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| Integrating Students With Autism Spectrum Disorder Into Inclusion Settings |
| Friday, May 24, 2019 |
| 4:00 PM–7:00 PM |
| Swissôtel, Concourse Level, Zurich B |
| Area: AUT; Domain: Service Delivery |
| CE Instructor: Sarah Weddle, Ph.D. |
| SARAH WEDDLE (May Institute ), WHITNEY L. KLEINERT (May Institute), GAIGE JOHNSON (May Institute) |
| Description: Inclusion is seemly ideal for students with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) due to increased access to (a) the general education curriculum and (b) social interactions with neurotypical peers. There is also pressure to educate students in the least restrictive environment as required by the Education for All Handicapped Children Act (1975; Public Law 94-142). Educators cite challenges with selecting the least restrictive setting due to the wide variability in the presentation of the core deficits of social interaction, communication, and restrictive/repetitive behavior, and the extent to which each core deficit interferes with learning. At the onset of school placement decisions (e.g., inclusion, general education, or substantially separate settings), school administrators commonly ask behavior analysts how to (a) identify candidates for inclusion, (b) successfully transition these students into an inclusion setting, and (c) ensure the student’s success is maintained once in a less restrictive setting. The purpose of this workshop is to provide a model for school-based behavior analysts to gather relevant information and generate inclusion plans using exemplar data. Attendees will also review empirically-based interventions, rooted in applied behavior analysis, for students with ASD (National Autism Center, 2015; Wong et al., 2015) to promote communication, social interaction, and academic success. |
| Learning Objectives: • Attendees will practice using initial screening criteria to identify potential candidates for inclusion. • Attendees will complete an Inclusion Readiness Checklist created by the first author using exemplar data to determine the extent to which a student’s core deficit of ASD interferes with expected classroom behavior. • Attendees will review exemplar data to complete an Inclusion Action Plan created by the first author for how to systematically fade-in or transition students into a less intrusive setting. • Attendees will review how to monitor relevant behavioral progress in inclusion settings to ensure continued success is maintained in the inclusion setting. • Attendees will identify how to monitor relevant academic progress in inclusion settings. • Attendees will review empirically-supported interventions for students with ASD in the context of school-based settings and how to promote treatment integrity and ensure feasibility. |
| Activities: Instructional strategies will include lecture, discussion, small group break out, and completion of checklists and planning matrices using multiple exemplars. The presenters will begin by reviewing relevant background and the core deficits of ASD as well as the impact of those deficits on classroom behavior. Initial exercises will require attendees to use basic screening criteria to determine candidates for inclusion. The presenters would like to include at least three case examples in which the first examplar is modeled. The second examplar will be completed in group with presenters providing partial assistance. The third exemplar will be done in break out groups, but independence will be encouraged. Participants will then be asked to review case exemplars which will serve as the content of the group discussion. The presenters will embed empirically-supported intervention and methodology into the didactic portions and the case examples so attendees have the opportunity to apply the content. |
| Audience: school-based behavior analysts |
| Content Area: Practice |
| Instruction Level: Advanced |
| Keyword(s): autism, inclusion, intervention, schools |