and Presenter Guides can be downloaded for use. The National Center on Secondary Education and Transition http://www.ncset.org/ The National Center on Secondary Education and Transition (NCSET) located at University of Minnesota’s Institute on Community Integration coordinates national resources, offers technical assistance and disseminates information related to secondary education and transition for youth with disabilities in order to create opportunities for youth to achieve successful futures. National Secondary Transition and Technical Assistance Center http://nsttac.org/ The National Secondary Transition Technical Assistance Center (NSTTAC) reviewed the literature related to students with disabilities and post school success in a variety of facets of adult life. Sixteen Evidence Based Practices were identified. When these 16 practices are in place there is an increased likelihood for successful adult employment, post secondary education and community participation. These practices are used as the basis for this presentation. National Dropout Prevention Center for Students with Disabilities www.ndpc-sd.org The ultimate goal of the National Dropout Prevention Center for Students with Disabilities is to provide high quality, evidence-based technical assistance to help states build and implement sustainable programs and best practices that will yield positive results in dropout prevention, reentry, and school completion for

http://www.autism.com/

http://www.ideapartnership.org/

http://www.ncset.org/

http://ici.umn.edu/

http://nsttac.org/

http://www.ndpc-sd.org/


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students with disabilities. Office of Special Education Programs http://www2.ed.gov/about/offices/list/osers/osep/index.html?src=mr The Office of Special Education Programs (OSEP) is dedicated to improving results for infants, toddlers, children and youth with disabilities ages birth through 21 by providing leadership and financial support to assist states and local districts. It supports research, demonstrations, and technical assistance and dissemination, technology and personnel development and parent-training and information centers. This website provides resources, newsletters, and research. “Question and Answer document on Transition” http://idea.ed.gov/explore/home

http://www2.ed.gov/about/offices/list/osers/osep/index.html?src=mr

http://idea.ed.gov/explore/home

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