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| Early Academic Interventions for Children With Autism |
| Sunday, May 30, 2010 |
| 4:30 PM–5:50 PM |
| 204AB (CC) |
| Area: AUT |
| Chair: Richard E. Laitinen (Tucci Learning Solutions, Inc.) |
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| A Behavioral Operations Approach to Designing Developmentally Appropriate Joint Attention Curriculum and Intervention Strategies |
| Domain: Applied Behavior Analysis |
| RICHARD E. LAITINEN (Tucci Learning Solutions, Inc.) |
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| Abstract: The fundamental behavioral operations--observing, presenting stimuli, establishing stimulus control (discriminative, conditional, derived), arranging consequential events, and maintaining the effectiveness of consequences--provide a context for the design of curriculum and instruction for establishing all identified types of joint attention (e.g., sustained attention, tracking, gaze shift, social references, proto-imperatives, etc.). This paper will provide an overview of the framework for a scope-and-sequence curriculum of joint attention programming. |
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| Increasing Academic Performance and Decreasing Self-Injurious Behavior Through Computer Aided Self-Monitoring |
| Domain: Applied Behavior Analysis |
| DENISE A. SOARES (Texas A&M University), Judith R. Harrison (Texas A&M University) |
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| Abstract: Tantruming and self injurious behavior, as an escape from academic tasks, interferes with learning and successful participation in general education classrooms for students with autism spectrum disorders (ASD). This ABAB design study investigated the use of computer aided self monitoring with a 13-year-old male student with an ASD in a general education reading classroom. Self-monitoring of academic task completion was taught through modeling and prompting with positive reinforcement using a digitally constructed form. Teacher prompting was faded and data was collected over 22 sessions. Visual and statistical analyses indicated that when self-monitoring of activity completion was implemented, rates of completion increased and self-injurious behavior and tantruming decreased. Teaching students to use self monitoring with reinforcement can increase the likelihood of maintaining and sustaining participation in the least restrictive environment and academic performance. |
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| Using An Alternative Sequence Reading and Writing Programme to Teach Concepts: A Case Study |
| Domain: Applied Behavior Analysis |
| DEAN SMITH (UK Young Autism Project), Svein Eikeseth (Akershus University College), Marco Pelagatti (UK Young Autism Project), Sara Nutini (UK Young Autism Project), Denise Smith-Brunetti (ABA Autismo, Italy) |
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| Abstract: The purpose of this paper is to present data for a child with autism whose learning did not improve following the use of standard teaching methods (DTT) and the Reading and Writing programme (Watthen-Lovaas and Lovaas, 1999). The case study shows how the use of an Alternative Sequence Reading and Writing programme was required in order to successfully teach receptive and expressive language skills. Data will be presented for the participant’s learning of the language and conceptual skills of colour recognition and labelling, prepositions, 2-word level multiple discrimination (adjective-noun combinations), and recognition and identification of playing-card suits for leisure activities. The Alternative Sequence Reading and Writing programme is outined and implications for the use of the Reading and Writing programme are discussed. The paper presents a potentially important modification to the Reading and Writing programme that will be useful for teaching visual learners, and suggests areas for future research that may be important for providing further information about effective ways for visual learners to learn language skills. |
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| Conditioning Reading as a Reinforcer for Performance and Learning as a Function of Observation |
| Domain: Applied Behavior Analysis |
| SUDHA RAMASWAMY (Mercy College), Christine O'Rourke Lang (Mercy College) |
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| Abstract: The present study is a systematic replication of the O’Rourke study (2005) wherein she tested whether observational learning of conditioned reinforcement would extend to previously nonpreferred activities, specifically independent engagement in mathematics. The present study differs from the original in that the repertoire tested was reading. Two participants from first grade general education classes participated in the experiment along with two participants who were diagnosed with Autism. An ABABA reversal design with pre and post-tests was implemented to test for changes in reinforcement effects of reading for performance tasks, and pre and post-test measures for learn units to criterion were used to test for changes in the rate of acquisition of reading repertoires. The findings of the experiment showed that reading activities were established as a conditioned reinforcer for both performance and learning as a result of observation. |
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