Teaching Students with Autism Spectrum Disorders

Transition Planning Chapter Six
students with ASD need to know what to expect. Preparing a calendar
that clarifies when there will be visits to the new setting and when the
student will move to the setting can help with the transition.
Transitions Between Schools
The suggestions for easing transitions between classrooms are
applicable to planning for transitions between schools. Additional time
and preparation may be required to allow the student to adjust to a new
building. If the transition is from elementary to secondary school, the
student will need to learn about changes in the way the school operates.
For example, the student needs to be prepared for the number of teachers
that he or she will have, and the various locations for instruction.
Arrange for the student to visit the school on a number of occasions,
if possible. If the student is particularly resistant to change, introduce
new aspects slowly and to go through a process of desensitization and
rehearsal. For example, the initial visit may be devoted to simply going
to the school and going in the front door. On another visit, the student
might visit a classroom, then the gymnasium, and later other classrooms.
Providing the student with a videotape of the new school and written
information (appropriate to the student’s academic level) may help the
student to prepare for the change. Identify key people that the student
can talk to or go to for help. Identify ahead of time and enlist the help
of peers, who may assist the student in making adjustments to the new
school, and who may be able to accompany the student to various
locations in the school.
Becoming familiar with the student is important for the receiving
school. Information sessions, printed materials, and involvement in
the Student Services team increases the receiving school’s knowledge
about the student and his diagnosis.
When students move to new settings for part of their educational
program, (e.g., work placement), teach students with ASD the skills
they need in the new setting.
The skills the student needs to learn to prepare for transition to new
settings include:
• independence in getting to the school or job site
• rules in the receiving setting that are different from the current
one
• social skills that are needed for the new setting
Teaching Students with Autism Spectrum Disorders 77