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Meghan Hammer

From KNILT

Return to: ETAP 623 Fall 2014 taught by Byrne Systematic Design of Instruction

Go to: Meghan Hammer's Bio Page | Mini Course Overview

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Introduction/Purpose

If you asked a person on the street if they heard about autism, they would most likely say yes, but if you asked that same person to describe it, few would be able to provide you with an accurate description. They might be able to list some aspects that an autistic child or person might possess, but few would know there are other diagnoses that are under the umbrella of autism spectrum disorder. My interest in this topic comes from working one-to-one with a ten-year old boy classified as non-verbal autistic within the home and community for over two years. For my mini-course, I would like to discuss the autism spectrum disorder. I will cover the topics of defining all the diagnoses that are encompassed under autism spectrum disorder before focusing mostly on autism. I will go over the signs and symptoms, the process of diagnosing a child, and treatments, therapies, and approaches that are used with children/adults with autism inside and outside the classroom.

Needs Assessment

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Instructional Problem

If you witnessed a child having a in public, what would your perspective be with the situation? Would you think it was due to a child's inability to communicate which is part of their diagnosis? People who are diagnosed with an autism spectrum disorder look just like everyone else so people might view the child as just having a tantrum because they are not happy with their parent's response. With 1 out of 68 children being diagnosed with ASD, it is crucial that as many people learn the facts about ASD and how to appropriately take care of children with ASD, especially to promote the most successful learning environmnet.

What is to be Learned

Participants will learn about-

  • The different diagnoses under Autism Spectrum Disorder
  • The characteristics of someone who is diagnosed as Autistic
  • The signs to look for in order to determine if someone should be diagnosed as Autistic
  • The diagnosing process for someone who might be autistic
  • The possible treatments and therapies used for someone with Autism
  • The strategies used inside and outside the classroom

The Learners

Individuals who will refer to this mini course are current educators, potential educators, individuals in related fields, as well as families with individuals with autism spectrum disorder. The users are both intrinsically and extrinsically motivated.

Context for Instruction

This mini-course will be completed individually, at the individual's own pace. This course will be accessible by their own computers or at any other device that has access to the internet. Teachers will be able to complete the mini-course inside or outside of their school settings. Since it can be accessed within the school settings, this can provide teachers to complete it collaboratively, which can provide them with richer interaction and reflection of the material.

Goals for this Mini-Course

  • The learners will be able to distinguish between the different diagnoses under Autism Spectrum Disorder
  • The learners will be able to identify signs and symptoms of someone with Autism
  • The learners will be able to explain the process of diagnosing someone with Autism
  • The learners will be able to describe treatments and therapies used for someone with Autism
  • The learners will be able to implement different strategies inside and outside of the classroom for someone with Autism

Analysis of the Learner and Context

Intended Audience:

Any individual that is interested or has experience in working with children diagnosed with an Autism Spectrum Disorder. These individuals may be current educators, potential educators, individuals in related fields, as well as families with individuals with autism spectrum disorder. The users are both intrinsically and extrinsically motivated.

Pre-requisite skills: In order to participate in this mini course learners must:

  • Have access to a computer
  • Have access to the internet
  • Have the basic knowledge about the internet and troubleshooting

Performance Objective

  • The learners will be able to distinguish between the different diagnoses under Autism Spectrum Disorder
  • The learners will be able to identify signs and symptoms of someone with Autism
  • The learners will be able to explain the process of diagnosing someone with Autism
  • The learners will be able to describe treatments and therapies used for someone with Autism
  • The learners will be able to implement different strategies inside and outside of the classroom for someone with Autism

Task Analysis

Unit 1: What are the different diagnoses under Autism Spectrum Disorder?

  • The learners will be able to identify the different diagnoses under Autism Spectrum Disorder
  • The learners will be able to distinguish between the different diagnoses under Autism Spectrum Disorder

Unit 2: What is Autism?

  • The learners will be able to describe Autism
  • The learners will be able to identify signs and symptoms of someone with Autism

Unit 3: How do we diagnosis someone for Autism?

  • The learners will be able to explain the process of diagnosing someone with Autism
  • The learners will be able to identify three different tests used to diagnosis someone with Autism

Unit 4: What are the possible treatments and therapies used for someone with Autism?

  • The learners will be able to describe treatments and therapies used for someone with Autism

Unit 5: What strategies can be used for someone with Autism inside and outside of the classroom?

  • The learners will be able to implement different strategies inside and outside of the classroom for someone with Autism
  • The learners will be able to implement strategies for verbal and non verbal autistic child

Curriculum Map

Unit 1: What are the diagnoses under Autism Spectrum Disorder?

Objective: The learners will be able to distinguish between the different diagnoses under Autism Spectrum Disorder

Activities:

  • Read about the characteristics displayed by someone with Asperger's syndrome, Childhood Disintegrative Disorder, Rett's syndrome, Pervasive Developmental Disorder, and Autism
  • Watch a video about famous people who might have been diagnosed with Asperger's syndrome and a girl's story about Rett's syndrome
  • Answer the following questions:
  1. What are the differences of each type of diagnosis under Autism Spectrum Disorder?
  2. What diagnosis/diagnoses have you encountered?
  3. What was the most memorable thing(s) that you learned from this unit?

Unit 2: What is Autism?

Objective: The learners will be able to identify the signs and symptoms of someone with Autism

Activities:

  • Watch a video to see if you could spot the autistic child at a party
  • Read about the characteristics, signs and symptoms of someone with Autism
  • Watch two more videos about the signs and symptoms that a child with Autism may display
  • Answer the following questions:
  1. What is Autism?
  2. At what age should someone start looking for signs of autism in a child?
  3. List five signs that a child may be autistic.

Unit 3: How do you diagnose someone for Autism?

Objective: The learners will be able to explain the process of diagnosing someone with Autism

Activities:

  • Read about the areas focused on in order to test a child for Autism and the members involved in the diagnosis process
  • Visit websites that describe how a child is diagnosed according to the Modified Checklist for Autism in Toddlers, Revised (M-CHAT-R) and the International Statistical Classification of Diseases and Related Health Problems Tenth Edition (ICD-10)
  • Watch a video that describes how a child is diagnosed according to the Diagnostic & Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders Fourth Edition (DSM-IV-TSM)
  • Answer the following questions:
  1. What are the three areas that specialists focus on in order to determine whether a child has autism or does not, regardless of which test is used?
  2. When should a child be screened for Autism?

Unit 4: What are the possible treatments and therapies used for someone with Autism?

Objective: The learners will be able to describe treatments and therapies used for someone with Autism.

Activities:

  • Read about he potential benefits of using nutritional interventions or alternative treatments with someone who has Autism
  • Read about the most popular nutritional interventions used with someone with Autism
  • Visit websites about additional nutritional interventions
  • Read about some alternative treatments used with someone with Autism
  • Visit websites about additional alternative treatments
  • Answer the following questions:
  1. What is your opinion on these different types of interventions and treatments? Do you think they help a person with autism deal with their symptoms better?
  2. Do you have any experience with any of these interventions or treatments?

Unit 5: What strategies can be used for someone with Autism inside and outside of the classroom?

Objective: The learners will be able to implement different strategies inside and outside of the classroom for someone with Autism.

Activities:

  • Read about strategies to use for autistic children with verbal skills or with little to no verbal skills
  • Visit websites that provide additional information on visual tools and assistive technology
  • Answer the following questions:
  1. What strategies have you heard about/worked with for children with autism?
  2. What strategies will you now use with children with autism?
  • Watch a video about a public reaction to a child exhibiting behaviors like an autistic child would

References and Resources

Websites:

Videos:

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