Sensory and Social Scans
• Developed by Valerie Paradiz, Ph.D., Director
of Autistic Global Initiative
• Taken from the Easter Seals Inclusive Learning
Project
• Project ACTION Student and Schools Initiative
is lead by Judy Shanley, Ph.D.
3 Steps of Self-Advocacy
• What is Self-Advocacy?
• The three steps:
1. Self-Awareness
2. Advocacy Plan
3. Implementation
Here’s an Example
Step 1: What Do I Need?
•
•
•
•
Jon has autism
Sensory difficulties
Tactile sensitivity
“I like people, but being
touched feels like a bad
sunburn.”
• Jon wants to take the
subway to work.
• The subway makes Jon
feel anxious.
Step 2: How Do I Get What I Need?
• Jon wants to feel less anxious.
• He makes a script that he can use
when the subway is crowded.
• Jon practices his script with a
friend.
• “Would you mind letting me take
that seat? If I get bumped, I feel
lots of pain. It is a medical
problem. Thank you.”
Step 2: What is Disclosure?
• Jon does not feel he needs to share that he
has autism in order to make a good advocacy
plan.
• Jon is going to make a “partial disclosure” by
saying he has a medical condition.
• A partial disclosure helps others understand
that your needs are legitimate, but you don’t
have to “tell all.”
Jon’s Disclosure Choices
Type of Disclosure
1. No disclosure
Possible Outcome
1.
“Other passengers will think I’m weird if I
ask them to move without some kind of
explanation.”
2.
“If I say I have autism, another passenger
might misunderstand my needs, since
many people don’t know that people with
autism has sensory challenges.”
3.
“If I explain my sensory sensitivity as a
medical condition, other passengers are
more likely to understand.”
2. Full disclosure
3. Partial disclosure
Step 3: Implementation
• Jon practiced his script.
• Jon took the subway to
work.
• He used the script on
the busy subway and
was able to get the right
kind of seat to keep
himself from touching
or bumping into others.
Disclosure and the ADA
• We all have the right to access public transportation.
• The American’s with Disabilities Act (ADA) protects this
right for people with disabilities.
• Some disabilities are easy to recognize.
• Some disabilities are not easy to recognize, like Jon’s
sensory problem.
• If you disclose to a transportation worker that you have
a disability, they must abide by ADA rules and allow
you access and certain supports.
• Disclosure can be a form of self-advocacy.
ISA Sensory Scan™
Social Aspects of Transportation
• Navigating transit locations (transit stops, paying
fares)
• Interactions with transit workers
• Interactions with other passengers
• Verbal communication
• Non-verbal communication
• Social norms and expectations
• Safety
ISA Social Scan™
Exercise: Sensory Systems
Pre-Teaching Tool
• Fill in the last column on the Sensory Systems
Pre-Teaching Tool
• Focus on sensory input here in the classroom
• Turn to your neighbor and discuss your input
• You will have 5 minutes to complete this
exercise