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4738 Building Bridges: Integrating Sensory Processing and Visual Thinking Strategies to Improve Behavior

Thursday, July 8, 2010: 10:45 AM-12:00 PM

Reunion B (Hyatt Regency Dallas)

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This presentation will take participants through a collaborative treatment approach by a speech-language pathologist and an occupational therapist who believe that collaboration has led to successful interventions for their clients. Participants will become familiar with how differences in sensory and language processing affect academic learning, social skills and behavior. Participants will be given information about how students with autism and other developmental delays learn to behave and how families can address challenging behaviors based on the most current brain research.

This workshop will describe how individuals impacted by autism spectrum disorder (ASD) use their neuro-biological learning systems for developing communication, behavior and academics, first through their sensory systems and then as part of how language functions. When the learning systems of these individuals are additionally compromised by significant cognitive impairments and co-morbidity, it is difficult to predict just how much communicative, social and academic progress can be made. The presenters have developed a collaborative model that incorporates sensory processing methodologies and neuro-semantic language methodologies to enhance the learning and behavior of individuals who are significantly impacted by their ASD, and their approach has been very successful with numerous individuals of many different ages and cognitive levels.

The presenters will explain how learning with a “visual brain” affects an individual with ASD's ability to learn to behave, be socially appropriate, be able to learn specific academic skills, and/or learn to communicate using augmentative devices. Then the presenters will show two video clips of individuals severely impacted by autism learning to comply, communicate and socialize by utilizing the theory of sensory processing strategies and visual brain-based language strategies. The video clips will show each individual’s baseline of behavior as well as the stages of change over a very short period of time, and the presenters will describe the theory and rationale for the effective practices viewed on the clips. In addition to the video-clipped individuals, the presenters will provide numerous examples of other children at various levels and ages who learn social, behavioral and academic skills through sensory processing and visual language-based strategies.

Learning Objectives:

Participants will gain an understanding of what sensory processing is and is not and what language is and is not and how they work together in the learning system.
Participants will develop an awareness of how students use behavior related to poor sensory processing to communicate their wants and needs.
Participants will be exposed to language methodologies that assist in bringing about a balance in sensory processing and reduce negative behavioral responses increasing the individual’s ability to participate in home, community and work activities
Participants will be able to discuss some practical classroom suggestions for addressing challenging behaviors in students with Autism Spectrum Disorders
Participants will be able to discuss how to establish a program that integrates sensory-motor and communication therapies effectively for students with severe Autism and challenging behaviors.

Content Area: Sensory Processing

Presenters:

Carole A. Kaulitz, M.Ed., CCC-SLP
Speech-Language Pathologist, Autism Consultant, Deaf/Hard of Hearing Education Specialist
Learning with a Visual Brain Consulting

Carole Kaulitz has been in the field of education for over 40 years and is currently self-employed as an SLP, autism consultant and deaf/hard-of-hearing education specialist in Vancouver, WA. Carole has extensive training in multi-methodologies related to both autism and deafness, and has presented numerous workshops nationwide.

Neatha Lefevre, M.Ed., OTR/L
Occupational Therapist/Consultant
Private Practice

Ms. Lefevre has spent 30 years on the study and application of occupational therapy and sensory processing theories, and their effect on learning and behavior. She specializes in autism spectrum disorders. She is President of Autism Society of Washington Professional Advisory Board, and was the recipient of the ASW 2003 Lifetime Achievement Award.

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