Classroom for children with autism and
other intensive disabilities
 Grades 1-5
 12 students, 2 teachers, 3
paraprofessionals, and 2 personal
attendants.

Lesson plans were general topics- were
taken from the k and first grade report
card
 IEP goals were not embedded
 Staff was not involved in planning

A three year plan did not exist.
 Classrooms topics or themes were based
upon skills or concepts such as
patterning, counting, grade level sight
words, etc.
 At times, a seasonal theme would be
introduced such as fall, Halloween,
Thanksgiving, winter, etc.

Therapists came into room weekly
(speech and occupational therapy)
 Therapists worked in the classroom
during rotations
 Lessons may or may not be related to
classroom units of study

Homework, when given, was based
upon subject such as math, language
arts, etc.
 Homework was also given for when a
student did not complete a task during
the day.
 Homework was drill and practice.

Students did not participate in
completing projects.
 Presentations were not part of the
students school experience.

Working with general education
teachers did occur.
 The intervention specialist and general
education teacher would work together
when a student was included in the
general education setting.
 Modification of materials occurred, but
very little collaboration amongst staff
occurred.

Most of the technology was used as a
reinforcer for students when they were
following classroom routines and
participating in lessons.
 Programs for reinforcement included:
www.starfall.com and
www.youtube.com
 Programs like Vizzle were used to
support lessons that had been taught
within the classroom.

Family Days occurred each semester
 Family Days included: the Courageous
Pacers Walking Program, a small snack,
a computer activity, and art activity.

Since programs were being used,
planning did not take much time.
 Accommodations and modifications
occurred as needed for student ability.

IEP data was taken, not as consistently
 Data collection was not embedded into
daily classroom routines and lessons.

Two classrooms for children
Kindergarten-2nd and 2nd -5th grade for
children with autism and intensive
disabilities
 Each classroom has 7 students, 1
teacher, 2 paraprofessionals, and 1-2
personal attendants.

Lesson plans are specific- include Ohio
Learning Standards, Ohio Extended
Standards, Specific Activities, Assistive
Technology, Media, Assessment tools,
Parent Letter, homework & projects, and
field trips/hands on events, art projects,
fiction & non-fiction books, IEP goals
embedded
 Classroom staff work together to gather
materials and ideas

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

A 3 year plan is in place
to ensure that students
who have the same
teacher over time will
have exposure to
multiple different units
Units over the 3 years
include units of study
that students would
have access to in the
general education
curriculum
Units are differentiated
to meet student ability
levels
Related service providers (speech,
occupational therapy, and adapted
physical education) work in the
classroom.
 Providers focus on job skills, curriculum
based vocabulary, and completing
projects based upon units of study.

Homework is thought out & specific to
the topic and covers ELA, Math, Social
Studies, and Science. Homework is done
over time, and the student is given credit
for attempting it.
 Homework also includes technology.
Students complete Vizzlegrams from the
Vizzle program

We use projects and
presentations as the
culminating activities for each
unit.

Students & families are given
flexibility as to how to present
their project. Examples include
power points, posters, and
markers and paper.
 Students have used Ipads or
sign language to present the
projects.
 We found that the projects
were a great way to review all
of the vocabulary and
content learned during the
unit.


Work directly with
the general
education teachers
to plan units, share
materials, do
projects together,
and attend field trips
together.

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Plan Vizzle lessons based on each unit. We are
able to send Vizzle Grams to families to
practice the concepts at home.
Use other media such as “Time for Kids” as a
non-fiction interactive lesson about our units.
Starfall and Jacobs’ Lessons are used to help
embed math and ELA goals for the unit.
Use “distance” learning equipment to share
unit content with a 6th grade class at the
middle school.
You tube is a great way to “show” our content
in videos.
Families receive a letter at the beginning
of each unit with the learning goals. As
activities are completed, parents
receive notes on how their child did
during each lesson .
 Our family day will now consist of a
“show” about our units which we have
covered.

VERY time consuming.
 The unit planning starts with a staff
meeting to brainstorm ideas for the unit.
 We work to select the learning standards
and the extended standards for the unit
and activities.
 The classroom paraprofessionals make
materials at home for independent work
and art projects related to our content
unit.


IEP goals are
embedded into the
units of study, the
data collection is
natural, simple, and
consistent.
Teaching has become
fun again.
 Parents have reported
that they are able to
have meaningful
conversations about
new topics with their
child.
 Students’ language
skills have increased
with curriculum based
vocabulary.
