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Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD)

School district personnel are faced with an increasing number of requests for evaluations to rule out Autism in students aged 3-21.  This training will provide experienced assessment personnel and those who are entering the field with a process for establishing comprehensive team-based evaluations of Autism Spectrum Disorder following standards of best practice.  An overview of ASD as described in the DSM-5 and a comparison with educational eligibility criteria under TEA guidelines will be explored. Different models for forming school teams will be discussed as well as how to plan for the evaluation including how select instruments, conduct observations, interviews and when to use Autism specific instruments during the evaluation process will be covered.  How to write a written report integrating finding from multiple sources that links recommendations to evidenced-based interventions and that have support for use with students with Autism will be shared.

 

Objectives:

  1. Participants will become familiar with diagnostic criteria of ASD and Social Communication Pragmatic Disorder as described in the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders – 5 (DSM-5) and an overview of state educational eligibility criteria for Autism.
  2. Participants will learn how to form teams and select instruments to include: cognitive and neuropsychological assessments; how to conduct qualitative observations; speech, language, and communication assessments; assessment of behavior including Functional Behavior Assessment (FBA) and of adaptive behavior; review of records and interviews with parents, student and others.
  3. Participants will receive a overview of Autism specific instruments and when to conduct them during the evaluation process and a review of Autism Diagnostic Observation Schedule – 2 (ADOS-2); Autism Diagnostic Interview-Revised (ADI-R) both considered to be “gold-standard” assessments for Autism as well as other commonly used autism assessments.
  4. Participants will also learn how to conduct differential diagnoses and how to consider co-morbid conditions that may also be present as part of the evaluation process.
  5. Participants will learn how to write a comprehensive report integrating findings from multiple sources and how form recommendations that are linked to interventions that are deemed to be evidenced-based and supported for use with students with ASD.

Participants:  LSSPs, Educational Diagnosticians, SLPs, Behavior Specialists, Counselors, OTs, and other assessment personnel including staff serving students with AS

Length:  2 days

Resources:  Essentials of Autism Spectrum Disorders Evaluation and Assessment by Saulnier, C.A. and Ventola, P.E. (2012). (from Wiley for 38.95).  This would be a good book to purchase for all participants. – not necessary but I have found it to be a quick read and a useful resource.

 

Materials Required During Training

  • ADOS-2 kit and DVD training kit from WPS
  • ADI-R kit and DVD training kit from WPS
  • CARS-2 kit from WPS

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