1. The Basics of Autism
Spectrum Disorders
Training Series
Regional Autism Advisory Council of
Southwest Ohio (RAAC-SWO)
Training Committee 2011

2. Training Series Modules
 Module One: Autism Defined, Autism Prevalence
and Primary Characteristics
 Module Two: Physical Characteristics of Autism
 Module Three: Cognition and Learning in Autism
 Module Four: Getting the Student Ready to Learn
 Module Five: Structuring the Classroom
Environment
 Module Six: Reinforcement in the Classroom

3. Training Series Modules
 Module Seven: Autism and Sensory Differences
 Module Eight: Sensory in the Classroom
 Module Nine: Communication and Autism
 Module Ten: Communication in the Classroom
 Module Eleven: Behavior Challenges and Autism
 Module Twelve: Understanding Behavior in
Students with Autism

4. Training Series Modules
 Module Thirteen: Social Skills in the School
Environment
 Module Fourteen: Functional Behavior Assessment
 Module Fifteen: Working Together as a Team
 Module Sixteen: Autism and Leisure Skills to
Teach
 Module Seventeen: Special Issues of Adolescence
 Module Eighteen: Safety and Autism
 Module Nineteen: Special Issues: High School,
Transition, and Job Readiness

5. Training Series Modules
 Module Twenty: Asperger Syndrome: Managing and
Organizing the Environment
 Module Twenty-One: Asperger Syndrome:
Addressing Social Skills

6. Autism and Sensory
Differences
 The brain needs sensory information to operate.
It needs sound, vision, smell, taste, touch and
movement.
 The way our brain organizes this information
affects the way we learn and our behavior.
 Students with ASD usually have differences in
how they react to sensory input. They can be:
Sensory Seekers Sensory Avoiders

7. Autism and Sensory
Differences
 Possible difficulty with one or all sensory systems.
 Reaction is not always the same. Can over react at
one time and under react at another.
 Be a detective to figure out the reason for the
reaction (ex. avoiding a certain food could be how
the food feels, looks, smells, tastes or sounds when
chewing).

8. Big Idea
Suspect sensory difficulties when
the student’s behaviors seem
“illogical” or “extreme”.

9. Reactions to Sounds
 Hands over ears
 Try to escape from noises
 Upset by sirens or other loud noises
 Hear sounds you do not even notice like buzz from a
light.
Or
 Make sounds, like humming, to block out other sounds
 Seek noises
 Not respond to certain sounds or even name being called

10. Strategies for Sound
Sensitivity
 Talk more softly and slow down.
 Use short, direct sentences and not chatter on and on.
 Don’t repeat what you just said, give time to think it through.
 Use soft music or other “good” sounds to block out “bad” sound
(consider some thing like an iPOD).
 Have a quiet place to retreat.
 Have sound blocking headphones available in places where you
can’t avoid stressful sounds.

11. Strategies for Sound
Sensitivity
 Unexpected sounds can be frightening.
 Be aware of difficulty with crowd sounds. For example,
you may need to help the student be ready for applause
or help move to a quieter area.
 Be aware of acoustics in rooms that may be irritating
(theaters, gyms, churches, cafeterias). Make plans for
possible behavior problems in these settings.
 Be ready in case a student bolts from distressing sounds.
 Be prepared for dangerous situations such as traffic.

12. Big Idea
Prepare the student for what is
going to happen. Anything
unexpected is more likely to be
negative or scary.

13. Reactions to Visual Input
 Looks off to the side.
 More upset around bright lights or sunshine.
 More upset around fluorescent lighting.
 More upset in busy or cluttered places.
or
 Stares at bright lights or moving objects like fans.
 Seeks out bright colors and movement.
 Finger flicking, spinning object in front of eyes.

14. Strategies for Visual
Sensitivity
 Allow the student to use peripheral vision (out
of the corners of the eyes).
 Do not insist on eye contact, but do require
the student to look in your direction.
 Keep the environment as neutral as needed if
student gets over-stimulated. Consider
keeping one wall or area more plain.

15. Strategies for Visual
Sensitivity
 If possible, don’t use fluorescent lights.
 Do not hold instructional materials close to your
face. It may be difficult for the student with
ASD to concentrate on two things at the same
time.
 For those seeking visual input, look for
appropriate activities (i.e. kaleidoscope, fish
tank).

16. Strategies for Visual
Seekers
 Provide visually interesting materials for leisure time.
 Use visual schedules, calendars and lists.
 Use photo albums to talk about family or past events.

17. Reactions to Smells
 Avoids cooking smells.
 Gets upset around noticeable smells, such as cleaning
smells.
 Breathes through mouth.
 Covers nose.
or
 Seeks strong aromas.
 Sniffs objects and people.
 Holds things up to nose.

18. Reactions to Smells
 For a student with a strong reaction to smells, any
environment can be too much.
 Smells may be the cause of behaviors.
 Human odors may be a problem. The student may be
uncomfortable with the smell of their own urine and
bowel movements. This may explain why some
students put off going to the bathroom as long as
possible.

19. Reactions to Smells
 What is a good smell to one student can have a bad
effect on another student.
 Strong food smells may affect behavior.
 Certain petroleum products such as diesel engines
may cause problems.
 Cleaning odors, room deodorizers, scented lotions or
soaps can all change behavior.

20. Reactions to Smells
 Students with ASD may continue to be bothered by
the smell after others would have gotten used to
the smell and no longer be bothered.
 This may be why changing environments is so
difficult for some students with ASD.

21. Strategies for Smell
Sensitivity
 Try not to use scented products.
 Keep the environment clean and dry.
 If something smells bad to us, it is likely that it
smells even worse to the student with ASD.

22. Strategies for a Smell
Sensitivity
 If you smell something unpleasant, let the student
know that you smell it too. It may be reassuring for
the student to know that they aren’t the only one
affected by the odor.
 Sometimes you can cover up an unavoidable bad
smell with a positive smell on a handkerchief or with
a food item such as a tic tac.

23. Strategies for a Smell
Seeker
 Some students may seek smells. For them a variety
of scents may be helpful. Examples: lotions, spices,
air fresheners.
 Scents can be used to help students wake up or calm
down.
 A good scent can be added to an activity such as
scented markers or pencils when drawing.

24. Reactions to Taste
 Eats only a few kinds of food.
 Prefers bland foods.
 Prefers each food separate not mixed together as in
casseroles
or
 Prefers strong flavors and spices.
 Likes to dip food in sauces.
 Licks or chews non-food items.

25. Strategies for Sensitivity
to Taste
 Know what tastes the student likes.
 Don’t force the student to eat food they do not like.
 Offer a variety of foods.
 Think about how smells in the room may make it hard
to eat, even if the food tastes okay.

26. Strategies for a Taste
Seeker
 Know what spices and sauces can be used to increase
taste.
 Think about the texture or temperature of favorite
foods (for example-crunchy, cold, hot).
 Watch what is put in mouth for safety and
cleanliness.
 Sometimes a person with ASD cannot tell when food
is too hot. Make sure food or drink is not too hot.

27. Reactions to Touch
 May not like to be touched.
 May strike out or withdraw when touched unexpectedly.
 May have problems with hair cuts, combing hair.
 May dislike getting hands dirty.
or
 May not feel pain easily.
 May seek out rough surfaces.
 May put non-food items in their mouth or lick them.

28. Strategies for Sensitivity to
Touch
 Give the student space.
 Don’t touch the student without warning them
that you are going to touch them.
 Firm but gentle touch is often better than light
touch.

29. Strategies for Sensitivity to
Touch
 Never tickle, even if the student laughs.
 It may be helpful for families to wash new clothes
before wearing to make them softer.
 Be aware that problems can be caused by new shoes,
textured socks, or tags in clothes.

30. Reactions to Movement
 May be scared when balance is needed, like going
down stairs or when walking on uneven ground.
 May avoid physical activity, preferring to sit.
Or
 May jump, bounce, pace, rock, twirl.
 May be more active than others.

31. Strategies for Movement
Sensitivity
 Let the student know that you understand it is scary
and you are there to help.
 Give extra support if needed.
 If possible, do not push the student with ASD to try
something when afraid. You might need to practice
when calm.
 Expect the student to run off if you are putting
them into a scary situation.

32. Big Idea
Offer a variety of sensory
experiences but do not force the
student to participate if the
student is uncomfortable or
seems afraid.

33. Strategies for a Movement
Seeker
 Provide opportunities to move, clearing a space in living
areas.
 Give movement breaks during a task.
 Choose chores that give movement and physical work as
part of the task.
 Provide opportunities for exercise with an understanding
of any physical limitations.
 Challenging behaviors can happen if the student is not
getting enough movement.

34. Big Idea
Prepare the student for what is
going to happen. Anything
unexpected is more likely to be
negative or scary.