Developing an Autism Resource Team (ART) in Your Distict

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Developing an Autism Resource Team (ART) in Your
Distict
Kathy Reed and Ruthie Rule G-CASE FALL
CONFERENCE November 14, 2013
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History Lesson

• System of intervention strategies when a child
  experiences problems.

• Pyramid of Interventions PBIS
• Special Education
• Functional Behavior Assessments
• Individual consultations

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ART

• Autism Resource Team
• The most intense intervention available for
  students with autism when they experience
  problems.

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• The Autism Resource Team was formed in 2003 as a
  subset of Whitfield Countys Behavior
  Intervention Resource Team (BIRT) in order to
  educate and support parents and school personnel
  to better assist students with autism to be
  successful at home and school. ART is intended to
  provide consultation regarding the nature of
  autism and best practices in intervening when a
  child with autism experiences problems. In
  addition to this, ART provides staff development,
  resources, information, web links, and the latest
  in research and news to parents and school staff.

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Who are they?

• Autism whisperers
• Could be psychologists, behavior specialists,
  teachers, coordinators, occupational therapists,
  speech therapists, diagnosticians and others with
  expertise in one or many areas affecting a child
  with autism.
• All seen as leaders but one organizes the group.

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Others in the field are consulted as needed. ART
members are motivated to stay current in best
practices and are experienced at delivering these
practices to the schools in a user friendly
framework.
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What do they know?

• Applied Behavior Analysis
• Discrete Trial Training (DTT)
• Picture Exchange Communication System
• TEACCH methodology
• Floortime Natural Environment Teaching
• Social Stories
• Use of Visuals

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• Social skill training
• Sensory Integration
• Anger Management
• Classroom Management
• Communication systems
• Assistive Technology
• Video Self Modeling

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• Parent (home-school) communication
• Transition
• Behavior analysis and behavior plan development
• Model programs
• Data collection

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ART does not endorse any one intervention
strategy or philosophy, instead preferring to do
what is best for the individual student with
autism. Most strategies include elements that
address alleviating the stress and uncertainty
many youngsters with autism experience at school
and the importance of social skill instruction.
Members have received hands-on training in a
variety of intervention methodologies, including
TEACCH and Applied Behavioral Analysis, and
attended workshops featuring many experts in the
field.
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The Coversheet Form serves as a guide through the
necessary forms to fill out, as well as other
needed documents, to refer a child to the Autism
Resource Team. ART will work expeditiously once
the referral is received and will assist teachers
implement recommendations. Follow up visits and
fine tuning of recommendations are integral
components of what ART does.
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2006 The University of North Carolina at Chapel
Hill Division TEACCH
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Lets look at a referral packet

• Coversheet
• Referral Information Sheet
• Reinforcer Inventory
• Parental Consent
• Background Information Form
• Sensory System Behavior Inventory
• ABC Data

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• Autism Resource Team
• Whitfield County Schools
• Exceptional Student Services
• 201 East Tyler Street
• Phone [phone]
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• Request for Consultation
• Coversheet
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• Student _______________________ School
  ______________________
•  
• Teacher ______________________ Date
  ________________________
•  
• All items in the below checklist must be included
  in the referral packet
•  
• _____ Coversheet
•  
• _____ ART Consent to Evaluate Form signed by
  parent
•  

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Other Information Requested as Needed

• Problem Behavior Questionnaire
• Motivation Assessment Scales
• Assessments administered school psychologists
  such as autism rating scales or ADOS.
• Medical and psychiatric reports

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Who get the call?

• Not all members called every time
• Determined by needs of the child
• Timeline given

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What do they do?

• Analyze referral data
• Observe
• Interview
• Write interpretations and recommendations

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Lets look at a report
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Characteristics of Effective Programs for
Children with Autism

• Individualized support and services for students
  and families
• Systematic instruction
• Comprehensible/ structured learning environments
• Specialized curriculum content
• Functional approach to problem behavior
• Family involvement.

Iovannone, R., Dunlap, G. Huber, H. and Kincaid,
D (2003). Effective educational Practices for
students with autism spectrum disorders. Focus on
autism and other Developmental disabilities. Fall
18, 3 p 150.
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Whats Next?

• Do we leave?

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• Stimulus Control
• Any behavior that is more likely to occur in the
  presence of the stimuli that accompanied the
  behavior when it was reinforced in the past.

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Sharers of Knowledge
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Helping Children with Autism Succeed

• Timely topics
• Both ART team members and special guests present
• Parent Panel
• Student Panel

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Student Panel
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• Ruthie Rule
• Coordinator for Exceptional Students
• Whitfield County Schools
• [phone]
• Kathy Reed
• Coordinator for Exceptional Students
• Whitefield County Schools
• [phone]