Guidelines for Serving Students with Autism Spectrum Disorders in Educational Settings
Author: North Dakota Department of Public Instruction
Date: 2014-09-02
Type: Reports - Descriptive
Subjects: Autism,Pervasive Developmental Disorders,Incidence,Student Needs,Guidelines,Special Education,Vocabulary,Evaluation Methods,Student Evaluation,Eligibility,Disabilities,Equal Education,Educational Legislation,Federal Legislation,Intervention,Student Placement,Economically Disadvantaged,Minority Group Students,English Language Learners,Questionnaires,Student Characteristics,Interviews,Observation,Worksheets,Academic Accommodations (Disabilities),Individualized Education Programs,Evidence Based Practice

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), the numbers of children identified with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) continues to rise. In North Dakota, the percentage of students identified with an ASD has increased from 1.9% of the total population of students with disabilities in 2004 to 6.2% of that same group in 2013-14. The significant increase in the reported identification rates places challenges on schools across the country and in North Dakota to provide programs and interventions that meet the unique needs of students identified as having an Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD). With new developments in the identification and education of students with ASD in recent years, the guidelines presented here replace a previous version, &quot;Guidelines: Identifying, Serving and Educating Children and Youth with Autism,&quot; published in 2003. The purpose of this revision is to: (1) Replace old guidelines; (2) Assist school-based practitioners in the field of special education; (3) Update language to promote common understanding regarding Autism Spectrum Disorders; (4) Promote the use of appropriate assessment tools and evaluation procedures that yield useful information for educational programming; (5) Promote consistency and clarity across the state in the process of determining eligibility under the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA); (6) Promote appropriate, research-based instructional and behavioral interventions for children with Autism Spectrum Disorders; (7) Improve placement procedures and practices to provide the necessary supports and services in the least restrictive environment; and (8) Promote non-bias considerations for children who are economically disadvantaged, children who are diverse in race and ethnicity, and children who speak a language other than English. These guidelines are designed as a tool to assist those who are educating children and youth ages 3-21 with identified Autism Spectrum Disorders in educational settings. Appended are: (1) Frequently Used Terminology; (2) Student Profile Questionnaire; (3) Optional Forms--Questions for Developing Student Profile and/or Assessment Plan; (4) Assessment Considerations--Optional Observation/Interview Protocols; (5) Optional Worksheet for Determining Educational Eligibility for Students with ASD; (6) Instructional Focus Areas for IEP Goals; (7) Evidence-Based Practices; (8) Classroom Accommodations for Students with ASD; (9) Autism Emergency Forms; (10) LRE Considerations; and (11) ASD Resource Link.