ASD Problem-solving Teams
Presented by
Kathy Maciel, GRREC; Debra Myers, GRREC
Megan Martin, Meade Co.; Aleta Sisk, Hancock Co.
Ronda Williams, Owensboro Independent
Content developed in partnership between Kentucky Department of Education,
Kentucky Autism Training Center & Kentucky Special Education Coop Network
2013
Today’s Expectations
ASD Regional Cadre
District Capacity: Implementing a District
ASD Problem Solving Team
Handout: Agenda
Vision & Expectations
KDE Vision & Expectations
Handout: KY’s Autism Initiative
To create a statewide training/technical
assistance network of support that reaches every
school and district to promote:
• Early identification
• Increase number of highly qualified personnel
• Sustainable system of ongoing PD and TA
• Improve educational outcomes for children
with ASD.
Green River Regional Educational Cooperative
Regional Vision
Handout: MOU agreement
• Improve educational services and outcomes for students with
Autism Spectrum Disorders (ASD)
• Increase awareness of ASD characteristics and use of
evidence-based practices (EBPs) for all school personnel
• Establish leaders in ASD with skills in EBPs, problem-solving
process, and consultation/coaching in order to provide support
to other professionals within their own district
• Improve Technical Assistance and Outcomes for students with
ASD
Green River Regional Educational Cooperative
Member Roles
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Within Cadre
Establish leaders to build
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capacity
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Attend quarterly meeting
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Complete online course
Be knowledgeable of EBPs
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Demonstrate competence by
implementing EBP’s
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Competence in Team based
Problem Solving involving ASD •
issues.
Green River Regional Educational Cooperative
Within District
District Initiative Awareness
Communicate to District leaders
Provide Professional Learning
Opportunities-Autism Awareness
Design Effective Plan for students
with ASD
Organize/lead ASD Problem-solving
teams
Provide coaching for staff working
with students with ASD
Road Blocks to Capacity
September 2012
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Administrative support
Cadre Membership turnover
Competing priorities
Communication of role/vision
Comfort level in training EBPs
General education buy-in
Modules Organization
Planning Time
Release time
Green River Regional Educational Cooperative
Road Blocks to Capacity
• Administrative support
• Cadre Membership
turnover
• Competing priorities
• Communication of
role/vision
• Comfort level in training
EBPs
• General education buy-in
• Modules Organization
• Planning Time
• Release time
ASD Capacity
Building Models
Handout: District samples
• Boyle County
• Fayette County
• Franklin County
• Mercer County
• WCSD
Activity
What are the key elements for
these district plans?
Share together - Share out.
Key Elements for District Plans
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Vision
Common Goal
Right team members
How to access to PS
Team
• Hierarchy of Contacts
• PR about team
• Know district students
with ASD
• Accessible Resources
• District Trainings
• Parent Involvement
Vision: ASD
Problem-solving Team
ASD Team members knowledgeable
• ASD Characteristics
• EBPs
ASD Team Structure
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Team meets regularly
Team schedule
Access protocol is established and advertised
Proactive
Administrative support
Data driven
Follow-up Protocol
Green River Regional Educational Cooperative
District Status &
Self-Assessment
Handout: ASD Team Status of Vision Qs
• Where are you now?
• Where do you need to go?
Ways to Form ASD Problemsolving Teams
• District level
• School level
• Grade level (e.g. Elem,
MS, HS)
• “Feeder School” Teams
• Use of ASD Training Site
teams
Green River Regional Educational Cooperative
• Use existing teams and
integrate cadre
members
• Consultation response
team
• Topic specific response
team
• What will your ASD
problem-solving Team
look like?
• What will you call it?
• How will it be
organized?
• When and how often
will you meet?
• What team roles need
to be defined?
Creating or Improving
Your ASD Team
Handout: District Action Plan
• Team Membership/Role– Who? Core & Extended members?
– Need to add members?
• Team Support– Release time?
– Less duties?
Green River Regional Educational Cooperative
Creating/Improving ASD
Problem-solving Team
• Team Logistics– Routine meeting?
– Length/frequency of meetings?
– District Awareness of Services?
• Team Protocol –
– Form for asking for assistance?
– Who collects?
– How team comes together?
Handouts: Forms packet
Green River Regional Educational Cooperative
Creating/Improving ASD Problemsolving Team
• Coaching/consultation process?
– EBP Implementation checklists?
• Resources?
• Co-op Supports?
• Team training needs?
– Practice problem-solving cases
– Professional development
Green River Regional Educational Cooperative
Collaborative Teams: Structures
for Success
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Collaborative Skills
Building Relationships & Productive Teams
Planning the Team
Team Meetings
Team Member Roles
Guiding Principles
Maryland State Department of Education (1999) Collaborative Teams
Green River Regional Educational Cooperative
Regular Team Meetings
• Meet regularly/consistently even if no new cases
• Provide valuable contribution
• Evaluate the process as a whole
• Gather and analyze data
• Keep minutes and use an Action Plan
Team Meetings
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Agenda
Roles
Meeting Content
Team Decisions
Note Taking
TEAM ROLES
Team roles are necessary to create
efficiency and effectiveness
Essential roles
Facilitator
Data Analyst
Recorder
Additional roles
Communicator
Time Keeper
Green River Regional Educational Cooperative
Teaming and Leadership
System and content
• Fidelity of implementation
• Data-based decision making
• Progress monitoring
Effective layers of professional development
• Ongoing across the year
• Opportunities for reflection and collaboration
• Consider adult learning strategies
Resources
• ASD Problem-solving Process Outlines
• Table of EBPs (description and by age level)
• EBP Implementation Checklists or simplified
versions
• AIMS Modules
• Books (Paula Kluth, Meltdowns etc)
Handout:
Problem Solving Outline
ASD Problem-Solving TEAM
Team membership
Two types of ASD Team members:
1. Core team members – regular members who
meet regularly and know the ASD problemsolving process
2. Extended team members – student specific
team members who know and are directly
involved with the student
Green River Regional Educational Cooperative
Who Should Be Involved in the
Problem Solving Process?
Parents
Student?
General Ed. Teacher
Special Ed. Teacher
Paraprofessional
Speech Language Pathologist
Occupational Therapist
School Psychologist
Administrator
Other as Needed
Green River Regional Educational Cooperative
ASD Problem-Solving TEAM
Team member roles –
Elect to rotate among various roles…
 Team Leader – keeps things going between meetings
 Team Meeting Facilitator – facilitates discussion of student
cases during the meeting
 Team Recorder – record valuable indirect assessment
information during discussions
 Team Encourager – stays focused on emotions and providing
support to persons (e.g., parents, teachers, etc.) who are
involved in the process
 Follow-Up Roles for Plan Implementation - share
Green River Regional Educational Cooperative
ASD Problem-Solving Process
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ASD Problem-Solving Process - Flowchart
I. Identify the Problem
Identify key people and discuss
student needs, issues, &
concerns
Problem reported/
Issue raised
II. Gather Relevant Information/ Data
Additional
Direct
Assessment
NO
Indirect
Assessment Info Sufficient?
YES
III. Analyze the Problem
Analysis – Is integrated info adequate to clearly reveal underlying ASD Characteristics, behavior patterns &
functions, social & communication status, instructional & social or mental health issues, to help determine
needs & root causes of the problem or issue?
YES
IF NO, return to Step 1 & 2 above
IV. Design Interventions – What are we going to do to address student needs?
Crisis, Targeted or Comprehensive Intervention Plan
(to address the priorities and related underlying issues)
Individual Education Program?
Bottom of Flowchart…
V. Integrate with IEP/BIP for
students with disabilities
VI. Implement the Plan
VII. Follow-Up
Case Study Cross Walk:
Characteristics to Implementation
Handouts:
1. ISSI
2. Underlying Characteristics
3. Case Study Cross Walk
4. Problem Solving Form
5. EBP Definitions: ages and domains
Following the Problem
Solving Process: Steps III
through VI
Determine
behaviors of
concerns
Determine
Underlying
Characteristics of
Autism
Determine
strengths, skills,
likes
Determine EBP
strategies to
address Underlying
Characteristics of
Autism
Interests/Motivation/Abilities
Handout: ISSI - Complete for Michael
Underlying Characteristics
Handout: Underlying Characteristics Checklist
As a group, complete the Underlying
Characteristics Checklist
Underlying Characteristics Checklist –
High Functioning (UCC-HF)
Case Study: Michael
Case Study: Cross Walk
• Complete 2nd column of Case Study Cross
Walk for Michael- UCC related to priority
behaviors
• Transfer info to 3rd column of Case Study
Cross Walk for Michael- ISSI potential
strengths/Motivators
Determine Possible EBP’s for Instruction
Handouts:
Colored EBP age and domain
EBP Descriptions
Fill in 4th Column of Cross Walk
How do we decide which EBP to use?
Colored EBP age and domain
An Example:
Let’s say we know this…
 John is in a self-contained preschool setting.
 John is handed an object to transition
between all activities.
 John has shown that he is able to match
objects to pictures.
Ask: What is our objective targeting?
Transition, adaptive behavior
(independence)
Ask: What are our options?
Deciding on the EBP…
Next, make a decision based on:
 your professional wisdom,
 the learner’s learning style,
 the learner’s temperament,
 the learner’s interests and motivators,
 supports already in place, and
 history of what has and hasn’t worked.
“
By changing nothing, nothing changes.” Tony Robbins
“And that is how change happens. One
gesture. One person. One moment at a
time.”
- Libba Bray, The Sweet Far Thing
References
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KDE Initiative/Vision Module 1
Problem-solving Module
Kathy Meredith (2013) KEDC: Ashland, KY
http://www.autisminternetmodules.org/
http://autismpdc.fpg.unc.edu/
http://www.texasautism.com/index.htm