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| International Paper Session - Assessment and Intervention Strategies for Autism |
| Tuesday, August 14, 2007 |
| 10:30 AM–11:50 AM |
| L2 Room 4 |
| Area: AUT |
| Chair: Angelika Anderson (Monash University) |
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| ABA Based Services throughout the Lifespan for Individuals with Autism and Related Disabilities. |
| Domain: Applied Behavior Analysis |
| DAVID L. HOLMES (Lifespan Services, LLC) |
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| Abstract: This presentation will cover the lifespan needs of individuals with autism; from more severe cases to mild cases. We will review the autism epidemic and its’ various theories for why there is an explosion of new cases. We will discuss the importance of early and intensive Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA) services for the infants and toddlers who are newly diagnosed. The importance of specialized services during the school years will be empathized based on the principles of ABA. Discussion will ensue regarding the various theories and treatments that are available in addressing autism and how to become aware of the threats and opportunities associated with each. We will address the adolescent years and the sensitive issues associated with the emerging sexual awareness that occurs. We will then enter the adult years and will discuss the living, employment, recreational, spiritual and leisure opportunities necessary for an adult with autism to live a gratifying life.
During the presentation case studies will be offered to make real the issues that will be discussed. Further, attendees will be asked to present their own examples to emphasize the material presented. Finally, attendees will be encouraged to present concerns they have in order to get answers or recommendations for resolution as they pertain to lifespan ABA services. |
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| Core Target Behaviours in Autism. |
| Domain: Applied Behavior Analysis |
| ANGELIKA ANDERSON (Monash University) |
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| Abstract: The learning process that we commonly refer to as ‘socialisation’ is usually very effective in teaching young typically developing children social skills and language. A likely key deficit in autism is an impairment in this learning process possibly because children with autism fail to discern, attend to, or recognise the subtle facial expressions or gestures that usually function as effective consequences for a child’s behaviour. This explains the effectiveness of behavioural interventions, which proved very more obvious or salient consequences for behaviour. A common criticism of behavioural approaches in autism however, is the need for highly intensive interventions taking up many hours in a week. In addition the behaviours learnt that way often do not generalised. Or are often not used spontaneously and adaptively.
To address these issues requires two things:
1: Identifying core target behaviours. Much like ‘Pivotal Responses’ (Koegel et al) these are behaviours that if targeted lead to more widespread behaviour change in untargeted behaviours.
2. Developing highly effective naturalistic intervention strategies that are effective at relatively low intensity, and that facilitate generalisation and maintenance of effects. This paper is a position paper that explores the relationship between possible Core target Behaviours and suitable intervention strategies. |
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| Fluency Based Instruction for Learners with Autism. |
| Domain: Applied Behavior Analysis |
| ALISON L. MOORS (Fabrizio/Moors Consulting), Michael Fabrizio (Fabrizio/Moors Consulting) |
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| Abstract: Many scientists and clinicians working with children with autism have been advocating for services and therapies derived from the field of Applied Behavior Analysis for over twenty-five years. No other treatment approach has been as successful for teaching students with autism critical skills from the repertoires of socialization, language, academics, motor and self help/independent living. Moreover, within the field of Behavior Analysis, there exist multiple teaching paradigms which all yield great success when applied to these learners.
Fluency-Based Instruction has now emerged in the United States as an additional behavioral paradigm that is rapidly gaining popularity for use with home programs and classrooms alike that service children with autism spectrum disorders. This approach has endured great success in the literature for general , special, and resource room educational classrooms as well as job training and adult literacy for over 40 years. However, its success with students with autism has only been documented in the United States more recently.
This presentation will focus on the components of Fluency-Based Instruction and its historical and empirical underpinnings. The presenters will show a variety of outcomes data with accompanying video examples of this approach applied to learners with autism. |
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| BI Capture™: A More Effective Way to Do Functional Behavior Assessments. |
| Domain: Applied Behavior Analysis |
| JAMES BALL (Youth Consultation Service (YCS)), Steve Lockwood (Youth Consultation Service (YCS)) |
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| Abstract: The use of BI Capture™, a comprehensive computer technology, allows those members of the classroom team that have the appropriate trainings and expertise to assist in the determination of the function, even if they are not in the room on a day by day basis. BI Capture™ allows staff that are not always in the classroom the opportunity to view video captured clips of the behavior, what happened before, and how the staff reacted without having to watch hours and hours of video tapes. BI Capture™ has a remote feature that when the behavior occurs, all the teacher has to do is hit a button that he/she has on their person, and the camera will record up to 15 minutes prior to the behavior and 15 into the future. Therefore, the teacher is only capturing clips that actually catch the antecedent-behavior-consequence.
Caring Technologies recently reported highly encouraging Phase 1 results of a controlled study, funded in Spring 2006 by a grant from the National Institutes of Health, showed that the technology, BI Capture™, was able to successfully record, annotate and (electronically) facilitate review of children with autism’s behaviors. This study was conducted in an Atlanta-area special school for children with behavioral disabilities and tracked the behaviors of all the students in 4 classrooms.
This presentation will focus on the BI Capture™ technology as a means for taking function of behavior data more efficiently and effectively. It will discuss the disadvantages of the current paper and pencil methods of A-B-C analysis and give an alternative that is much more accurate and user friendly. The overall goal of this presentation is to look at technology as a means of benefiting the lives of individuals with in the autism spectrum.
References
Fitzsimmons, M.K. (1998). Functional behavior assessment and behavior intervention plans. (ERIC EC Digest E571). Reston, VA: Council for Exceptional Children. (http://ericec.org/digests/e571.htm).
Iwata, B.A., Pace, G., Kilter, M., Cowdery, G., & Cattalo, M. (1990). Experimental analysis and extinction of self-injurious escape behavior. Journal of Applied Behavior Analysis, 23, 11-27.
O'Neill, R.E., Horner, R.H., Albin, R.W., Sprague, J.R., Storey, K., & Newton, J.S. (1997). Functional assessment and program development for problem behavior (2nd Edition). Pacific Grove, CA: Brooks/Cole Publishing Company. |
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