Inclusive Pedagogy: Rethinking Autistic Students’ Behavior Using Motor Planning and Sensory Regulation
Main Article Content
Keywords
autism, disability studies in education, disability studies, motor planning, sensory regulation
Abstract
Research suggests that sensory regulation and motor planning are differences for students with autism (Hilton et al., 2012; Moran et al., 2013; Paton et al., 2012), but so often the first approach to supporting students with autism in schools, comes from an understanding routed in behavior. Grounded in a critical disability studies in education theoretical framework (Ferguson & Nusbaum, 2012; Goodley et al., 2019), this article centers the voices of self-advocates with autism to understand their perspectives related to how their sensory and motor needs have been misunderstood as behavior. Counter-narratives provide the foundation to illustrate critical reframing of behavior, and then the authors provide implications for educational practice for both pre- and in- service educators, with pedagogical strategies that accounts for sensory-motor perspective of understanding autism.
References
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Mukhopadhyay, T. R. (2000). Beyond the silence: My life, the world, and autism. National Autistic Society.
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Pena, E. V. (2019). Leaders around me: Autobiographies of autistics who type, point, and spell to communicate.
Rajapatirana, C. (2015). Traveler's tales: My journey with autism. Perera-Hussein Publishing House.
Robledo, J., Donnellan, A. M., & Strandt-Conroy, K. (2012). An exploration of sensory and movement differences from the perspective of individuals with autism. Frontiers in Integrative Neuroscience, 6, 107. https://doi.org/10.3389/fnint.2012.00107
Rubin, S. (2013, October 29). An invitation to see autism as I do. https://sites.google.com/site/suerubin696/platform
Thelen, E., & Smith, L. B. (1994). A dynamic systems approach to the development of cognition and action. MIT Press.
Tomchek, S. D., & Dunn, W. (2007). Sensory processing in children with and without autism: A comparative study using the short sensory profile. The American Journal of Occupational Therapy, 31(2), 190-200. https://doi.org/10.5014/ajot.61.2.190
Wallis, C. (2006, May 7). Inside the autistic mind. Time. https://content.time.com/time/subscriber/article/0,33009,1191843,00.html
Whyatt, C., & Craig, C. (2013). Sensory-motor problems in autism. Frontiers in Integrative Neuroscience, 7(51), 218-229. https://doi.org/10.3389/fnint.2013.00051
Young, S. (2011). Real people, regular lives: Autism, communication, and quality of life. Sally R Young.
Biklen, D. (2005). Autism and the myth of the person alone. In Autism and the Myth of the Person Alone. New York University Press.
Biklen, D. P., & Burke, J. (2006). Presuming competence. Equity and Excellence in Education, 39, 166-175. https://doi.org/10.1080/10665680500540376
Bluestone, J. (2005). The fabric of autism: Weaving the threads into a cogent theory. Sapphire Enterprises.
Boucher, J. (2003). Language development in autism. International Journal of Pediatric Otorhinolaryngology, 67(1), 159-163. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijporl.2003.08.016
Burke, J. (2019). Motor-planning and typing to communicate [conference presentation]. The Institute on Communication and Inclusion Introductory Workshop in Supporting Communication, Syracuse, NY.
Causton, J., Tracy-Bronson, C. P., & MacLeod, K. (2015). Beyond treats and timeouts: Humanistic behavioral supports in inclusive classrooms. International Journal of Whole Schooling, 11(1), 69-84.
Danforth, S., & Boyle, J. (2007). Cases in behavior management (2nd ed. ed.). Pearson Education.
David, F. J., Baranek, G. T., Wiesen, C., Miao, A. F., & Thorpe, D. E. (2012). Coordination of precision grip in 2-6 years-old children with autism spectrum disorders compared to children developing typically and children with developmental disabilities. Frontiers in Integrative Neuroscience, 6(122), 314-326. https://doi.org/10.3389/fnint.2012.00122
Dhossche, D. M. (2004). Autism as early expression of catatonia. Medical Science Monitor, 10(3), 31-39.
Dickens, B., & Causton, J. (2019, September 9). The Inclusion Podcast. In My (Un)Special Education: Behavior.
Donnellan, A. M., Hill, D. A., & Leary, M. R. (2013). Rethinking autism: Implications of sensory and movement differences for understanding and support. Frontiers in Integrative Neuroscience, 6, 72-82. https://doi.org/10.3389/fnint.2012.00124
Endow, J. (2006). Making lemonade: Hints for autism's helpers. Cambridge Book Review Press.
Ferguson, P. M., & Nusbaum, E. (2012). Disability studies: What is it and what difference does it make? Research and Practice for Persons with Severe Disabilities, 37(2), 70-80. https://doi.org/https://doi.org/10.1177/154079691203700202
Fournier, K. A., Hass, C. J., Naik, S. K., Lodha, N., & Cauraugh, J. H. (2010). Motor coordination in autism spectrum disorders: A synthesis and meta-analysis. Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders, 40(10), 1227-1240. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10803-010-0981-3
Gill, M. (2015). Already doing it: Intellectual disability and sexual agency. University of Minnesota Press.
Goodley, D., Lawthom, R., KLiddiard, K., & Runswick-Cole, K. (2019). Provocations for critical disability studies. Disability & Society, 34(6), 972-997. https://doi.org/10.1080/09687599.2019.1566889
Guerra, S. (2002, September 18). I was constantly assigned negative motivations for my actions. https://www.facebook.com/SabrinaGuerraNonspeakingAdvocate
Guerra, S. (2022, August 23). I labored over this presentation for my new classmates. https://www.facebook.com/SabrinaGuerraNonspeakingAdvocate
Guerra, S. (2022, May 16). Rewarding disabled students. https://www.facebook.com/SabrinaGuerraNonspeakingAdvocate
Guerra, S. (2022, September 9). Students like me face unacknowledged ableism and resentment daily. https://www.facebook.com/SabrinaGuerraNonspeakingAdvocate
Hilton, C. L., Zhang, Y., Whilte, M. R., Klohr, C. L., & Constantino, J. (2012). Motor impairment in sibling pairs concordant and discordant for autism spectrum disorders. Autism, 16(4), 430-441. https://doi.org/10.1177/1362361311423018
Ignagni, E., Schormans, A. F., Liddiard, K., & Rundswick-Cole, K. (2016). 'Some people are not allowed to love': Intimate citizenship in the lives of people labelled with intellectual disabilities. Disability & Society, 31(1), 131-135. https://doi.org/10.1080/09687599.2015.1136148
Individuals with Disabilities Education Act 20 USC § 1416, (2004).
Jansiewicz, E. M., Goldberg, M. C., Newschaffer, C. J., Denckla, M. B., Landa, R., & Mostofsky, S. H. (2006). Motor signs distinguish children with high functioning autism and Asperger's syndrome from controls. Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders, 36(5), 613-621. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10803-006-0109-y
Jasmin, E., Couture, M., McKinley, P., Reid, G., Fombonne, E., & Gisel, E. (2008). Sensori-motor and daily living skills of preschool children with autism spectrum disorders. Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders, 39(2), 231-2341. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10803-008-0617-z
Kearney, A. J. (2015). Understanding applied behavior analysis: An introduction to ABA for parents, teachers, and other professionals (2nd ed. ed.). Jessica Kingsley Publishers.
Kedar, I. (2020, January 24). No dog training for humans. Ido in Austismland. http://idoinautismland.com/?p=942
Linton, S. (2005). What is disability studies? Pmla, 120(2), 518-522.
Little, S. G., & Akin-Little, A. (Eds.). (2019). Behavior interventions in schools: Evidence-based positive strategies. American Psychological Association.
Liu, T. (2012). Motor milestone development in your children with autism spectrum disorders: An exploratory study. Educational Psychology in Practice, 28(3), 315-326. https://doi.org/10.1080/02667363.2012.684340
Lovett, H. (1996). Learning to listen: Positive approaches and people with difficult behavior. Paul H. Brookes Publishing.
Ming, X., Brimacombe, M., & Wagner, G. C. (2007). Prevalence of motor impairment in autism spectrum disorders. Brain Development, 29, 265-270. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.braindev.2007.03.002
Moran, M. F., Foley, J. T., Parker, M. E., & Weiss, M. J. (2013). Two-legged hopping in autism spectrum disorders. Frontiers in Integrative Neuroscience, 7(14), 301-308. https://doi.org/10.3389/fnint.2013.00014
Mukhopadhyay, T. R. (2000). Beyond the silence: My life, the world, and autism. National Autistic Society.
Paton, B., Hohwy, J., & Enticott, P. G. (2012). The rubber hand illusion reveals proprioceptive and sensorimotor differences in autism spectrum disorders. Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders, 42(9), 1-14. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10803-011-1430-7
Pena, E. V. (2019). Leaders around me: Autobiographies of autistics who type, point, and spell to communicate.
Rajapatirana, C. (2015). Traveler's tales: My journey with autism. Perera-Hussein Publishing House.
Robledo, J., Donnellan, A. M., & Strandt-Conroy, K. (2012). An exploration of sensory and movement differences from the perspective of individuals with autism. Frontiers in Integrative Neuroscience, 6, 107. https://doi.org/10.3389/fnint.2012.00107
Rubin, S. (2013, October 29). An invitation to see autism as I do. https://sites.google.com/site/suerubin696/platform
Thelen, E., & Smith, L. B. (1994). A dynamic systems approach to the development of cognition and action. MIT Press.
Tomchek, S. D., & Dunn, W. (2007). Sensory processing in children with and without autism: A comparative study using the short sensory profile. The American Journal of Occupational Therapy, 31(2), 190-200. https://doi.org/10.5014/ajot.61.2.190
Wallis, C. (2006, May 7). Inside the autistic mind. Time. https://content.time.com/time/subscriber/article/0,33009,1191843,00.html
Whyatt, C., & Craig, C. (2013). Sensory-motor problems in autism. Frontiers in Integrative Neuroscience, 7(51), 218-229. https://doi.org/10.3389/fnint.2013.00051
Young, S. (2011). Real people, regular lives: Autism, communication, and quality of life. Sally R Young.
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Aug 9, 2024
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Additional Global Research
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Author Biographies
Chelsea P. Tracy-Bronson, Stockton University
Chelsea P. Tracy-Bronson is an Associate Professor at Stockton University. Her research examines the implementation strategies that public school districts, P-12, employ to build inclusive educational contexts and provide inclusive special education services.
Sara Scribner, Plymouth State University
Sara Scribner is an assistant professor of special education at Plymouth State University, Plymouth, New Hamphshire.