S U S A N W O R K M A NA U T 5 0 1

J U L Y 3 , 2 0 1 2S E Q U I T A L I P S C O M B

ETHICAL CONCERNS WHEN WORKING WITH

STUDENTS WITH ASD

COUNCIL FOR EXCEPTIONAL CHILDREN CODE OF ETHICS

• Special education professionals are supposed to

abide by a code of ethics. One standard

states, “exercise objective professional judgment in

the practice of your profession” (Hall, 2009, p. 57).

We will look at a few ways we can maintain

professional standards in the classroom.

EXERCISE PROFESSIONAL JUDGMENT

There are several pitfalls in general to be aware as you

work with students with autism in the classroom.

• Privacy

• Professional courtesy

• Assessments based on

data vs. opinions

PRIVACY

• The Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act

• Schools must have written permission from a parent in order to release any information from a student’s education record except:

• School officials with legitimate educational interest

• Officials performing evaluations

• Complying with judicial order

• Appropriate cases of health and safety emergencies

• State and local authorities within juvenile justice system (Education, 2012)

PRIVACY

Do:

• Keep all paperwork assessable, but not viewable

• Use locked cabinets for student files

PRIVACY

• Put only first names on labels

• Discuss student information on

an as needed basis with other

Staff

PRIVACY

Give information to general staff

about disorders, not children

PRIVACY

Don’t:

•Share information with curious visitors to class

• Feel obligated to share information with other parents

• Leave paperwork out where others have access

PRIVACY

Enjoy this short

video on an

example of a

FERPA violation

from UTube

(Park Place

Publications, W

alsh, Anderson,

Brown, Gallegos

, and Green

P.C. Law

Firm, 2010).

PROFESSIONAL COURTESY

Teachers will have many experts available to gather

information and get help. Check the IEP for

strategists who can give advice. Use these resources

in the classroom to allow the students to participate

fully.

OCCUPATIONAL THERAPISTS

• Sensory Diet

• Wet-

paint, glue, shaving

cream

• Dry-

beans, sand, rice

• Noise-

instruments, backgr

ound music

• Lighting

OCCUPATIONAL THERAPISTS

• Informs ways to

work on finger holds

for

pencils, scissors, or

other media

• Putty or playdough

finger work

• Writing without

paper

OCCUPATIONAL THERAPISTS

• Give suggestions for soothing techniques

SPEECH THERAPISTS

Speech therapists

can help set up

communication

devices, picture

charts, and teach

sign language.

SPEECH THERAPISTS

This is a short

clip of using

a speech

therapist in

the

classroom

(Lucigo, 2008

)

PHYSICAL THERAPISTS

PT’s can

• Help check furniture for

proper size for students

• Provide belts or supports for

stable sitting

• Make suggestions for

independence

PHYSICAL THERAPISTS

• Adjust or train on

equipment such as

braces, wheelchairs

, or other

orthopedic devices

DATA BASED INTERVENTIONS

This refers to assessing the student with baseline

information and progress monitoring throughout the year

to check for successful interventions. Data should be

taken on a scheduled basis to check for understanding

and adjust modifications if necessary (Hall, 2009).

DATA BASED INTERVENTIONS

Here is a video on progress monitoring (Wetalearningmedia, 2011).

DATA BASED INTERVENTIONS

• Functional behavior assessment should be

conducted to plan for behavior plans and ongoing

monitoring to check for success. These are tools

needed at IEP meetings and shows professionalism

(Hall, 2009).

PROFESSIONALISM

Be a professional by:

1. Keeping information for students private

2. Listening to other experts’ advice and showing

respect

3. Keeping records and using research based

interventions and monitoring progress

REFERENCES

• Education, U. D. (2012, July 3). Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA). Retrieved from ED.gov: http://www2.ed.gov/policy/gen/guid/fpco/ferpa/index.html

• Hall, L. (2009). Autism spectrum disorders: From theory to practice. In L. Hall, Autism spectrum disorders: From theory to practice. Upper Saddle River, NJ: Pearson Education.

• Lucigo. (2008, May 23). Speech therapy autism picnic. Retrieved July 7, 2012, from UTube: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fQ7wvowhgXM

• Wetalearningmedia. (2011, March 15). Helping teachers use progress monitoring. Retrieved July 7, 2012, from YouTube: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3EPVJDne8Vo&feature=related