We hope you'll join us this week for our 5 part Facebook series on the Texas Autism Supplement. Texas regulations (TAC 89.1055) require ARD/IEP committees to consider eleven strategies for students with autism. Schools sometimes use the term “Autism Supplement” to refer to a form that they use at ARD/IEP meetings to address these strategies.
Services for students with disabilities for students in junior high/middle and high schools present issues and problems to parents, teachers, and administrators. At these campuses most students have many teachers, and change classes after each period. Teachers feel stretched dealing with a 100+ students a day. They have difficulty keeping up with IEPs, and required accommodations, in addition to the needs of all students, and the demands on them as teachers. There is also a general attitude that the students are “old enough” to be responsible for their actions, i.e., if the student is not being successful, it is because they [...]
As the understanding of autism spectrum disorder (ASD) evolves, so do the programs and services that are designed to support people with ASD and their families. The Texas Legislature and the federal government have taken steps to expand and improve services for people with ASD, but many people still don’t have access to adequate supports and services. However, statewide planning for services and supports is challenging because understanding of ASD is evolving, individual needs can vary widely, and the availability of services does not currently meet the known demand. This article from the Texas Council for Developmental Disabilities will help you [...]
Searching for autism information on the web can be overwhelming. The word “autism” alone results in over 64 million and counting hits on Google. So, where do you turn to for the most relevant information and resources when there are so many different options? These are the top ten results: […]
Digital tools have the power to help students with learning disabilities communicate and gain confidence. It is a statistic that most Americans would probably be stunned to find is so prevalent: One of out every 68 kids in the United States is on the autism spectrum, according to data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. While it’s true that most children these days are considered “digital natives,” children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) also find themselves most comfortable with a device in their hands. In an article for the Indiana Resource Center for Autism, author Kristie Brown Lofland notes [...]
The following therapies—also called “allied health services”—address symptoms commonly associated with autism, but are not specific to the disorder. Speech-Language Therapy Most autism behavioral intensive therapy programs include speech-language therapy. With a variety of techniques, speech-language therapy addresses a range of challenges often faced by persons with autism. For instance, some individuals on the autism spectrum do not speak, while others love to talk but have difficulty using conversational speech and/or understanding the nuances of language and nonverbal cues when talking with others. Speech-language therapy is designed to coordinate the mechanics of speech with the meaning and social use of language. [...]
