New inclusive teaching method may aid autistic students

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New inclusive teaching method may aid autistic students 3-year study testing locally created plan

http://www.courier-journal.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20061210/NEWS01/612100402

By Ungarlungar@...The Courier-Journal

The classroom was abuzz as small children gathered in groups to describe and draw the insides of pumpkins and apples. Seven-year-old Mason Coke sat among them, but also apart -- in a world seen through the prism of autism.

While other students at Spencer County Elementary School took to their task with ease, Mason struggled, writing unrecognizable words. Then, with teacher White's prompting, he picked up an orange crayon and started to color, happily announcing a few minutes later: "I did it, Miss White!"

"High five," the teacher said, lifting up her hand. "Good job."

School can be a difficult place for autistic children, but teachers can make a real difference.

Hoping to improve his chances of succeeding in school, Mason's family has enrolled him in a study evaluating a locally created program that is designed to help teachers and parents work with autistic children to bolster their strengths and deal with their weaknesses.

The three-year study of the Collaborative Model for Promoting Competence and Success is being funded with a $450,000 grant from the National Institutes of Health and is considered one of the first of its kind in the nation, according to the researchers.

This year, 20 families in 11 counties in Kentucky and Indiana are enrolled in the second year of research, led by Ruble, a psychologist who directs the Systematic Treatment of Autism and Related Disorders at the University of Louisville.

The study involves an initial meeting with parents, teachers and experts, who come up with specific goals for the child, such as following two-step directions or starting a task independently. Those goals are then written into the child's individual education plan. The discussions are followed by four coaching sessions with teachers throughout the year.

At the end of three years, results for students in the program will be compared with results from a control group. 'Build bridges'

Ruble said she eventually hopes to expand the research, and she is heartened that Congress is focusing on autism, with the House and Senate passing legislation to authorize $945 million in federal money for autism research, screening and treatment.

"What we want to do is work together on your concerns, so we can build bridges," Ruble said at the first meeting concerning Mason.

Betsy Gibbs, a founder of Turning Point for Autism in Louisville, said she applauds Ruble's focus on children with autism. But instead of "Louisville trying to make a name for itself," she said, local schools would do better to follow the lead of other states using effective methods to teach autistic children.

She pointed to a method her group supports called Applied Behavior Analysis, an approach that involves assessing behavior, then intervening to alter it.

"Sometimes, you don't want to reinvent the wheel," Gibbs said. "Being first is not as important as being right."

Although such controversy is common, most people agree that schools need to focus on the growing problem of autism.

The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention estimates that the number of children who received special education for autism and related disorders increased from 22,664 in 1994 to 141,022 in 2003. In Kentucky, state health officials estimate that about 24,000 residents are living with such disorders, up from about 1,500 in 1990.

Beth Coke, Mason's mother, said she has high hopes.

So does Myrna Rose of Lexington, who cares for her 6-year-old autistic granddaughter, Jovanna , a participant in Ruble's study last year.

Rose expressed the sentiments of both: "They're so, so capable of learning." The shock of diagnosis

Neither family knew what to expect when both Mason and Jovanna were diagnosed with autism at age 2.

No one is sure what causes the disorder. Some theorize that a vaccine preservative called thimerosal plays a big part; others believe that certain people have a genetic disposition that combines with unknown environmental factors.

Whatever the cause, symptoms can be alarming and heartbreaking.

Coke, who has two other children and drives a bus for Spencer County schools, knew something was wrong when Mason still wasn't talking as a 1-year-old and fussed loudly when he went out in public.

Jovanna suddenly stopped playing patty-cake and saying "mom-mom" and "dad-dad." She later had a seizure, Rose said.

"We just prayed, 'God help us to help this child,' " Rose said.

School posed challenges for both children, partly because academic success is often tied to social skills and communication, which are problems for children with autism.

Mason's teachers got used to his quirks, such as peeling the paper off his crayons. More challenging were his occasional temper tantrums, irrational fears and difficulties with writing.

Although Mason is more social than many autistic children, special-education teacher Darla Browning said he still doesn't make an effort to greet other students. And when he wants attention, he always asks, "Where's mommy?" Working together

Ruble, who has a 37-year-old sister with autism, develops goals around these sorts of specific problems.

One goal for Mason involves teaching him the words to use when he needs attention, while training his peers not to respond to, "Where's mommy?" Another goal is for Mason to start a task independently, without a teacher's prompting.

To achieve these goals, teachers will draw on Mason's many strengths: his strong memory; his caring, talkative nature; and his ability to read when he enjoys the material.

Coke said she hopes Ruble's research helps her child and others down the road.

Rose said participating in the study "got everybody on the same page" when it came to educating her daughter and inspired Jovanna to master important skills, such as immediately making eye contact with others. 'Real world' application

Most other autism studies funded by the National Institutes of Health deal with issues such as genetics or biochemistry, or they test specific treatments in a laboratory setting.

"What I'm trying to do," Ruble said, "is move what we know works in the clinical setting to the real world."

One thing her study doesn't do is compare types of teaching methods, which can vary by teacher or school and are often the subject of controversy among parents. What she has developed is more of a planning tool, "a way to create an individual plan for a child based on a good understanding of this child," she said.

When it comes time to evaluate the results of the study, Ruble said she'll have to separate factors that could affect whether a child meets goals, such as the severity of autism, teacher burnout or principal leadership.

Rep. Brinkman, a Louisville Republican who chairs the Kentucky Commission on Autism Spectrum Disorders, said that if the program is found to be effective, it could be applied to more Kentucky schools.

The "technical assistance manual" on autism for Kentucky schools is already based on a similar philosophy that was developed in part by Ruble.

"A lot of these kids need help. …And it's not a situation where the teachers don't care," said Brinkman, who has an adult son with autism.

"One of the real challenges is to integrate them into the classroom. And this grant could prove very, very valuable." Get free, personalized commercial-free online radio with MSN Radio powered by Pandora