In
Do2Learn's blog, Transition Toolbox—How Does ASD Affect Transitions?, we told you we
would be addressing core features that have a significant impact on
the transition process. Today we will discuss organization and
central coherence. We hope that allowing these peeks into our new
product are peaking your interest!
Some individuals with
Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) show significant difficulty with
sequential organization and planning of multi-step tasks. Shifting of
focus to use new or unexpected information in a task may pose a
problem for some. Many seem to process information in a limited set
of categories and struggle to integrate new information into existing
mental frameworks. This has led to a theory of central coherence
suggesting that many individuals with ASD have difficulty seeing the
‘big picture.’ New information, especially around meaning,
context, and social interaction, can be missed or misinterpreted.
Generalization of skills is a consistent challenge for many
individuals with ASD. This difficulty applying skills previously
learned under one condition to new conditions implies problems
shifting focus and using a concept or rule when certain features of a
setting or condition change.
There continues to be
controversy confirming a central coherence deficit as a primary
descriptor of ASD. A less debatable observation is that certain
individuals with ASD have difficulty deciding how to use new
information in social and cognitive problem-solving situations. For
an individual with ASD, figuring out what a new event means and how
to ‘fit’ it into life can be confusing. These common
difficulties for individuals with ASD in assessing new information,
in weighing the ‘pros’ and cons’ in decision making, and in
planning the steps to complete a task require transition team members
to adjust their thinking. If individuals with ASD have problems
assessing how to apply their strengths and weaknesses in vocational
and social situations, in determining their goals or in planning a
course of action, there will be challenges in self-determination
and self-advocacy.
In transition planning,
the prominence of inventory
assessments to evaluate strengths and interests is obvious.
Yet the difficulties related to organization and central coherence
often make inventory assessments absurdly ineffective in identifying
directions for transition planning for individuals with ASD.
Assessments of preferences and strengths related to career goals must
be individualized.
Building
self-determination skills is feasible and important.
- First, provide multiple experiences in vocational and community environments. Without the opportunity to practice and experience work activities, work environments, and the social contexts of those work settings, individuals with ASD may confront failure or frustration in future settings.
- Second, provide visual supports to help the individual self-evaluate and compare experiences so that the individual can define preferences and self-advocate to the highest degree possible. These visual supports should be provided within a systematic framework of direct instruction, using established behavioral principles, that assures application and generalization of skills.
- Providing opportunities for hands-on exploration of work and academic experience must be followed by individualized and systematic self-assessment of the experience to support self-advocacy in career planning.
To
address cognitive differences in ASD and to assist
self-determination, the instructor must provide multiple experiences
and visual supports provided within a framework of direct
instruction. This is one primary goal of the JobTIPS Transition
Toolbox.
 |
| An example of what Transition Toolbox will look like. |
