Teaching Students with Autism Spectrum Disorders

Chapter Four Managing Challenging Behaviour
For a comprehensive form for recording
transition information, see Janzen,
J. (1996) Understanding the Nature
of Autism: A Practical Guide.
For more information on functional
assessment and forms to use in planning
interventions, see O’Neill, R., et
al. (1997) Functional Assessment and
Program Development for Problem
Behaviour.
Frequent communication with the student’s family or caregivers
provides valuable information. School staff and families often develop
a communication system such as a daily communication log or book
that travels to and from school with the student. For examples of homeschool
communication logs, see Appendix E.
Problem behaviours may be a result of other characteristics
associated with ASD, such as attending difficulties, problems with
interpreting verbal information, limited verbal expression, impairment
in social skills, and different responses to sensory stimulation. For
example, what appears to be a lack of co-operation may be the result
of not understanding expectations or not knowing what is going to
happen.
Functional assessment of behaviour is the process of identifying
the function or functions that a specific behaviour serves for the
individual, and is based on the premise that all behaviour serves some
purpose. Because students with ASD have difficulties with language,
look at all behaviour from the perspective of its communication
function.
The purpose of the behaviour may be to:
• communicate a need or want
• gain attention
• gain a tangible consequence
• escape from an unpleasant situation
• gain a sensory consequence
• self-regulate
• make a comment or declaration
• release tension
The behaviour may be habitual.
Information for a functional behavioural analysis can be found
through:
• a review of the student’s records
• interviews with people who are most knowledgeable about
the student in the situation, such as a family member, teacher,
or classroom assistant
• observation and recording of behavioural data
• observing the student to acquire insight into behaviour
(observe the settings where the problem behaviour occurs or
does not occur)
56 Teaching Students with Autism Spectrum Disorders