Structured Work Systems for Students with

Intellectual Disability or Autism Spectrum

Disorder
Posted by Christen Barbercheck on July 23, 2020
Home / Blog / Structured Work Systems for Students with Intellectual Disability or Autism Spectrum
Disorder

Structured Work Systems for Students with Intellectual Disability or Autism Spectrum
Disorder

By Sacha Cartagena

Students with cognitive disabilities such as Autism Spectrum Disorder or Intellectual Disability often
face challenges related to independent functioning. A research-based strategy that parents and
teachers can use to help students develop independent functioning skills while also enhancing skills
in other areas is a strategy called structured work systems, also known as independent work stations.
Structured work stations are a great way for parents to add structure during the summer months
and can enhance a teacher’s classroom routine once school is in session again.
Independent work stations are designed to give students
visual information about:
1) What work needs to be done

2) How much work needs to be done

3) When the work is completed

4) What happens next

Independent work stations promote independence, and other benefits include building fluency and
maintaining previously mastered skills. The visual supports used in independent work stations help
reduce social demands and therefore help students regulate behavior. When done correctly,
independent work stations also help with generalizing skills across contexts. Lastly, independent work
stations assist with classroom management and free up time for the educator to work with other
students who need targeted instruction. For parents, independent work stations can help the child
maintain the skills learned in school with little supervision.

Here are some tips on how to get started with

independent work stations:
1. Determine how structured work systems will fit into your routine. If you’re a classroom
teacher, think about a time during the school day that could use a bit more structure. It could be
when students return from recess or lunch. You could also set up a structured work system as a
center rotation activity during a core subject area. If you’re a parent, think about your child’s routine
at home. While the home environment tends to have a lot of downtime, a suggestion is to have
work station time occur after an already established activity such as breakfast or lunch. A reward
for completing the work could be playtime or screentime.

2. Determine the location for the structured work station. The best locations to set a station are
quiet with minimal distractions. Some classrooms have small cubicles for students; these work
perfectly for structured work stations. Simple privacy folders also work well to minimize
distractions. At home, an ideal area might be in a corner of a room away from toys.

3. Determine skill level and needs. Structured work systems should reinforce skills already learned.
The goal is to promote independence and fluency, not to teach a new skill. If the work system
contains tasks that the student has not yet demonstrated competency with, then the student will
become frustrated and unmotivated to complete the task. A good idea for teachers is to take
activities from a previous unit and deconstruct the activities in a way that students can reuse. For
 example, file folder games or task bins based on previously taught skills are perfect examples of
activities that work for a structured work system. If you’re a parent, collaborate with your child’s
teacher on ideas appropriate for structured work systems at home. Or, you consider tasks that
promote independent functioning skills for the home, like sorting. An example could be sorting
plastic cutlery into a cutlery drawer organizer from the dollar store. Another bin could have old
socks for the child to match and fold and place back into the container. Check out this blog for
more examples of work stations.

4. Organize your system with visual supports. The key difference between structured work
systems and file folders or task bins is the use of visual supports. These visual supports enable the
student to understand their expectations. Time Timers are perfect for providing students with a
visual. Set a large Time Timer, like the Original 12”, above the student’s station so the student
can clearly see how much time is left before a break or another activity. To further build
independent living skills, choose a small Time Timer like the MOD Sprint Edition so the student
can monitor their own on-task behavior. First/then charts are also helpful visual supports that are
easily understood. The “first” task could be the work station activity and the “then” task could be a
reinforcement, such as playtime or technology time. If a student has more than 1 work station
activity, a visual support listing each task would be best.

These tips offer a starting point for implementing structured work systems whether you’re a parent at
home or a teacher planning for the next school year. If you’re interested in learning more, check out
these videos:

• Video Tutorial for an Independent Work Task System

• How to set up independent work stations

• Special Ed. Classroom Setup - Independent Work Stations and Visual Schedules

Author Bio
Sacha Cartagena is a special education scholar, educator, and researcher. She holds a Master of
Education and is earning her Ph.D. in Special Education. Prior to starting her doctoral studies, she
taught students with Autism Spectrum Disorder and Intellectual Disability in Title 1 schools. Currently,
Sacha is involved with teacher preparation and educational research at the University of Central
Florida. Her areas of research include special education teacher preparation, inclusive practices, and
developing social-emotional skills for students with cognitive disabilities. She has published and
presented her research at state, national, and international conferences. A passionate advocate and
an active member of the Council for Exceptional Children, Sacha Cartagena currently sits on the
executive board for the Division of International and Special Education & Services. Her mission is to
enhance the education of students with cognitive disabilities by providing their educators with the
knowledge, tools, and resources to successfully meet their needs. Follow her on Twitter
@SachaCartagena