Using Structured Work Systems to Promote Independence and Engagement for Students with Autism Spectrum Disorders

cialist. She, along with teachers, therapists, and paraprofessionals, supported students with autism spectrum disorders (ASD) in preschool through 12th grade, across general and special education settings. Though the skills of the students she served varied tremendously, she noticed a common difficulty for many of her students with ASD, despite age or functioning level: a broad deficit in independent functioning. This impacted her youngest students as they learned basic school readiness skills, including gathering and putting away materials, or completing a basic sequence of activities, such as coloring, cutting, and gluing. This same difficulty made it hard for her older students to follow more complex response chains and manage all of their belongings, materials, and assignments throughout the day. Mrs. Bonds needed an intervention that could address this difficulty, one that would be appropriate for a variety of students in a number of settings. After careful review of evidence-based practices and discussion with colleagues, she decided to implement work systems, an element of structured teaching developed by Division TEACCH, with several of her students.