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| Topics in Autism: Training |
| Wednesday, November 15, 2017 |
| 4:30 PM–6:20 PM |
| Forum ABC, Niveau 1 |
| Area: AUT |
| Instruction Level: Basic |
| Chair: Dennis W. Moore (Monash University) |
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| Training Eye Contact Behavior Using Glasses |
| Domain: Applied Research |
| BARRY KATZ (Operant Systems, Inc.) |
| Abstract: Eye contact behavior is an important social function for young children. Eye contact behavior precedes language acquisition. Eye contact behavior is necessary in the development of social, cognitive and language skills. Early intervention of eye contact behavior may provide a significant change and impact on the rehabilitation process for autistic children. Current procedures for teaching eye contact behavior requires more often than not a manual intervention. The use of eye glasses with built in receptors and transmitters alleviates manual interventions and provides more timely and reliable data. The eye glasses can lead to a greater generalization of eye contact behavior especially during early infancy. The use of eye glasses can also be used for training of joint attention. The present session will review some of the key issues faced by the lack of eye contact behavior and demonstrate how operant conditioning and properly designed glasses can make a serious difference in the development of eye contact behavior. |
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| Effects of Functional Discrimination Training on Auditory-Visual Conditional Discriminations in Children With Autism |
| Domain: Applied Research |
| HEGE AARLIE (Norway ABA), Kristine Berg Titlestad (Bergen University College), Sigmund Eldevik (Oslo and Akershus University College of Applied Sciences), Ellie Kazemi (California State University, Northridge), Greg Elsky (Behavioral Learning Network) |
| Abstract: Behavior analytic procedures have been largely successful in establishing auditory-visual conditional discriminations with children with autism. Nevertheless, some children may not learn such discriminations. In this study we examined if functional discrimination training could help. We compared the number of trials needed to establish auditory-visual conditional discriminations through functional and traditional arbitrary discrimination training in an adapted alternating treatment design. Five out of the eight participants showed more rapid acquisition and also demonstrated discrimination between more items in the functional discrimination condition. The remaining three participants did not exhibit any discriminations in either condition within the allotted 500 trials/20 days. These findings suggest that in some cases, functional discrimination training may facilitate the establishment of auditory-visual conditional discriminations. |
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| Inducing Generalized Imitation and Echoic Responses Using a Mirror Training in Preschool Students With Autism |
| Domain: Applied Research |
| VANESSA ARTONI (TICE Learning Centre), Adele Carpitelli (Università di Modena e Reggio Emilia), Francesca Franco (Università degli Studi di Parma), Francesca Maestri (Università degli Studi di Parma) |
| Abstract: The present study was conducted to test the effects of teaching imitation using a mirror (Du, 2012; Moreno, 2012) on the emergence of basic and advanced forms of generalized imitation involving physical movements and on the emission of echoics. Ten pre-school students diagnosed with autism and functioning at a pre-listener or emergent listener level of verbal development (Greer & Ross, 2008), were selected for participation. A pre-post probe single subject design was implemented to test the number of correct untaught imitative responses to gross-motor actions during face-to-face probe sessions, the number of correct imitative responses to gross-motor actions modeled in a group setting, and the number of correct echoic responses to phonemes or Italian and English words. The independent variable was the implementation of a mirror training to teach imitative responses to gross-motor movements. Data showed that mirror training was effective for all participants not only to induce generalized imitation of physical action, but also to facilitate the emergence of echoic instances. |
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| Effectiveness of Behavior Skills Training in Teaching Comprehension-Fostering Strategies to Children With Autism Spectrum Disorder |
| Domain: Applied Research |
| DENNIS W. MOORE (Monash University), Rebecca Fall (Monash University, Melbourne, Australia), Nela Nikolic (Monash University, Melbourne, Australia), Binita Singh (Monash University, Melbourne, Australia), Brett Edward Furlonger (Monash University, Melbourne, Australia), Angelika Anderson (Monash University, Melbourne. Australia) |
| Abstract: Students with Autism Spectrum Disorders often have significant reading comprehension difficulties which impede academic progress. A multiple probe across skills design was used to examine the effectiveness of Behavior Skills Training (BST) in teaching four reading comprehension skills (Predicting, Questioning, Clarifying, and Summarizing) to three elementary students with high-functioning autism each of whom had age-appropriate reading decoding skills but was at least one standard deviation behind in comprehension on a standardized reading test. Following baseline, each student received BST during which each reading skill was sequentially taught to criterion, followed by maintenance, then follow-up probes. At each session participants also read a brief comprehension passage and data was collected on the accuracy of oral responses to text-related explicit and inferential questions. Post-intervention assessment on the standardized comprehension measure was also undertaken. BST was associated with clear gains in participants performance on each comprehension skill, with associated collateral gains in reading comprehension both on the daily probes and the standardized measure post-intervention. Exit interviews with the participants and their parents indicate that the BST procedures and the targeted comprehension skills were socially valid. The data support the use of BST as a way to improve reading comprehension for students with autism. |
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