Rule 10.16.3011 - CRITERIA FOR IDENTIFICATION OF STUDENT AS HAVING AUTISM(1) The student may be identified as having autism if the results of a comprehensive evaluation document significant difficulties in social communication and social interaction, and restricted and repetitive behaviors and interests. (2) The characteristics below are those which most frequently occur with the student but may not occur in every situation. (a) Significant difficulties in social communication must be documented for at least six of the following characteristics: (i) does not initiate or maintain eye contact while interacting with others;(ii) does not use or has limited use of facial expressions to communicate with others;(iii) has difficulty identifying and/or understanding the communicative intent of another person's facial expressions;(iv) does not use gestures to direct attention to an object (for example, showing, bringing, or pointing out objects of interest);(v) does not use gestures for communication;(vi) does not respond to or misinterprets other's use of gestures;(vii) does not notice or misinterprets other's use of body language;(viii) does not use or has inconsistent use of own body language; (ix) does not use verbal language for communication and social interaction; (x) echolalia (immediate and/or delayed) is present;(xi) has verbal language but has difficulties in expressive verbal communication;(xii) has verbal language but has difficulties in receptive verbal communication; or (xiii) interpretation of other's verbal communication is often concrete and literal (for example: does not understand idioms or sarcasm).(b) Significant difficulties in social interaction must be documented for at least five of the following characteristics: (i) does not seek to share enjoyment, interests, or achievements with others; (ii) does not initiate social interaction unless seeking preferred items or help;(iii) no or minimal response to social interactions initiated by others;(iv) has difficulty initiating a conversation on non-preferred topics;(v) has difficulty sustaining a conversation on non-preferred topics;(vi) has difficulty explaining another person's perspective in verbal and/or non verbal communication. (e.g., what other people are thinking or feeling);(vii) does not join play activities of others (solitary play preferred); (viii) play lacks elements of make-believe (e.g., using blocks as food);(ix) has difficulty in participating in make-believe play with others; or(x) does not engage in social imitative play (such as playacting, fantasy characters, animals, pretending adult role).(c) Significant difficulties in restricted and repetitive behaviors and interests must be documented for at least three of the following characteristics: (i) makes repeated vocalizations or verbalizations (e.g., repeats same word, phrase, or sound);(ii) persistent preoccupation with specific objects or parts of objects;(iii) engages in repeated, repetitive movements with objects such as sticks or string, lining up toys, flipping objects, spinning objects; (iv) preoccupation with particular interests causes difficulties in social interaction and/or academic performance;(v) resists when asked to discontinue preferred or special interest activity;(vi) prefers consistency and resists expected and/or unexpected changes (for example: changing activities, leaving activity unfinished, changes in routine or daily schedule); or(vii) engages in repetitive physical behaviors such as body rocking, spinning self, finger flicking, and/or hand flapping.(3) A student must have the minimum number of characteristics in all three areas above to be identified as a student with autism. (4) A student who has the minimum number of required characteristics in social communication and social interaction, and restricted and repetitive behaviors and interests, shall be identified as a student with Autism Type 1. A student who has more than the minimum number of required characteristics in social communication and social interaction, and restricted and repetitive behaviors and interests, shall be identified as a student with Autism Type 2. Mont. Admin. r. 10.16.3011
NEW, 1999 MAR p. 69, Eff. 1/15/99; AMD & TRANS, 2000 MAR p. 1048, Eff. 7/1/00; AMD, 2019 MAR p. 1371, Eff. 8/24/2019AUTH: 20-7-402, MCA; IMP: 20-7-401, 20-7-403, 20-7-414, MCA