1. Annie Baghdayan PhD, BCBA-D, LBA University of Oklahoma
The Skills We Need to Teach: How to Prepare Post-High School Students with ASD for Employment
Annie Baghdayan PhD, BCBA-D, LBA
University of Oklahoma
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2. Autism Spectrum Disorder
Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is a Developmental disability that can cause:
social,
communication and
behavioral challenges
people with ASD may communicate, interact, behave, and learn in ways that are different from most other people.
The learning, thinking, and problem-solving abilities of people with ASD can range from gifted to severely challenged.
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3. Facts and statistics
About 1 % of the world population has autism spectrum disorder. (CDC, 2014)
Prevalence in the United States is estimated at 1 in 68 births. (CDC, 2014)
More than 3.5 million Americans live with an autism spectrum disorder. (Buescher et al., 2014)
Prevalence of autism in U.S. children increased by % from 2000 (1 in 150) to 2010 (1 in 68). (CDC, 2014)
Autism is the fastest-growing developmental disability. (CDC, 2008)
Prevalence has increased by 6-15 % each year from 2002 to (Based on biennial numbers from the CDC)
Autism services cost U.S. citizens $ billion annually. (Buescher et al., 2014)
Retrieved From
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4. Facts and statistics
A majority of costs in the U.S. are in adult services – $ billion. (Buescher et al., 2014)
35 % of young adults (ages 19-23) with autism have not had a job or received postgraduate education after leaving high school. (Shattuck et al., 2012)
In June 2014, only 19.3 % of people with disabilities in the U.S. were participating in the labor force – working or seeking work.
16.8 % of the population with disabilities was employed.
6% of individuals with ASD are actively employed (Shattuck et al., 2012)
By contrast, 69.3 percent of people without disabilities were in the labor force, and 65 % of the population without disabilities was employed. (Bureau of Labor Statistics, 2014)
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5. Employment Skills What is the Problem? What do we need to do?
Transition planning from education to employment for young adults diagnosed on the autism spectrum is inadequate.
What do we need to do?
Students need schools and adult service providers to begin a collaborative Autism Focused transition model to prepare students with autism for competitive employment and Post secondary education.
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6. Legal requirements IDEA 2004 states that transition services must:
Begin no later than the first IEP to be in effect when the student is 16 and updated annually thereafter
Be provided until
The student turns 21, or
The student graduates from high school with a regular diploma
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7. IEP requirements Appropriate measurable postsecondary goals
Based on age appropriate transition assessments related to training, education, employment, and, where appropriate, independent living skills
Transition services (including courses of study) needed to assist the student in reaching those goals
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8. What are we planning for?
Key Transition Areas:
Employment
Postsecondary education
Living arrangements
Community participation
Community mobility
Financial independence
Recreation and leisure
Friendships and relationships
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9. Top Five Traits Employers are looking for in job candidates
Professionalism (86%)
High energy (78%)
Confidence (61%)
Self-monitoring (58%)
Intellectual curiosity 57%)
Universum, the Stockholm-based employer branding firm that annually surveys over 400,000 students and professionals worldwide on jobs-related issues
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10. Increasing employment skills professionalism
What are the behaviors that make us decide that an employee is acting “professionally”?
Appearance (The way we are dressed)
Reliable (Complete the task)
Punctual (on time)
Ethical (no swearing, name calling, joking, etc.)
Communication skills (don’t talk about the boss and coworkers in a negative way, stick to the topic in the meetings, etc.)
Other
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11. Increasing employment skills High energy
What are the behaviors that convey ‘high energy”?
Excitement (I am excited)
Positive statement about work
Positive statement about self
Goal oriented (establish a list and deadlines and track achievement)
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12. Increasing employment skills High energy
Positive statement
Negative statement
I am good at this
I like what I do
I enjoy my work
This is fun
This is boring
I’m sick of doing this
I don’t like this job
I don’t like the people around me
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13. Teaching Confidence Convey Confidence Eye Contact Voice Quality
Posture (stand-up straight, hand shake, etc.)
Gestures (smile, node, etc. )
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14. Self Monitoring Task list Outlook Reminders Apps:
Pacifica (free)-This app lets your track your mood throughout the day, gives you a place to set daily goals…
Tallymander ($3.99)-This App is very basic app and used for tracking and counting.
MotivAider (habitchange.com)-The MotivAider comes as a device or an app.
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15. Intellectual curiosity
I can do this
I’m willing to learn
I will research about that
other
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16. Other skills Social skills (physical proximity, posture, etc.)
Communication skills (reciprocity, opening and closing a topic, etc.)
Organizational skills (time, tasks, materials, etc.)
Self-regulation (thought, feelings, actions, etc)
Self-Advocacy (ask questions, requesting help, etc.)
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17. What to do? Look at employability research Teach targeted skills
Use task analysis or scripts
Teach by using role playing and video playing
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18. Contact Us
Annie Baghdayan, PhD, BCBA-D, LBA The National Center for Disability Education & Training University of Oklahoma 3200 Marshall Ave. Norman, OK 73072
© Copyright 2016 University of Oklahoma Board of Regents. All Rights Reserved