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1. Autism at School: A Video Resource for Teachers and Parents in New Zealand

   Smith, J. (2009). Autism at School: A Video Resource for Teachers and Parents in New Zealand. Auckland: Southern Moon Productions. (DVD) This DVD shows how New Zealand teachers are creating environments in which students with ASD are able to learn...

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   Autism at School: A Video Resource for Teachers and Parents in New Zealand

   Smith, J. (2009). Autism at School: A Video Resource for Teachers and Parents in New Zealand. Auckland: Southern Moon Productions. (DVD)

   This DVD shows how New Zealand teachers are creating environments in which students with ASD are able to learn and thrive. It features parents and students talking about their experiences with school and includes practical advice from specialists. The DVD is split into three sections:

   • 'The School Experience' features classroom action in mainstream primary and secondary schools, satellite classes and a special school (80 minutes)
   • 'Advice and Tips' includes the impact of autism on learning, strategies for managing behaviour, creating a suitable classroom environment and tips for teachers and parents (50 minutes)
   • 'Talking About School' includes the blame-free bullying approach being put in action to support a student with ASD (20 minutes).

   Resources for:

   Further learning , Taking action , Others' stories

   Relevant to:

   Understanding autism spectrum disorder, Special education and ASD in NZ school settings, Building inclusive school cultures, Producing inclusive school policies, Evolving inclusive practices, Managing transitions, Specific issues for secondary schools

   Contributed by:

   Smith, A. 2009 .

2. Strengthening Families

   The  Strengthening Families website uses the term 'care communities' to denote all those who care for a child and have a part to play in promoting their welfare.The care community around some young people and their families/whānau can be extensive and...

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   Strengthening Families

   The  Strengthening Families website uses the term 'care communities' to denote all those who care for a child and have a part to play in promoting their welfare.

   The care community around some young people and their families/whānau can be extensive and involve multiple agencies. Strengthening Families provides a way of facilitating connections across agencies in a streamlined process that is responsive to what the families want. Families tell their story only once and the participants jointly construct a plan that clearly identifies who will do what. It is empowering for families, and it is free.

   The website provides clear, detailed information about the process and how to participate. The case studies includethe stories of two families whose challenges included parenting a child with autism. In a third case study, a principal found that a referral through the Strengthening Families process provided better access to support services, with benefits for both the family and the school.

   Resources for:

   Taking action , Others' stories

   Relevant to:

   Understanding inclusion, Building inclusive school cultures, Producing inclusive school policies

   Contributed by:

   Ministry of Social Development .

3. Sue Larkey’s New Zealand Website: Autism and Aspergers Syndrome Training and Resources

   Sue Larkey is an Australian-based trainer and developer of resources for teaching students with ASD. She is well known for her work in New Zealand schools. Larkey’s website provides an extensive array of resources for sale, but it also includes...

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   Sue Larkey’s New Zealand Website: Autism and Aspergers Syndrome Training and Resources

   Sue Larkey is an Australian-based trainer and developer of resources for teaching students with ASD. She is well known for her work in New Zealand schools.

   Larkey’s website provides an extensive array of resources for sale, but it also includes a great many 'tip sheets' for teaching students with ASD. These are intended for teachers, teacher aides, and parents, and some are accompanied by short explanatory videos.

    The site also includes resources to help peers and others in the school community to understand and build positive relationships with students with ASD. These include an example of a letter that a parent sent to other families to explain her son’s diagnosis.

    Separate sections list resources for students in the early years and at primary and secondary school.

   Resources for:

   Further learning , Taking action , Others' stories

   Relevant to:

   Understanding autism spectrum disorder, Building inclusive school cultures, Producing inclusive school policies, Evolving inclusive practices

   Contributed by:

   Education Events Limited .

4. A Beginner's Guide to Autism Spectrum Disorders: Essential Information for Parents and Professionals

   Taylor, P. G. (2011). A Beginner's Guide to Autism Spectrum Disorders: Essential Information for Parents and Professionals. London: Jessica Kingsley.Paul Taylor is a New Zealand paediatrician based in Nelson. This book arose out of his experiences in supporting teachers and...

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   A Beginner's Guide to Autism Spectrum Disorders: Essential Information for Parents and Professionals

   Taylor, P. G. (2011). A Beginner's Guide to Autism Spectrum Disorders: Essential Information for Parents and Professionals. London: Jessica Kingsley.

   Paul Taylor is a New Zealand paediatrician based in Nelson. This book arose out of his experiences in supporting teachers and professionals to understand the perspectives of people with ASD and how to support them at home and at school.

   Taylor discusses his book in this  video post on the publisher’s website. He shares the story of how one school came close to excluding a boy with ASD. Taylor helped the board of trustees to understand the anxiety behind his behaviour. Today the school is 'ASD-friendly'.

   Resources for:

   Further learning , Taking action , Others' stories

   Relevant to:

   Understanding autism spectrum disorder, Understanding inclusion, Building inclusive school cultures, Evolving inclusive practices, Specific issues for secondary schools

   Contributed by:

   Taylor, P. G. 2011 London: Jessica Kingsley.

5. Positive Behaviour for Learning (PB4L)

   Positive Behaviour for Learning (PB4L) is a new Ministry of Education website offering programmes and initiatives for parents, teachers and schools to promote positive behaviour in children and young people. It brings together information from research, practical strategies, examples of...

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   Positive Behaviour for Learning (PB4L)

   Positive Behaviour for Learning (PB4L) is a new Ministry of Education website offering programmes and initiatives for parents, teachers and schools to promote positive behaviour in children and young people. It brings together information from research, practical strategies, examples of strategies in action, and information about where you can get help.

   This website is still in development. At the time of writing it has sections on:

   • encouraging positive behaviours
   • deterring bullying
   • responding to an incident
   • being confident (from the perspectives of boards, school or centre leaders, teachers, and parents)
   • getting help and support.

   The website includes instructions on how to develop a  behaviour intervention plan and links to readings and tools for  understanding the function of behaviour.

   The website also offers checklists and links to monitoring and self-review tools that you can use to assess your school’s climate.

   Resources for:

   Further learning , Taking action , Others' stories

   Relevant to:

   Audit, Building inclusive school cultures, Producing inclusive school policies, Evolving inclusive practices

   Contributed by:

   Ministry of Education .

6. The Gray Centre for Social Learning and Understanding: Social Stories™

   Social stories are narratives that are developed to help people with ASD understand social situations and manage their anxiety. These stories may also encourage appropriate behaviour, though Carol Gray, developer of the concept, states that this is not the first...

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   The Gray Centre for Social Learning and Understanding: Social Stories™

   Social stories are narratives that are developed to help people with ASD understand social situations and manage their anxiety. These stories may also encourage appropriate behaviour, though Carol Gray, developer of the concept, states that this is not the first goal.  Her website offers guidance, examples, and short video clips in which Gray talks about the approach. 

   Resources for:

   Taking action , Others' stories

   Relevant to:

   Building inclusive school cultures

   Contributed by:

   The Gray Center .

7. Through Different Eyes: Assessment for Learners with Special Education Needs

   This  Ministry of Education website deals with assessment for learners with special education needs. Narrative assessment is intended to help these students to learn within the context of the New Zealand Curriculum and to help those who care for them to...

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   Through Different Eyes: Assessment for Learners with Special Education Needs

   This  Ministry of Education website deals with assessment for learners with special education needs. Narrative assessment is intended to help these students to learn within the context of the New Zealand Curriculum and to help those who care for them to provide the necessary support.

    The site has three main components:

   • The New Zealand Curriculum Exemplars for Learners with Special Education Needs: a set of exemplars that demonstrate how to notice, recognise, respond to, and revisit these student’s learning
   • Narrative Assessment: A Guide for Teachers (Ministry of Education, 2009): an introduction to the principles underpinning narrative assessment, with examples of learning stories and explanations of how to write them
   • case studies from St Anne’s Catholic School and Allenvale School on their experiences of using narrative assessment and learning stories.

   Resources for:

   Further learning , Taking action , Others' stories

   Relevant to:

   Building inclusive school cultures, Evolving inclusive practices

   Contributed by:

   Ministry of Education .

8. Autism Spectrum Disorder Inclusion Collaboration Model

   Simpson, R. L., de Boer-Ott, S. R., and Smith-Myles, B. (2003). “Inclusion of Students with Autism Spectrum Disorders in General Education Settings”. Topics in Language Disorders, 23(2), pp. 116–134. (This article can be accessed in the  ERIC database, searching on...

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   Autism Spectrum Disorder Inclusion Collaboration Model

   Simpson, R. L., de Boer-Ott, S. R., and Smith-Myles, B. (2003). “Inclusion of Students with Autism Spectrum Disorders in General Education Settings”. Topics in Language Disorders, 23(2), pp. 116–134. (This article can be accessed in the  ERIC database, searching on document number EJ671447.)

    Simpson et al.'s Autism Spectrum Disorder Inclusion Collaboration Model is based on the assumptions that:

   • autistic students and nondisabled students benefit from interaction with each other
   • staff endorse the concept of inclusion and are able to take on the responsibility of having autistic students
   • there is a spirit of collaboration in the model’s implementation.

   Simpson et al. explain the five components of the model:

   • environmental and curricular modifications, general education classroom support and instructional methods
   • attitudinal and social supports
   • coordinated team commitment
   • recurrent evaluation of inclusion procedures
   • home–school collaboration.

   The article below includes checklists that may help guide your efforts to include students with ASD in the general education classroom effectively.  The Spring 2007 edition of The Inclusion Notebook summarises the model (see page 9).

   “Inclusive Education and Autism”. (Spring 2007). The Inclusion Notebook, VI(1).

   Bounds’ thesis describes how the model supported improved outcomes for 18 primary school students in nine mainstream schools in Australia. It focuses primarily on the effect of teacher support on student behaviour.

   Bounds, J. (2009). “A Study of the Outcomes of Collaborative and Structured Support for Primary School Teachers to Facilitate Inclusive Education for Students with an Autism Spectrum Disorder”. PhD thesis, Flinders University of South Australia.

   Resources for:

   Further learning , Taking action

   Relevant to:

   Understanding autism spectrum disorder, Audit, Building inclusive school cultures, Producing inclusive school policies, Evolving inclusive practices

   Contributed by:

   Simpson, R. L., de Boer-Ott, S.r., Smith-Myles, B. 2003 'Topics in Language Disorders'', 23(12), pp. 116–134..

9. The Autism Web Course

   The  Autism Web Course offers online modules that provide information about people with ASD and ways of providing support.The course was developed collaboratively by the State Departments of Education of Connecticut, and Minnesota, and the University of Kansas (the Interactive Collaborative...

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   The Autism Web Course

   The  Autism Web Course offers online modules that provide information about people with ASD and ways of providing support.

   The course was developed collaboratively by the State Departments of Education of Connecticut, and Minnesota, and the University of Kansas (the Interactive Collaborative Autism Network Project or ICAN). It has since been updated by the University of New Mexico.

   While the course has a variety of modules on specific topics such as functional behavioural assessments and the Circle of Friends approach, the developers describe the following modules as ‘foundational’:

   1. Characteristics: An overview of ASD topics such as current diagnostic criteria, prevalence, characteristics in various domains, and issues related to diagnosis, medication, and education.
   2. Assessment: Formal and informal assessment techniques for students with ASD. Covers assessment categories, reviews instruments or techniques, and looks at how various assessment techniques can be applied to different ASD symptoms.
   3. Academic Interventions: Intervention techniques for learning that facilitate skill acquisition in students with ASD.
   4. Behavioral Interventions: Interventions that improve or alleviate ASD-associated behaviours. Inlcludes lessons related to applied behaviour analysis and positive behaviour supports.
   5. Communication Interventions: Interventions that facilitate communication skills for students with ASD. Many hands-on examples are introduced in each lesson.
   6. Environmental Interventions: Effective strategies using environmental modifications. Introduces a wide range of approaches, such as inclusion, computer-assisted instruction, and visual supports.
   7. Social Interventions: Interventions that improve the social skills of children and youth with ASD. Topics such as peer-related social strategies and social stories are discussed.
   8. Family Support Suggestions: Helpful ideas for the families of children and youth with ASD. Includes topics such as best practice recommendations, parent perspectives and recommendations for working with families.

   Each module has an introduction, overview, lecture, quiz, FAQs (frequently asked questions), and references. There is also an extensive glossary.

   Resources for:

   Further learning , Taking action

   Relevant to:

   Understanding autism spectrum disorder, Building inclusive school cultures, Evolving inclusive practices

10. Tips for Autism

    Tips for Autism is a three-day course that supports the care community around an individual child with ASD to learn how they can work together to help that child achieve better outcomes. It is funded by the Ministries of Education...

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    Tips for Autism

    Tips for Autism is a three-day course that supports the care community around an individual child with ASD to learn how they can work together to help that child achieve better outcomes. It is funded by the Ministries of Education and Health and is available nationwide.

    The  evaluation report carried out by Bevan-Brown et al. indicates that this course meets the criteria for a high quality course that contributes to better outcomes for people with ASD.

    A summary of the original report is also available at the same link.

    Bevan-Brown, J., Bourke, R., Butler, P., Carroll-Lind, J., Kearney, A., and Mentis, M. (November 2011). Evaluation of the ‘Tips for Autism’ Professional Learning and Development Programme. Wellington: Ministry of Education.

    The Tips for Autism website provides details about the course and how to apply. People who have completed the course can access additional resources on the website.

    Resources for:

    Further learning , Taking action

    Relevant to:

    Leading change, Understanding autism spectrum disorder, Building inclusive school cultures, Producing inclusive school policies, Evolving inclusive practices, Managing transitions

    Contributed by:

    Ministries of Education and Health.