SPED 382 - Autism Spectrum Disorders

Institution:

Point Park University

Subject:

SPECIAL EDUCATION

Description:

Course Description: This course will provide an introduction to children with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD). The material will include current research on causes, characteristic, assessment and treatment of this disorder. The students will receive an overview of the information necessary for a teacher to be adequately informed if they have a student in their class with ASD. The students will also learn the importance of collaborating with other team members in order to support a student with ASD as they progress through the educational system. Areas covered include assessment, evidence-based practices, applied behavioral analysis, and the importance of social skills and communication learning. The students will also have the opportunities to observe students with ASD in the classrooms and in other therapeutic settings on site and through DVDs. Finally, as a part of the student depth case study of one student diagnosed on the autism spectrum focusing on the effective instructional practices, behavioral and communication supports, and assistive technology as identified in the child's individualized Education Program (IEP) plan. Course Objectives By the completion of this course, students will be able to: 1) State why educational interventions are important for individuals with autism spectrum disorders. 2) Describe how a classroom can be adapted to accommodate the needs of an individual with autism spectrum disorders. 3) Explain how research provides the evidence or empirical basis for the use of educational strategies. 4) Define the key concepts of:the principles of reinforcement, stimulus control, selecting socially important behaviors, operational definitions of behavior, generalization, and collecting and graphing data. 5)Identify strategies to prevent problem or challenging behaviors from occurring. 6) Define the following key concepts or characteristics of the autism culture according to the TEACCH approach: Focus on details, distractibility, concrete thinking, impaired organizations and sequencing skills, difficulty with generalization, atypical sense of time, and differences in learning adn neurobehavioral patterns. 7) Describe how a classroom would be organized to facilitate the use of structured teaching with a group of students with autism spectrum disorder. 8) Describe communication impairments related to autism.

Credits:

3.00

Credit Hours:

Prerequisites:

Corequisites:

Exclusions:

Level:

Instructional Type:

Lecture

Notes:

Additional Information:

Historical Version(s):

Institution Website:

www.pointpark.edu

Phone Number:

(412) 391-4100

Regional Accreditation:

Middle States Association of Colleges and Schools

Calendar System:

Semester

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