SESA provides consultation and training to support the unique educational needs of individuals and the Alaskan communities that serve them.

Autism Impairment

Eligibility requirements for services are taken from the State of Alaska's Special Education Handbook.
To be eligible for special education and related services as a child with autism, a child must:

Exhibit a developmental disability significantly affecting verbal and non-verbal communication and social interaction, generally evident before age 3, that adversely affects educational performance; and

Require special facilities, equipment, or methods to make the child's educational program effective; and
Be diagnosed as autistic by a psychiatrist, physician, or psychologist; and

Be certified by a group consisting of qualified professionals and a parent of the child as qualifying for and needing special education services.

Characteristics of autism include: (1) irregularities and impairments in communication, (2) engagement in repetitive activities and stereotyped movements (3) resistance to environmental change or change in daily routines, and (4) unusual responses to sensory experiences.

A child who manifests the above characteristics after age 3 may be diagnosed as having autism.

Note: A child identified with pervasive developmental disorder (PDD) should not be determined eligible under the category of "Autism", but may be found eligible under another category by the team.

SERVICES PROVIDED BY AUTISM SUPPORT SPECIALISTS
1. Student-specific consultation in the areas of:

Communication skills development
Positive behavioral support
Social skills development
Instructional strategies
Curriculum modification and accommodations
Other individualized interventions as needed

2. Site-, district-, and regional-based in-service training for professionals and paraprofessionals working with students having autism or Asperger's Syndrome in the areas of:

Autism awareness
Including learners with autism in general education classrooms
Positive behavioral support and functional assessment
Teaching strategies for learners with autism
Curriculum modification
Other topics as needed

3. Assistance to site and district personnel in securing autism-related information, equipment, and other resources through access to SESA's lending library.

4. For more information and resources on autism, visit the Alaska Autism Resource Center (AARC).