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Welcome Back
The start to the 2020-2021 school year is very different than any other. The North Carolina Department of Public Instruction (NCDPI) Autism Team is on the journey with you in learning new ways to educate our students. Please know that we appreciate you and are here to support you through technical assistance, professional learning and ongoing support. Thank you for all you do for our students with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD), and all students, in North Carolina.
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NCDPI Autism Team Updates
Google Site:
In June, the Exceptional Children (EC) Division launched the new NCDPI Autism Team Google Site. This site provides information and resources regarding ASD for educators and other interested stakeholders.
Fall Autism Support Team Meetings:
Autism Support Team meetings will be held on October 14, 2020 from:
- 11:00 A.M. - 1:00 P.M. for the Piedmont-Triad, Southwest, Northwest and Western regions. Access registration at https://bit.ly/3k5srtJ
- 2:00 - 4:00 for the Northeast, Southeast, North Central and Sandhills regions. Access registration at https://bit.ly/33lBtvU
Registration will close on October 7, 2020.
Professional Learning:
This year, professional learning offered by the NCDPI Autism Team will be provided through a virtual format. Currently we are developing Using Visual Supports to Provide Structure in the Learning Environment (previously Foundations of Autism) and Supporting Students with ASD in the Elementary General Education Setting. These two courses will be housed in Canvas. Further information will be provided once these courses are published. We will also be providing other professional learning opportunities throughout the year and will communicate that information as it is forthcoming.
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NCDPI Online Resources
NCDPI has a variety of online resources available to support the needs of educators. See below to access information for supporting your instructional practices:
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NCDPI Exceptional Children Division Parent Newsletter
The EC Division has a developed a listserv, Exceptional Children Information for Parents, as a method to ensure parents have access to the work of the Division.
This listserv is available to anyone who wishes to receive information.
Click here for directions on how to register for the listserv.
Click here to read the latest edition of Exceptional Children Information for Parents.
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Featured Evidence-Based Practice: Self Management
*From the Autism Focused Intervention Resources and Modules published by The National Professional Development Center on Autism Spectrum Disorder “Self-Management (SM) Evidence Based Practices (EBP) Brief Packet.” The National Professional Development Center on Autism Spectrum Disorder; Autism Focused Intervention Resources and Modules, 2020.
What are EBPs? - Practices that scientific research has shown effective for use with individuals with autism.
Self-management systems can be used to increase desired behaviors and/or decrease interfering behaviors of individuals with ASDs by teaching them how to:
- monitor their own behavior,
- record their performance, and
- obtain reinforcement when their performance meets a pre-established behavior criterion.
Steps for implementing self-management include:
Planning:
- Conduct a functional behavior assessment (if appropriate)
- Identify reinforcers
- Develop a data collection system
- Determine initial criteria
- Select self-monitoring recording and cueing devices
- Teach learner to demonstrate correct behavior
- Teach learner to use self-recording system
Using:
- Provide cues
- Teach learner to self-record behavior in target setting
- Teach learner to gain access to reinforcement
Monitoring:
- Conduct checks to determine if learner accurately self-records
- Increase criterion, session length, and interval length
- Determine next steps based on learner progress
For more information about self-management and other EBPs, please follow these links:
The National Professional Development Center on Autism Spectrum Disorder
Autism Focused Intervention Resources and Modules - Self-Management
Autism Internet Modules
Technology Corner: Digital Tools to Support Students with Autism Spectrum Disorder
In the world of remote learning, educators are relying more than ever on digital resources to support the engagement and instructional needs of students. It's difficult to know where to start when searching for the most effective digital tools, given the plethora of resources available. Before delving into purchasing and utilizing a digital resource for students with ASD, it is best to think through the framework outlined below to ensure that the instructional tool can support individualization.
- Know the instructional goal
- Have a strong understanding of the unique strengths and needs of the student
- Understand what High Leverage Practices and Evidence-Based Practices can be utilized to support the needs of the student to meet the instructional goals
- Identify digital resources to be utilized
The NCDPI Autism Team has developed a few resources to support the use of this framework when making decisions of digital tools use:
*The digital tools included in these resources are not promoted or endorsed by NCDPI.
Professional Learning Brief: Autism at-a-Glance - Internet Safety for Teens with Autism
*Excerpts from The Center on Secondary Education for Students with Autism Spectrum Disorder (CSESA) Autism-at-Glance Internet Safety for Teens with Autism, February 2016
Our world continues to move in a digital direction, even more-so during the time of being in a pandemic. Digital communication is now the norm. Social media may be an accessible venue for adolescents with ASD to build and maintain social relationships, as well as learn new things and explore their interests. While there are benefits of using the internet to support social communication for students with ASD, there are also risks. It is important to teach students these risks and ways to protect themselves.
Risks to Internet Safety:
- Fixation on games or social networking sites
- Exposure to inappropriate material
- Predators
- Cyberbullying
Teaching Internet Safety:
- Use visual supports
- Use role playing
- Create social narratives, scripts or social stories
Contact Us
*****Please Note***** Replying to the email for this newsletter will not result in contacting a Consultant for Autism. You must use the email addresses supplied below.
For questions, concerns, comments, or to be added as a direct recipient of the newsletter, please feel free to email us at ncauteam@gmail.com or contact one of the consultants via the contact information listed below.
Contact information for the NCDPI Consultants for Autism are as follows:
Maureen Kaniuka
Regions/Districts: Northeast and Southeast
Email: maureen.kaniuka@dpi.nc.gov
Phone: 984.236.2619
Nancy Childress
Regions/Districts: North Central and Sandhills
Email: nancy.childress@dpi.nc.gov
Phone: 984.236.2556
Amanda Passmore
Regions/Districts: Piedmont-Triad and Southwest
Email: amanda.passmore@dpi.nc.gov
Phone: 984.236.2618
Heidi Carico
Regions/Districts: Northwest and Western
Email: heidi.carico@dpi.nc.gov
Phone: 984.236.2620
General Team Email
asdteam@dpi.nc.gov
To find out which region/educational district you are in, please follow this link or refer to the map below:
Follow the NCDPI Exceptional Children Division on Twitter @ncecdivision
Please feel free to forward this email at your discretion. Important Notice: If you forward this email and the person you forward it to clicks to unsubscribe, you will also be unsubscribed from the newsletter.
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