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| Incorporating iOS (Apple) Apps into Effective Behavioral Programming in Applied Settings |
| Saturday, May 23, 2015 |
| 8:00 AM–11:00 AM |
| 211 (CC) |
| Area: CSE; Domain: Service Delivery |
| CE Instructor: Jessica Wenig, M.S. |
| JESSICA WENIG (Advances Learning Center), ELIZABETH PAIGE ADAMS (Advances Learning Center) |
| Description: "There's an app for that." In September 2012, Apple announced it had 700,000 approved applications available in The App Store, with 250,000 specifically for iPad. By September 2014, that number increased to 1.3 million applications, 670,000 for iPad. The Apple App Store itself is currently the largest digital application distribution platform. With the number of approved apps increasing exponentially, the spillover of this new resource into the field of ABA is a tremendous opportunity to further realize Skinner's dream of a "teaching machine." The four capacities reviewed in this workshop include instructor tools, teaching, communication, and fun. Instructor tools apps include apps designed to facilitate data collection, graphing and assessment. Apps for teaching include apps that are either designed specifically or used incidentally to promote skill acquisition. Apps for Communication outlines apps created to facilitate Augmentative Alternative Communication(AAC), and apps for fun highlight some of the countless apps that may function as reinforcers. This workshop outlines multiple apps from each of these capacities, incorporate learning activities to demonstrate use of these applications in behavior analytic programming, discuss ethical considerations in using apps for applied programming, and review tricks of the trade and helpful resources to find apps for programming. |
| Learning Objectives: At the conclusion of this workshop, participants should be able to: (1) identify evidence-based apps appropriate for programming and practice using apps from the following capacities: A. Instructor tools apps: data collection, discrete trial implementation, graphing, preference assessments, assessment of target behavior, self-monitoring, social stories, video modeling, and data conversion; based on cost, description, pre-requisite exemplars and reputable sources; B. Apps for Teaching: including activity schedules; apps to promote independence in vocational settings and fine motor skills; discrete trial apps to teach expressive and receptive language and pre-academic and academic skills across multiple subject areas. C. Apps for Fun: using preference assessment apps to determine potential reinforcers, new hot games on the market, lesser known activities and apps designed to teach functional skills hidden in "kid friendly" activities; D. Apps for Communication: based on AAC features including cost, age range, compatibility, text to speech output, accessibility (i.e.-switch output, eye gaze, sequential, row/column, auditory scanning, etc.), sentence/phrase mode, shared library, computer based interface, support site and fun additional features; (2) utilize assistive technology terminology to select appropriate AAC applications based on learner need and pre-requisite skills; (3) implement creative strategies, using applications, to replace stigmatizing methods commonly used to monitor behavior in community settings; (4) reference ethical considerations in selecting applications including determining reputable sources, evidence based apps, pre-requisites, informed consent, privacy, treatment efficacy and noting which considerations directly reference sections of the BACB guidelines; and (5) use the same resources as professionals in the assistive technology field to find even more applications and find deals on more costly applications. |
| Activities: Alternating among lecture and hands-on activities and demonstrations, participants will work in groups to use apps from each capacity, review case studies, and participate in creating sample videos for video modeling. |
| Audience: The intended audience includes Board Certified Behavior Analysts currently providing behavior analytic services in the home, school and/or community setting; teachers; speech and language pathologists; physical therapists; behavioral instructors or therapists who facilitate behavior analytic services; school staff intending to utilize apps to access portions of the curriculum, or who work with students that have an assistive technology written into their individualized education plans; and anyone currently using applications in the field or wishing to use them in the future. |
| Content Area: Practice |
| Instruction Level: Intermediate |
| Keyword(s): ABA, Autism, teaching programs, Technology |