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| From Chaos to Competence: Implementing ABA Instructional Technology and Procedures in Pre-School Through High School Classrooms |
| Monday, May 29, 2006 |
| 1:30 PM–2:50 PM |
| Courtland |
| Area: EDC; Domain: Applied Research |
| Chair: Janet Ellis (University of North Texas) |
| CE Instructor: Janet Ellis, Ph.D. |
| Abstract: Instruction oftentimes includes more than delivering academic material to students in well-organized, smoothly running classrooms. Behavioral consultants are invited into classrooms where problematic behavior and lack of instructional technology run rampant. These papers include successful interventions conducted in vastly different academic settings: from PPCD classrooms for pre-schoolers with seriously disruptive behavior to a special education life skills classroom wherein one child was taught to feed herself and to walk independently to 3 high school teen-agers with severe reading deficits in regular education classrooms. The 4th paper describes an experiment in literacy training conducted in 2 PPCD classrooms for children ages 3-1/2 to 5 years old. In all of these settings behavioral technology came to the rescue when traditional academic instruction had failed or, due to the ages of the students, had never been undertaken. All data will be presented in graphic formats and a short video clip will also be included. |
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| Introducing Environmental Restructuring, Academic Tasks, Staff Training, and Individualized Teaching Materials into a PPCD Classroom. |
| JANET ELLIS (University of North Texas), Brook B. Wheetley (Spectrum Center) |
| Abstract: This intervention was designed to meet the needs of the 13 different preschool students in morning and afternoon classes. Because of teacher frustration with problematic behavior exhibited by 4 of the 7 students in the morning class and 3 of the 6 children in the afternoon class, we targeted individualized interventions for these 7 while also focusing on necessary environmental changes and individualized academic training for all students in both classes. Relocation of activity areas, discontinuing “open center” activities, providing sound cues for staff and students, establishing a 1-on-1 training area for academics, and staff training were the primary environmental program changes. Also, individualized interventions for these 7 students were designed and implemented. Data will be presented in graphed formats. |
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| Yes We Can! Teaching Reading to Pre-Schoolers with DD using Fluency-Based Instructional Technology. |
| SARAH A. LAW (University of North Texas) |
| Abstract: One-on-one trainers taught reading skills to pre-school children with developmental disabilities. The 6 participants, ages 4 to 5, were trained to expressively and receptively identify sounds and blends in a discrete trial format. Individualized training occurred for 15-30 minutes/day/child. When students met 90% mastery criterion for each letter sound both expressively and receptively, fluency-based instruction was introduced. Fluency-based instruction consisted of short timings that included mastered letter sounds following by timings of blends and short words. Pre-and post data are presented in graphed formats showing the week-to-week progress of each student. |
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| Developing Reading Repertoires for Teenaged-High School Nonreaders: Success Story with A Bittersweet Ending. |
| LISA G. FALKE (University of North Texas) |
| Abstract: NCLB mandates that schools will be accountable for student reading and math test scores regardless of student skill level. In a pilot program for 3 high school non-readers: 2 entered training on 8 November 2004; 1, on 24 January 2005. They attended two 1-hr training sessions/day. In addition to reading, comprehension was also targeted as all students, regardless of skill level, took an NCLB-mandated reading achievement test in April 2005. Teaching materials included the Morningside Phonics Fluency, DISTAR Decoding, and the SRA Specific Skill Series. The morning training session focused on training fluent decoding, while afternoons trained reading comprehension. Baseline and post training data will be presented in graphed format. The bittersweet ending was that after the pilot project and school administration saw that reading skills could be improved significantly over a short time span the administrators decided to hire a “reading specialist” to train all the non-readers in the 11-12th grades. |
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| Teaching Critical Survival Skills (Self-Feeding, Drinking, Walking) for Long-Term Retention. |
| JASON C. COHEN (University of North Texas) |
| Abstract: Early intervention is important in building functional skills into behavioral repertoires of children with disabilities. A 4-year-old girl with multiple disabilities in a PPCD classroom could not walk without assistance, feed herself, drink independently, or imitate adaptive behavior. The purpose of the intervention was to shape skills including independent walking, self-feeding, independent drinking, gross motor imitation, and the use of a picture based communication system. Walking was trained using most to least prompting (first standing alone then walking) and access to preferred items contingent on independent standing and walking. Self-feeding and drinking were trained using hand-over-hand prompting and a prompt fading procedure. Gross motor imitation was also trained using hand-over-hand prompting, prompt fading, and access to preferred items contingent on approximations of imitative behavior. The picture communication system was introduced initially by using photographs of preferred items. Data indicate the progress made in all skill sets. |
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