NOTE: Copies of the IEP/ARD Documents may be downloaded for personal,educational,or medical use without seeking permission. For use in seminars or papers, please cite Nancy Dalrymple, PhD and Lisa Ruble, PhD as the authors. Any use in printed publications or by other organizations requires written permission from the authors. Please contact  Nancy Dalrymple, PhD or, Lisa Ruble, PhD

Communicating to the Student

Be concrete and specific____
Avoid using vague terms like later, maybe, "why did you do that?"____
Slow down the pace____
If necessary for understanding, break tasks down into smaller steps____
Use gestures, modeling, and demonstrations with verbalization____
Provide accurate, prior information about change____
Provide accurate, prior information about expectations____
Specifically engage attention visually, verbally, or physically____
Avoid idioms, double meanings, and sarcasm____

Encouraging Communication with the Student

Pause, listen, and wait____
Watch and listen to attempts to respond____
Respond positively to attempts____
Model correct format without correction____
Encourage input and choice when possible____

Social Supports

Protect the child from bullying and teasing____
Praise classmates when they treat _________with compassion____
Create cooperative learning situations where _______can share his/her proficiencies____
Establish a "buddy system" in each class____
Build in time to watch, encourage watching and physical proximity____
Practice on specific skills through natural activities with one peer____
Practice on specific skills through natural activities with a few peers____
Structured activities with set interaction patterns and roles____
Focus on social process rather than end product____
Specific teaching, rehearsal, practicing, and modeling in natural settings of the following skills:

turn-taking____complimenting____negotiating____responding____inviting____waiting____
greeting____repairing breakdowns____joining others____accepting answers of others____
accepting success of others____taking the lead____following ideas of others____
joking and teasing____

Shared interests using interests and strengths____
Teacher or school personnel advocate who will problem-solve and facilitate____
Individualize social stories giving specific situations emphasizing descriptions and perspectives____
Concentrate on changing unacceptable behaviors and ignore those that are simply "odd"____

Environment and Routine

Provide a predictable and safe environment____
Minimize transitions____
Offer consistent daily routine____
Avoid surprises, prepare__________________thoroughly and in advance for special activities, altered schedules, or other changes, regardless of how minimal____
Talk________________through stressful situations or remove him/her from the stressful situation____
Provide personal space in resource or other room for relaxation____
Reduce distractions and sensory overloads____ noise____vision____smell____
Allow modifications as needed to deal with sensitivity to touch issues, such as immersing hand in gooey liquid____

Presentation of Material

Presented visually____
written____demonstration____pictured and written____pictured____objects____
calendars/maps/charts/diagrams____computers____video____
Use established routines____
Consistent use of expectations____
Peer tutoring____
Divide instruction into small, sequential steps____
Provide repeated opportunities to practice____
Provide needed prompts and cues____

Assessment and Assignments

Modify difficulty____
Shorten____
Alter activity____
Highlight text____
Provide choice of activity____
Learn format ahead of time through rehearsal____
Modify questions format____
Allow extra time____
Apply learning to real situations____
Provide visual cues as a way of teaching how to summarize/write____

Self Management/Behavior

Teach use of timer or other visual cues____
Individualized contract____
Provide reinforcement that is individualized____immediate____concrete____other____
Incorporate strengths and interests into daily plan____
Encourage choices and decision making where appropriate____
Analyze the purpose of behavior from student perspective____
Translate purpose into skills to be taught____
Avoid pressure to "be good" or other abstract expectations____
Avoid punitive measures that lower self esteem, increase anxiety, and are not understood:____

taking away set routines, free time, exercise____sending home____lecturing or yelling at____

Avoid disciplinary actions for behaviors that are part of the disorder, i.e.:____

avoidance of eye contact____
talking to self____
slow response time____
lack of "respect" for others____
repeating words or phrases____
upset in crowds or with noise____
anxious____
perseverating on topic of interest____
upset by change____

Homework

Individualized____
Shortened____
No more than one hour per evening____
More time____
More help____

Staying on Task

Break assignments down into small units____
Provide frequent teacher feedback and redirection____
Provide time in resource or special education room for completion of homework and classwork____
Sit_________next to buddy so buddy can remind_________to return to task or listen to lesson____
If necessary, lessen homework expectations____

Back to Sample IEP Letter
Document 1   Behaviors That May Be Challenges For an Autistic Spectrum Student
Document 3   IEP Goals

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