Issue link: http://educator.cta.org/i/20186
LEFT: Amanda Adams watches student Angeline Molina work with Karlye at CSU Fresno. Parents meet in groups weekly and individ- logical abnormalities can change, and that neurons in the brain can actually change when exposed to different kinds of teach- ing,” says Adams. “It’s not unlike a brain in- jury that people can recover from. We don’t know if a child would have gone through these changes neurologically and improved on their own, but teaching in an ABA struc- tured manner increases the speed of their skill acquisition.” Even when the youngsters answer ques- tions correctly — about shapes and colors, for example — the question is asked again and again. The reason, says Adams, is that some- times children with autism give “rote” answers without being aware of their meaning. A little girl named Karlye, for example, was ABA has been criticized as a treatment that is harsh or robotic. However, Adams says, ABA has evolved over time, and at her clinic the interaction between youngsters and trained college students is playful and enjoy- able. Graduate students working with the chil- dren are indeed very affectionate during their sessions, and make the behavioral therapy seem more like playtime. “Lots of research now shows that neuro- practicing to recognize facial emotions, such as angry, happy, sad, scared and surprised. When she answered a question correctly she was rewarded, but she forgot the correct an- swer within minutes. “A regular child may take 10 times to learn the color red, while it may take an au- tistic child 100 times,” says Adams. “Parents who seek out our type of program are not looking for a quick fix.” Added Authorization in Special Education The California Commission on Teacher Credentialing (CTC) has told districts that it is not mandatory for a teacher to earn an Added Authorization in Special Education (AASE) in a specialty area if the teacher is already authorized to provide services in that area (www.ctc.ca.gov/notices/ coded/2009/0916.pdf). At the same time, a teacher may not be assigned students with disabilities for which the teacher is not authorized; if this occurs, the teacher is considered misassigned. As an interim measure, AB 2303 has established a temporary route (called a Local Teaching Assignment Option) for assigning holders of specific special education credentials to provide special education instructional services to students with autism. This option expires in July 2011, and by that date any special education teacher assigned to students with autism disorders must have an autism disorders authorization in their prerequisite credential or through obtaining an AASE in autism. Currently, some employers are notifying teachers that they must obtain an AASE, and some are inaccurately stating that the CTC is requiring all special education teachers to return to school to earn an AASE. Recommendations > Teachers should check their credentials first and review CTC documents to determine their eligibility to earn AASEs. > If the employer notifies teachers that they must obtain an AASE, chapters should con- sider issuing a demand to bargain. Issues to be negotiated might include the following: class size, caseloads, transfer, assignment, compensation for time needed to obtain authorization, reimbursement for tuition to obtain the units, and wages. > Get district support for obtaining AASEs. For example, a district might pay for all fees related to additional coursework, contract with a college or university with an approved AASE program to provide classes locally at a district/school site, or provide release time to attend classes during the regular school day. For more information about the California Commission on Teacher Credentialing Added Authorization Summary, see www.ctc.ca.gov/ credentials/leaflets/cl890.pdf. NOVEMBER 2010 | www.cta.org 19 ually with therapists every other week to learn how to integrate ABA into a child’s life at home. There is also a component for siblings, so they learn positive ways to interact with their brothers and sisters. “Our center-based model not only deliv- ers high-quality treatment, but gives parents support and a place to go,” says Adams. “Sometimes parents of children with autism feel isolated. Here, they can meet other fami- lies with similar experiences and help each other deal with the stress and challenges of having a child with autism.” While the student therapists conduct intensive one-on-one therapy with the chil- dren, graduate students watch behind one- way mirrors to supervise the activities and record their observations. Their observa- tions are providing research as to which strategies — reinforcement, building rap- port and pre-exposure to concepts — yield the best results. “We definitely need to find out more about autism,” says Adams. “The figures show that we are dealing with an epidemic, and it looks like the disease is going to be a mystery for a while.” To learn more about the Central California Autism Center, visit www.csufresno.edu/ccac.