to have sufficient staffing to do that very well, very effectively.” Having what amounts to an ongoing autism case study on


campus is invaluable for EMU students, who get to see faculty and professional therapists working with families in a multi- disciplinary approach. It’s a symbiotic relationship: Students are assigned coursework and projects or volunteer at the center, all of which has benefits for the students, yet at the same time they are helping provide valuable services for families.


along a project they had created for a graduate-level course taught by Burton-Hoyle. Te assignment was to create a package of visual aids that would document each step a child would take in geting a haircut at the ACC. Haircuts are one of Sanderson’s favorite services provided by the center because they are a perfect example of how simple tasks for most people are sometimes impossibly difficult for people with autism. For years, Sanderson dreaded taking her son—who has autism— for haircuts because he vigorously resisted what is not a daily or regular task he was accustomed to. Making haircuts predictable and easier is the goal of a meth-


O


od the center started a couple of years ago. To improve the pro- cess, Mallad and Ozee photographed a child who was using the service, then made those photos into a step-by-step guide with simple messages printed on each photo—“Tis is the hallway I walk down to get my haircut” or “I sit still when I get my hair cut.” Te grad students created the pictorial instructions in both printed and video forms. Tey also created what might be called a visual schedule—a vertical banner that hangs on the wall next to the haircut chair. Each step has a visual icon that parents can point to each step of the way; when each step is complete, that icon is removed so the child can follow their progress and focus on what’s next. When all the icons are removed, they know the haircut is over. “It’s modeling the correct behavior rather than saying ‘don’t do this,’ ” Sanderson says. “It very organized, very calming for a lot of our kiddos.” Mallad has experience working with children with severe


cognitive impairments, but now she plans to focus on children with autism once she completes her master’s degree at Eastern. Ozee says her EMU coursework has emphasized the unique educational needs of every child, including those with autism. “It’s just a puzzle and you want to reach all kids,” she says. EMU’s contribution to the study of autism is growing


at a significant pace, led in large part by Burton-Hoyle’s commitment to the field. Tat commitment started with her brother many years ago and continues today just as


n a late aſternoon in mid-March, two EMU grad students, Mona Mallad and Christina Ozee, were at the ACC to meet with Amy Sanderson, the center’s family services director. Te students had brought


Eastern’s Autism Collaborative Center works directly with children and families affected by autism.


intensely, three years aſter his death at age 45. “My life and my work has beautifully taken me to every part


of the spectrum, which is just so fascinating. So I look at it all really as a blessing and as a blessing to my students because they get a different perspective for future teachers,” she says. “I tell my students what my goal is for them is that they are


going to change the world. Because they are going to go out there, they are going to understand autism inside, outside, upside down. And they are going to go to wherever (their jobs take them) and rise to being in charge.” 3


About Autism


n Autism is the shorthand term for a broad variety of developmental disabilities that can cause social, communication and behavioral problems. Researchers and healthcare experts more commonly refer to Autism Spectrum Disorders, or ASD, and people with autism are says to be “on the spectrum.” n The latest research from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention estimates that 1 in 88 children has ASD. It’s 5 times more common in boys than girls. n Disabilities are highly individualized to each person, but range from severe problems with language and intellect to the inability to socialize, communicate and navigate their environment. Asperger syndrome is one of the more well- known and milder forms. n There is no cure but studies show that early intervention significantly improves a child’s development. n Most scientists, according to the CDC, don’t believe there is a single cause and have identified both genetic and non- genetic factors that play a role in its development.


Eastern | SPRING 2013 21


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