News — Waiting in line at the grocery store is frustrating for many of us, but for people with autism spectrum disorders, the experience can be downright unbearable.
鈥淲aiting in line is a big issue,鈥� says Rowan University professor S. Jay Kuder, chair of the University鈥檚 Department of Special Educational Services/Instruction.
鈥淧eople with autism spectrum disorders are usually not that good at anticipating situations. And when they don鈥檛 see a solution, they get upset and act up. Acting up gets them out of the uncomfortable situation.鈥�
To assist people with autism spectrum disorders in social situations鈥攑articularly teens and young adults鈥擪uder and a partner developed Mi-Stories, videotaped scenarios of common situations that are downloadable, and readily available, on Apple i-Pods.
Kuder wrote scripts for the scenarios--crossing the street, shopping in the grocery store, eating in a restaurant. Students in a class taught in 2008 by Rowan Radio/Television/Film Professor Chandrasekhar Vallath filmed the 90-second videos locally.
鈥淭he scenarios were based on what parents told us were issues,鈥� says Kuder, who developed the videos in collaboration with Debbie Lord of Ken-Crest Services in Plymouth Meeting, Pa. 鈥淭hey were chosen because they represent challenges for individuals with autism spectrum disorders.
鈥淚n the videos, we use highly controlled language. We give positive examples of how individuals could act in each situation.鈥�
The use of the iPod not only makes the videos portable, it also targets an important-to-reach population of young adults, Kuder notes.
鈥淭he use of the IPod enables individuals with autism to access the videos at all times in an inconspicuous manner and it鈥檚 also age-appropriate.
鈥淭he tapes have a calming effect,鈥� Kuder continues. 鈥淭he individual pulls out an iPod and as far as anyone knows, they鈥檙e listening to music. 鈥淏eing an adolescent is challenging. But being an adolescent with disabilities is really challenging. Their problems don鈥檛 go away.鈥�
A pilot study of Mi-Stories by Kuder and Lord showed that six of seven boys with autism who viewed the tapes over a three-week period exhibited improvements in their abilities to successfully complete community-based social tasks, use appropriate communication more frequently, and improve their behavior of social situations.
But the biggest gains among the boys, ages 8 to 13, were in their communication skills, says Kuder, who conducted the study at Durand Academy in Woodbury.
鈥淐ommunication was where we saw the biggest improvement. That鈥檚 the biggest problem with people who are autistic. They lack social language skills,鈥� says Kuder, who has submitted the study to the Journal of Autism.
For Kuder, special education鈥攁nd autism in particular鈥攊s an intriguing field. The Moorestown resident, who studies language disorders, is focusing the rest of his career specifically on autism spectrum disorders.
According to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, more children than ever are being identified as having autism spectrum disorders. And New Jersey has one of the highest rates of autism spectrum disorders in the country, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
鈥淚 like the challenge of special education. I really like trying to help people who need something different. I find it interesting,鈥� says Kuder, who serves as the program advisor for the University鈥檚 new Certificate of Graduate Study (COGS) in Autism Spectrum Disorders.
The COGS was developed to meet the increasing need for teachers and other school and behavioral professionals to understand autism spectrum disorders and to teach and manage children with the disorders. Rowan鈥檚 College of Education has one of the largest teacher preparation programs in New Jersey.
To increase the understanding of autism spectrum disorders, Kuder is organizing Rowan鈥檚 first-ever autism conference in the spring. Scott Michael Robertson, a doctoral student in information sciences and technology at Penn State, will give the keynote address at the conference on March 15. Robertson, who has Asperger鈥檚 Syndrome, has published and lectured widely on the college experiences of students with autism, technology and disabilities, and the quality of life for people with Autism Spectrum Disorders.
鈥淎utism presents all of us鈥攖eachers, parents, researchers鈥攚ith significant challenges,鈥� says Kuder. 鈥淚t鈥檚 gratifying to make strides to try to better understand children with autism and to help them improve their lives.鈥�
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