Autism Accommodations At Work

Language Accommodations For School

The goal of language accommodations in the classroom is to help your child grow in their communication skills so that they can be as successful as their neurotypical peers.

Limit sarcasm

Sarcasm can be very confusing for a child with autism, as they may take language very literally. If you have found this to be the case with your child at home, share this information immediately with your childâs teacher. Limiting sarcasm in the classroom can help ease confusion and hurt feelings.

Directly explain figurative language

Again, children with autism tend to take language at face value, and figurative language in everyday speech can be very confusing for them. As they study language in the classroom, they will be directly taught these tools for imagery in their reading and writing, but it may still be confusing for them in speech. Directly sharing the meaning of these techniques when using them will help avoid confusion and help students with autism recognize them when they are being used.

Check-ins

Provide notes

Verbal testing

Voice-to-text

Response time

Giving students with autism extended time to respond to a question is another great modification. Your child may need extended time to process information and questions. Continual prompting or impatience can add stress. Gentle guidance and extended time for response is a great way to accommodate delayed response times.

A Final Word On Inclusion

Inclusion, just like autism, is a spectrum rather than an all-or-nothing proposition ranging from 100% in a regular classroom with an aide at key time to participating in half a class session once a week. In some cases, it may not be possible to engage a student with autism or special needs in a regular education class until proper supports can be worked out. However, with careful attention paid to the needs of the child, supporting regular education teachers in our efforts, and keeping in mind what is best for all parties involved, it should be possible to find a way to include most children with special needs at least some of the time.

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Printed Schedules And Warnings Of Changing Activities

Autistic children thrive off of routines. Changes in routine or transitioning from one activity to another can be difficult. Printed schedules with words and pictures are a way to help and reassure autistic children.

If there will be a change in the schedule, letting the child know a couple of days in advance gives them time to prepare, though they may still have difficulty with the change.

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Workplace Accommodations And Autism Spectrum Disorder

On Behalf of The Lydia Floyd Law Firm LLC | May 9, 2022 | Workplace Discrimination |

When many people think about disability, they think about physical limitations or hearing or sight loss. However, a wide variety of conditions may fall under the category of disability, including autism spectrum disorder . What should autistic people know about their rights?

Accommodating An Employee With Adhd

Employees who disclose an ADHD diagnosis are protected from discrimination under the Americans with Disabilities Act, which may require you to provide reasonable accommodations for them to help them perform essential functions of their job. ADHD may be a mostly invisible condition, but you will likely notice a major change in employees who are offered accommodations.

Though every individual is different, reasonable accommodations for employees with ADHD may include simple adjustments such as:

• A quiet workspace or noise-blocking headphones to reduce distractions
• Calendars to keep track of important deadlines
• Timers to help the individual stay on task
• Tasks that are divided into smaller, more manageable chunks
• Short, intermittent breaks
• Extended deadlines or more time for completing work
• An established peer-review system to double check detailed work
• Altered work hours to accommodate peak periods of focus and attention

Before you make any assumptions on what your employee may or may not need, ask them how ADHD has impaired their ability to perform essential job functions or if their health care provider has provided any specific recommendations.

Once accommodations are in place, check in with the employee frequently to make sure the accommodations are meeting their needs or if minor adjustments need to be made. For more information on accommodations for ADHD, review the Job Accommodation Network External Site.

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Reasonable Accommodations In The Workplace

What are Reasonable Accommodations and how do they apply in the workplace?

When autistic people apply for jobs, they might have some worries or concerns that having a difference or disability like autism might impose a barrier to them finding a job that matches their skills, talents or personal qualities. There may be concerns around how they might be expected to perform their job to exactly the same standard as colleagues who might be neurotypical or who might not have a disability. They might also have concerns around what the implications would be if they were to observe workplace rules or norms, or if they were to perform workplace tasks or communicate differently to their neurotypical colleagues.

Other worries or concerns might include having to mask or hide their autistic traits to fit into the workplace, having to explain their autistic traits to colleagues, dealing with workplace misunderstandings, differences in communication styles, managing change, pressure to quickly adopt to new tasks, dealing with workplace stress, sensory processing differences around particular aspects of the workplace or maintaining a work-life balance.

What laws support autistic people in the workplace?

What are Reasonable Accommodations?

Autistic-friendly and disability-friendly measures are people-friendly measures, and applying Reasonable Accommodations in the workplace ensures that autistic people are valued and appreciated in the workplace.

School Board Applied Behaviour Analysis Experts

Every school board in the province gets funding to hire at least one expert in applied behavioural analysis and conduct ABA training.

ABA expertise professionals support principals, teachers, educators and other school staff by:

• providing and coordinating ABA coaching, training and resources
• facilitating school boards collaboration with community service providers, parents and schools
• supporting the Connections for Students model and other student transitions

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Students With Autism Can Present Unique Challenges For Their Teachers Who Need To Effectively Meet Their Needs

It is vital that teachers are well-equipped to deal with these challenges and are aware of the best possible ways to support a child with autism in the classroom.

What is Autism?

Autism spectrum disorder or autism is a developmental disability that can cause significant social communication and behavioural challenges.

It affects a childs social abilities as well as anything from speech to non-verbal communication and can make their behaviour unpredictable. Of course, its not their fault and they are often blessed with high intelligence and unique strengths that only heighten the challenge of bringing out their best.

So how can you as a teacher support a child with autism in the classroom effectively? Here are some tips that you can follow:

It all starts with the childs parents

The primary carer at home, be it mum or dad, know all the likes, the dislikes, and the particular behavioural triggers. Sure, theyre not professionals, but theyre the true heart of an autistic child, the heart an autistic child may or may not be able to express themselves.

They have the history of good and bad reactions to every experience and stimulation. They have the experience of the good and bad results trying to deal with sometimes confounding reactions.

Getting assistance from a Teacher Aide

Have a set plan for meltdowns

Educate the rest of the class

Direct Threat Defense To Hiring Or Continued Employment

An employer does not have to hireor continue to employan individual with a disability if the individual 1) does not have the necessary pre-requisites for the job in question 2) cannot perform the essential functions of the job with or without reasonable accommodations, or 3) if the individual is a direct threat. The direct threat defense under Title I includes both direct threat to oneself and direct threat to others in the workplace.

Although an employer might apply the direct threat to oneself defense to individuals with ASD in certain circumstances, individuals with this impairment are more likely to be considered unqualified based on the direct threat to others defense. The EEOC issued guidance that addresses this defense as applied to persons with intellectual disabilities in the workplace that is relevant for some individuals with ASD. The guidance references the federal regulation defining direct threat as a significant risk of substantial harm to the individual or others that cannot be eliminated or reduced through reasonable accommodation. In addition to providing several specific workplace examples, the EEOC clarifies that determining whether an individual presents a direct threat must be based on objective and factual evidence. The harm that is considered a threat must be serious, it must be likely to occur, not remote or speculative, and reasonable accommodation to address the concerns must be considered.

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Identifying And Utilizing Employee Skills

It’s important for you to identify an autistic employee’s abilities, which might exceed those of your neurotypical employees. Again, each individual is different, but some people with autism excel in important areas like persistence, loyalty, and honesty. Others are extremely detail oriented or are creative thinkers who can offer your business innovative solutions. Some have sharp memories or high focus that lend well to technical tasks, such as coding.

If you think an autistic employee could be better suited for a different task, suggest a role change. For example, you might find that an employee is too anxious to contribute to brainstorming sessions, but they excel at tasks that require sustained focus.

What Is Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder Inattentive Type In Adults

Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder is a neuropsychiatric disorder that makes it difficult to pay attention, control impulsivity or manage excitable behavior . The disorder interferes with the quality of life by intruding on day-to-day functioning.

Three different types of ADHD have been identified based on criteria from the American Psychiatric Association. These are:

• Predominantly inattentive presentation.
• Predominantly hyperactive-impulsive presentation.
• Combined presentation .

Adults who have significant problems with inattention, but exhibit few or no symptoms of hyperactivity, are said to have the predominantly inattentive presentation of ADHD. People with this type of ADHD have trouble paying attention to details, are easily distracted, often have trouble organizing or finishing tasks and often forget routine chores .

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The Eeoc Settlements And Court Case Summaries

If an individual with ASD believes their rights under Title I of the ADA have been denied, the first step should be to engage directly with the employer and attempt to resolve the issue. If that effort is not satisfactory, the individual can file a federal complaint. The individual cannot file a Title I complaint initially to the federal courts, but first must file with the EEOC. Generally, the agency will attempt to settle complaints through mediation between the employee and employer. If both parties do not agree to mediate or the issue is not resolved, the EEOC will investigate to determine if there is reasonable cause to believe discrimination has occurred. If so, the agency attempts to resolve the issue with the employer. If that is also unsuccessful, the EEOC may file a court action. If the agency decides not to file a court action, it will issue a right to sue letter which allows the employee 90 days to file a court action.

Top Sensory Accommodations For Employers

Sensory accommodations are one of the easiest types of accommodations for employers to implement in the workplace.

Sensory accommodations can be divided into sound, aroma or tactile.

Sound: a quiet workplace or noise-cancelling handsets can go a long way to minimise distress associated with high noise levels.

Tactile: provide gloves or dark glasses

Aroma: ensure the environment is free of any potentially distressing aromas such as strong cleaning products and perfumes. If possible, provide alternative scents .

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Changing Employer Expectations On Autism

Bill Gamack, the CEO of Epic Assist International, believes that the message about neurodiversity is reaching the mainstream of society. He cites TV programs such as Employable Me, which have profiled the personal stories of autistic people looking for employment.

âItâs not about the charity or an employer feeling good or about doing right. Itâs the power that comes with a diverse workforce,â he says.

âThis is the other part of the diversity conversation. There are competitive advantages as part of it.â

Mr Gamack also points to the chief reason for employer hesitation: fear.

âYou need to overcome something basic: people are scared. The employer has more of an issue rather than the person with a disability,â he said.

âEmployers want everyone to be normal and come in and do a perfect job. They want a safe hire. Easy. Everyone needs to fit into a box and conform.â

Vicky Little, the Quality Assurance Manager at Specialisterne Australia, noted that the majority of employment programs are focused on IT-related skills, because âitâs a safe landing place for employers to start â.

âTheyâre nervous about doing something new. They are nervous about disrupting the recruitment process. Theyâre nervous about taking on an initiative like this unless they see that itâs been done elsewhere before.â

âWhen you think about it, should it not be good management practice anyway?â she said.

Provide Reassurance In Stressful Situations

Autistic people can be quite meticulous, and can become anxious if their performance is not perfect. This means they may become stressed in a situation such as an IT failure. You can help by giving concrete solutions to these situations for example, by explaining “If the photocopier breaks, use the one on the third floor.” Similarly, reassure them that if they occasionally arrive late due to transport problems or other unpreventable factors, this is not a problem.Your employeemay benefit from having a mentor or buddy in the workplace an empathetic colleague who they can go to if they are feeling stressed, anxious or confused.

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What Are Good Job Options For Autistic People

The passions and fixations that are a hallmark of autism can translate into valuable skills in the workforce. People who are drawn to patterns or puzzles may excel at software testing, quality control, or other roles in the technology sector. Other positions in autism-friendly companies include working on stockroom operations, production lines, data entry, and accounting. Autistic people should explore how their natural interests and talents overlap with the needs of particular positions in the job market.

Sensory Accommodations For School

Children with autism can be easily overwhelmed by sensory stimuli at home which can be amplified when they transition to the school setting. Schools and classroom teachers can make modifications to the school setting to better accommodate your childâs needs, just as you make accommodations for them at home. These tools can help your child focus in the classroom, become comfortable with their surroundings, and feel at peace with the changes in their daily lives.

Preferential seating

Sensory input and sensitivity to stimuli can make a child with autism become easily distracted in the classroom setting. Being intentional with seating arrangements can help mitigate distractions and help your child remain focused and calm. Depending on your childâs specific needs, the teacher may recommend having your child sit close to where they give instructions to help maintain your childâs attention. Or, their seat may need to be away from certain students that provide additional distractions. They may need to be moved away from the heater or the air conditioner if they make too much noise. As your child and teacher get to know each other better, their seat may need to be moved to best suit their needs and aid in their learning.

Allow fidget toys

Flexible seating

Breaks

Limit distractions

Parent accommodations

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Women With Autism Are Being Overlooked

Dr Michelle Gartnett, who has treated many people with autism, says that autism in girls and women remains underdiagnosed.

On average, girls were being diagnosed on average at the age of 12-13 years old. But anecdotally, many would consider themselves lucky to receive an autism diagnosis before adulthood.

âThere is a whole generation who have been missed. donât realise it till their 40s and 50s,â said Dr Gartnett.

âWomen in the workplace can be disbelieved because it doesnât match the autism stereotype.â

Instead, women are often wearing a mask. In the workplace, they may be perceived as complaining, malingering or difficult to get along. Consequently, many women feel their concerns and worries are dismissed because they donât fit the usual cultural stereotype of autism.

Yenn Purkis, a non-binary autistic working in the public service in Canberra, can identify with those challenges.

Yennâs chief concerns as an autistic worker include anxiety around job security, misinterpreting other peopleâs words or fearing the worst based on the actions of others around her.

However, Yenn credits the current managers at the workplace for accommodating challenges as best as they can with an inclusive approach.

Top Strengths That Autistic People Can Bring to the Workplace

Yenn named the following strengths in the workplace:

• Positive attitude

Eeoc V Jax Llc D/b/a Golden Corral

The EEOC sued Jax, LLC, which operates the Golden Corral Restaurant, on behalf of an employee with ASD who argued that he was subject to a hostile work environment based on his disability. Although the employee filed an internal complaint, the company did not investigate, the harassment did not stop, and the employee ultimately resigned. An investigation by the EEOC found that the employee, who had limitations in communication and interaction with others, was repeatedly called retard and stupid by the assistant manager of the restaurant. After failing to resolve the issue, the EEOC filed a federal court complaint. The employer settled and agreed to pay the employee $85,000 and implement training of all managers and employees.

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