College Admissions Testing and Autism

This contribution is from Parent Advocate/Trainer Nancy Popkin.

Back when my son was diagnosed with autism, I couldn’t imagine him going to college, let alone surviving his school years. But here we are, sixteen years post diagnosis, with a high school graduate who is now a college freshman. If college is in your child’s future, now is a good time to start planning. There are so many steps along the road to college for anyone and the path is more circuitous for someone with an autism spectrum disorder, but here I want to address one step along the way, college admissions testing.

Possible Standardized Tests
Most colleges today require students to submit scores for the SAT or ACT as part of the application process. These tests are administered by the College Board and the ACT (formerly American College Testing Program), respectively. In addition, some students with autism diagnoses may be taking AP (Advanced Placement) Exams, also administered by the College Board. But even before your child takes his/her first SAT or ACT, there is the PSAT/NMSQT. If your child is following the standard course of study and working toward a Future-Ready Core Diploma Track, they will most likely have their first exposure to college testing with the PSAT in October of the tenth grade year.

Accommodations
The test will be administered by your child’s high school, but here’s the catch: your child’s testing accommodations, as outlined by the IEP, do not automatically apply to the PSAT or subsequent standardized tests. There are steps you must take, beyond the IEP to assure that your child has testing accommodations for the PSAT and any other College Board tests that will follow. The same is true for the ACT. To learn more about the testing accommodation process, what documentation is required, and the timing for applying, check here for the PSAT, SAT, and AP exams,  and here for the ACT.

For the most part, there is someone, either a school counselor or testing coordinator, who applies for the testing accommodations for your child. Your child’s EC teacher should be able to tell you who this is at your school. I would encourage parents to be proactive and contact this person in 9th grade to get this process started rather than waiting for them to contact you. The accommodation application needs to be submitted seven weeks or more before the test your child will take. So if you are planning for the PSAT administration in tenth grade, the end of August is the latest you should be filing for testing accommodations. Even earlier is better as sometimes the College Board will request more documentation before granting some of the accommodations, so time for this further submission should be provided.

Some more unusual accommodations may not be approved. One accommodation my son had on his IEP was to take all tests in pencil (some of his teachers required essays in pen). We applied for this accommodation well in advance of the AP US History exam (also administered by College Board) but it was denied. This gave us time to demo tons of different types of pens and have him practice writing with the best one so he could pull off the essay (he did great).

Once the accommodations are set, you will not need to reapply for each test. You will just need to bring the accommodations confirmation letter your son/daughter receives to each test he/she takes.

Preparing for Test Day
With the exception of the PSAT, you will need to register for testing days on your own if your son/daughter is taking the SAT or ACT. Go to the respective links provided earlier to find out possible test dates for the respective tests. To determine which tests you need to take, you will need to begin a college search and find out which tests are required by the colleges to which your son or daughter is hoping to apply. Don’t leave testing to the last minute in case a retest is desired to get a better score. For some students taking the test twice is a good idea. The first time is for getting used to taking the test as there will be some new experiences when taking the test. The second time things will be more familiar.

Once you have registered for the test, put it on a calendar and come up with a plan for preparing. There are tons of study guides out there. College Board will email a single practice question every day if you want. We actually did not have our son do too much preparing for the PSAT or SAT. We didn’t want him to get anxious about it and we weren’t sure if he would generalize the practice to the actual test. For other students, it may be appropriate to review the different sorts of math problems and verbal reasoning questions to expect, as well as the expectations for the writing section.

Closer to test day, make a schedule for your son or daughter to know how the day will proceed. The College Board tells you exactly what you are allowed to bring into the testing location. They are very strict about this, so discuss this in advance as well. Get these things ready the night before the test. There is lots of good information about what to expect on the College Board website.

On Test Day
On test day, you will not be allowed to escort your son or daughter to the proper room or talk to the proctor, so make sure they know how to self-advocate if they need to. This is especially important if they are taking the test in a school other than their own high school, where things are familiar.

My son took the SAT at an unfamiliar high school, so I went ahead and prepared a page for him to give to the proctor in his testing room. He and I discussed this in advance and he helped me write the page. We provided his name and contact information and my contact information at the top. If you choose to do this, keep it brief and simple. We also provided the following information on this page:

Gray has a diagnosis of autism. Things he might do that are due to his autism:

Make audible silly sounds.
Pop out of his seat and flap his arms or hands.
Sit on his knees and hang his head below the seat of the chair.
Make grunting sounds if he is frustrated.
When frustrated or scolded, he may hit his head with his fists.

Please redirect Gray by telling him what he should be doing instead.

Gray may need help when using a telephone, finding a restroom, or knowing when he can have a break.

On test day, I did take my son into the testing location front door and immediately found an adult to help him figure out where he was to go. I had my phone on and hung out at a coffee shop near by. If your child has extended time, the testing session will last 50% longer than other students. So expect to pick up your child five and a half hours later.

When Gray came out of the testing center, he was accompanied by someone who clearly was making sure he got out of the building safely. She even reported that he did great! He looked at me and said, “You owe me!” I do find it so ironic that the kids who need to get up and move around the most, have to stay the longest to take these tests, so I agreed with him. I did owe him and told him how proud I was that he handled the stress of the test and a strange location so well! I offered to do whatever he wanted for the rest of the day! But all he wanted was a Hershey Bar! Wish granted.

These standardized tests are just one step of many in preparing for a college experience. With careful planning, our kids can have a positive testing experience and do their best. Then it is on to the application, college visits, deciding where to go and moving on!!

A great resource is the book, Realizing the College Dream with Autism and Asperger Syndrome by Ann Palmer, available at the Autism Society of North Carolina Bookstore.

Written by Nancy Popkin, Parent Advocate/Trainer. To contact Nancy, please send an email to: npopkin@autismsociety-nc.org.

 

Structure – an Important Teaching Tool

Editor’s Note – This article was written by Amy Hobbs, Training Coordinator for the Autism Society of North Carolina. To read Amy’s bio click here.

It was Sunday and a new group of campers had arrived in the afternoon. I was called to the old dining hall to assist a counselor who was having trouble getting a young camper back to the group lodge to take a shower and get ready for bed. The four-year old camper who I’ll call Alex was at Mountain Adventure Camp for the first time. It was Alex’s, first time ever spending the night away from his home. Alex did not speak and to communicate his needs he typically cried, flopped to the floor and banged his head. Lucky for Alex, he was attending a camp that was specifically designed for individuals with autism.

Alex was wandering aimlessly around the dining hall, but every time his counselor tried to direct him towards the door, he flopped to the floor. Alex did not understand the pictures that the counselor was showing him that represented the Group Lodge nor did he understand the words used to explain that it was time to take a shower.

The old dining hall had lots of tables and chairs and also lots of doors leading to the outside. When Alex flopped to the floor the next time, we opened the nearest door and simply pulled chairs in around him making a corral with the only opening being a door to the outside. It took Alex about 30 seconds to stand up, look around and then walk straight out the open door.

I remember the look of amazement on that counselor’s face as he watched Alex walk out the door. He never forgot that example of using physical structure and how it helped Alex to understand what we wanted him to do.

Sometimes when students with autism are in inclusion settings, they have trouble attending to their work because of all the distractions in the room such as other students talking or moving around or people coming in and out of the door. Planning seating arrangements for these students to optimize their success in the mainstreamed setting is crucial. It might be that sitting on the front row or away from the main door will be enough to reduce the distractions. Another student might benefit from having a desk that faces the wall to help them concentrate on the work in front of them.

The simplicity of using the physical structure in the environment to address behavioral challenges is sometimes overlooked. However, the first step to addressing a behavior problem or instructional challenge is to make sure that the individual with autism understands the expectations. Often when the demands are clarified through moving the furniture or adding visual supports, then the behavior challenge dissipates.

The training department offers training on using a structured approach to teaching individuals with autism. For more information on this and other available trainings, click here.

Amy Hobbs can be contacted via email at ahobbs@autismsociety-nc.org or by telephone at 828-236-1547 or 800-442-2762, ext. 1501.

Communication is Key!

Editor’s Note – The following post was written by Autism Society of North Carolina Parent Advocate/Trainer Juliette Heim.

For some of our children, the beginning of the school year has already begun, and for others, school is just around the corner. There is often uncertainty, anxiety, and the fear of the unknown that accompanies this transition time, when we leave behind the fun of summer and adjust back into the structure of the school year. The stress and excitement can be overwhelming for families.

As a parent of a child with autism, I would like to share with you some tips and strategies that I have applied over the years that have been helpful in easing much of the tension that accompanies the beginning of a new school year.

I make it a point to meet with each and every new teacher that will be working with my child during the school year. I clear my schedule to accommodate their availability. I want to subtly demonstrate my view of the importance of this meeting without sounding rude or demanding. It is important to set a positive tone for a good teacher/parent relationship. This is key because first impressions can make or break a good teacher/parent relationship. Be flexible but assertive!

If possible, it is always a thoughtful gesture to bring flowers or a small box of chocolates to show your appreciation for the hard work that teachers do.

Be prepared for meetings. Write down your questions and or concerns ahead of time and take notes. Do not be hesitant to ask questions. The only “dumb” question is one that is left unasked if it is of importance to you.

Keep in mind that if your child has an IEP (Individual Educational Program) or a 504 Plan these are designed by ALL team members. Parents and teachers work together on the same team. Team members should keep one another informed of both challenges and progress. Any additions or changes to an IEP or 504 Plan are handled with a group effort.

Follow up with the teacher after each meeting. Remember to thank them, either in an e-mail or a simple thank you card. Teachers, just like all of us, want their hard work to be appreciated and they will remember that you took the time to acknowledge their effort. If you have several topics that were discussed, send an e-mail outlining the conversation, and be sure to thank them for their time and dedication in helping your child to succeed.

IEPs and 504 Plans are outlined on a standardized form, but minutes of team meetings will also be kept by one of the staff. A copy should be presented to you, but if not, request a copy.

Over the years, my child, Logan, has had some very talented teachers, as well as some that just could not “think outside of the box” or did not communicate well with me. I had to be consistent and diplomatic even when it was challenging. I continued to show my appreciation for their efforts. I made adjustments and kept a good stream of communication between us.

A gentle approach works better for any relationship than anger or negativity, and you will be more likely to help your child if everyone is willing to collaborate. Remember the old adage, “You can catch more flies with honey than with vinegar.” Using diplomacy and appreciation, while displaying self-confidence, is a great way to introduce yourself and your child.

As a Parent Advocate for The Autism Society of North Carolina working out of the Asheville office, I am here for you if you have any questions or concerns that you would like to discuss. I can be reached at: jheim@autismsociety-nc.org or you can call me at my office at 828-236-1547, ext. 1508.

I hope you and your children have a successful start to the school year!

Homeschooling Information – Factors to Consider

Editor’s Note – The following article is a compilation of information from Bridget Mora, a parent from Chapel Hill, who produced an article that appears on the ASNC website and did a great deal of research and Linda Griffin, Parent Advocate Director. Thanks to both of these ladies for their work to compile, condense, and share this information.

Every parent wants the best education for their children. While the Autism Society of North Carolina does not recommend one particular school or educational model over another, some of our families have found homeschooling to be an appropriate way to educate their child with autism. We have prepared a guide to provide information about homeschooling in North Carolina and to direct parents to resources to help you make an informed decision about whether homeschooling might be the right choice for your child with Autism Spectrum Disorder and your entire family.

If you are considering homeschooling, you probably have a lot of questions. The guide provides answers to a few of the most commonly asked questions about homeschooling in North Carolina like:

• Do I need to be a certified teacher?
• Do I need to follow a specific curriculum?
• Can I work and homeschool my child?
• Is a homeschool exempt from testing?
• How will a homeschooled child be socialized?
• If my child with ASD had an IEP in public school, can he continue to receive special education (EC) services at home?
• Can a homeschooled child attend college?
• How can I get started with homeschooling?

There are many different reasons why a parent might choose to homeschool their child with autism. The specific factors that go into the decision will vary depending on the unique needs of the child, but there are certain considerations that are often at the heart of the matter. These are some of the reasons that families may consider homeschooling and are discussed in some detail within the guide:

• Individualized Education
• Learning Style of the Child
• Safety / Bullying
• Emotional Health of the Child and Family
• Dissatisfaction / Frustration

The decision to homeschool your child is not to be made lightly. While homeschooling can have many benefits, there can also be some considerable challenges involved. The challenges are discussed in detail in our guide.

The Homeschooling guide also includes the legal requirements for starting and maintaining a homeschool. There is also a list of types of homeschools, supplementary educational resources , and a discussion regarding the opportunities for social activities.

Most recently the General Assembly approved an Education Tax Credit for families who homeschool their children. It is important to understand how that works. Families whose child with a disability was previously enrolled in a public school who decide to remove him for homeschooling (or private schooling) may be eligible to claim the Education Tax Credit for Children with Disabilities on their North Carolina state income taxes. The tax credit is for up to $6,000 annually ($3,000 per semester), if you meet the requirements. To qualify for the credit, children must:

1. Have been in a public school the previous two semesters (or if in pre-school have been receiving special education services through the public school), and
2. Have an Individualized Education Program (IEP) and have been receiving special education or related services on a daily basis.
3. Be reevaluated by the public schools every three years to continue to qualify for the credit. The cost of the reevaluation will be paid by the public school. Children may qualify through high school, up to the age of 22; the credit does not count for college education.

For more information, please visit our website or contact your tax professional.

There are numerous supports and resources available for families who homeschool, both in North Carolina and on the level national. These are listed in the guide along with contact information:

• North Carolina Homeschooling Resources
• National Homeschooling Resources
• Twice Exceptional Homeschooling Resources
• Christian Homeschooling Resources
• Structured Teaching Resources for Homeschooling Children with Autism
• Distance learning resources

The Autism Society of North Carolina bookstore is an excellent place to find books about autism, education, and homeschooling. There are many helpful book titles listed in the guide.

Additionally our guide discusses how to get back into public school should you later decide that homeschooling is not working out or that it is simply time to move into another educational venue.

An ASNC Parent Advocate may be able to provide you with additional contacts and resources related to homeschooling in your local area. Your local ASNC chapter can also be a place to connect with others who homeschool and gather additional insight.

Linda Griffin can be reached via email at lgriffin@autismsociety-nc.org.

Responding to Disruptive Behavior in the Classroom

Editor’s Note – The following article was written by Amy F. Hobbs, Training Specialist for the Autism Society of North Carolina.

In teaching students with autism spectrum disorders, it’s helpful to implement a variety of strategies for dealing with disruptions, distractions and inappropriate behavior. First, take the time to get to know your students and establish a positive relationship with each one. Learn what is important and interesting to them and program lessons based upon these interests to increase motivation and engagement. Understand and accept each student’s limitations while using positive praise to acknowledge their accomplishments. Understand how your students communicate and how they best understand information presented to them. Learn the most effective communication style for each student and give them repeated opportunities to communicate appropriately and receive reinforcement for doing so.

Teachers need to be aware of what is going on in the classroom at all times. When there is inappropriate behavior that is interfering with learning in the classroom, it is important for the teacher to respond quickly. Teachers need to have “eyes in the back of their head” to prevent inappropriate behaviors and/or address them before they escalate into bigger concerns.

Because of the unique social challenges of students with autism, some strategies will likely work better than others. For example, eye contact and name dropping may go unnoticed by a student with autism; whereas redirection can be a great tool. If implemented quickly enough redirection can prevent escalation of inappropriate behavior and help a student regain their focus and complete their work. For example, if a student is off task and tapping a pencil loudly on a table, the teacher can redirect them back to their assignment and give them something soft to tap the pencil on or remind them to squeeze a stress ball instead.

Many times teachers mistakenly think that if they put students with autism in the regular education class then they will figure everything else out on their own. In most cases, it doesn’t happen that way. Students with autism need to be taught right from wrong as well as how to interact with other children. They typically don’t learn social skills as easily or in the same way as other students and social understanding does not come naturally for them. Also, these students often don’t connect consequences with their behavior. So, it’s important for teachers to be purposeful, clear and utilize visual supports to ensure understanding.

Inappropriate behaviors can be addressed and minimized by looking at the individual needs of the student. Identify potential distractions in the classroom like noises, lighting, windows or movement of other students. Then think about the design of the classroom and how you can best arrange it to minimize those distractions and meet the needs of the students. Using dividers to section the room, arranging students’ desks to reduce visual distractions, keeping the noise level of the room down, softening harsh or bright lights and modifying other potential distractions are examples of structuring the classroom for success.

Once I was consulting on a student who was not completing his work. The teacher had all the student’s desks in the middle of the room facing the front board. I suggested having an independent work station for this child that was facing a wall. This helped tremendously because it reduced the visual distractions of the room and he was able to focus on his work. Another time a teacher was having problems with a student scratching and pinching her arm while she attempted to teach him. The teacher was seated beside the student and I simply suggested that she work with him from across a table to give a little bit more space. We also developed a visual work system that clearly defined for the student what work they needed to complete and what would happen next. The student gained a better understanding of what he needed to do and could see how much he needed to complete before he was finished. As a result, he began to complete his work with no pinching and scratching.

Another student was disrupting the class by climbing on top of bookshelves, window sills and cabinets and jumping off. We considered the high activity level of this child and his need to jump and climb and created some new options for him. First we brought a trampoline into the classroom for him to use after scheduled instruction times. He can choose the trampoline during his breaks & the teacher sets a timer for 3-5 minutes. When the bell rings the trampoline is put up. We also adjusted the schedule so that at least twice a day and more if needed, the whole class goes for a walk and has time on the playground.

Incorporating opportunities for physical exercise during the school day can help increase students’ ability to concentrate and reduce disruptive behaviors. Planning a recess time or physical activity in the morning as well as in the afternoon with additional opportunities for movement around the classroom is a must for students with short attention spans and excess energy.

For more serious, recurring behaviors, a functional behavior assessment should be completed to determine the purpose or function of the behavior followed by the development of a behavior intervention plan. It’s important to have the support of the whole team when making decisions and monitoring students with these type of behavior plans. Some things to keep in mind are:

• Be sure instructions are clear and given visually as well as verbally.
• Plan lessons using high interest materials and incorporate choices.
• Complete a behavior contract in which the student agrees to work on specific behaviors in your class.
• Spell out the positive behaviors that you want the student to engage in.
• Schedule regular times to check in with the student during the day/ and during the week as needed to give the feedback and a time to talk about things that may be issues.
• Don’t assume that a behavior is intentionally designed to trick you.

If possible, involve the student in finding solutions and writing up a behavioral contract that focuses on what he can do when he becomes upset. Identify those replacement behaviors or calming strategies and make sure that the student has support in utilizing them. For example, if he needs a break or a calm down space away from other students, then the teacher will have a place set up for him and will approve of this when he asks. It’s also important to make sure that he understands what behaviors are not acceptable, such as aggressive acts and what the consequences of those actions will be. Finding ways to keep the student motivated to follow his behavior contract, taking data on his behavior, closely monitoring his progress, and reviewing and revising it with him as needed are also important parts of the process.

Using students with challenging behaviors as peer tutors with younger, disabled students gives them an opportunity to be in a helper role. Being in a role of a peer tutor assists in developing the student’s sense of belonging and generosity. Because of the tendency of students with behavior issues to be seen as trouble makers, this positive role can help change how teachers and other student view them and can also improve their self-esteem.

Implementing a proactive approach in the classroom can prevent many disruptions or behavior problems from occurring in the first place. For higher functioning students, class meetings can be designed to address challenges in the classroom. Focusing on finding solutions with your students as opposed to giving them consequences for behavior will give them a sense of autonomy and also increase their motivation to regulate their behavior. Having regularly scheduled class meeting times will give lots of opportunities for input from the students. The meetings can be the whole class, small groups or individual meetings based on the present needs of the class. Teaching calming strategies and appropriate ways of expressing anger can also be incorporated into the class meetings.

In closing, I think that in order to have a positive impact on behavior, using proactive, preventive techniques are vital. Focusing on the classroom structure, consistency and predictability as well as establishing positive relationships and involving students in finding solutions are all equally important in creating a positive classroom environment.

For additional information and/or consultation please email Amy at ahobbs@autismsociety-nc.org. For a complete list of workshops available through the Autism Society of North Carolina Training Department, click here .