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| Teachers as Scientists: The Effects of Designing Curricular Sequences to Address Multiple Areas of Instruction |
| Sunday, May 30, 2010 |
| 1:30 PM–2:50 PM |
| 205 (CC) |
| Area: AUT/EDC; Domain: Applied Behavior Analysis |
| Chair: Ania M. Young (The Faison School for Autism) |
| CE Instructor: Gregory Hanley, Ph.D. |
| Abstract: This symposium consists of four data collection projects which demonstrate the effectiveness of designing curricular sequences to address multiple areas of instruction for students ages 2-22 diagnosed with Autism and attending a publicly funded private school. The School is a CABAS component program and the participating Teachers are working toward CABAS Teacher Ranks which function to increase their level of expertise through scientific tacts and analyses. As a result, the Teachers are able to carefully plan instruction to address the learning needs of the students across varying levels of verbal behavior. The data collections consist of self-monitoring strategies to increase rule tacting and following procedures of Teachers and Assistants, self-management strategies to increase the independence of students, language interventions to increase verbal behavior, and conditioning procedures to increase access to instruction. All data collections replicate and expand the existing literature on effective tactics researched in the science of behavior. The findings are discussed relative to the students' levels of verbal behavior and the verbally mediated expertise of the Teachers. |
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| Implementing a Self-Monitoring Procedure to Improve Data Driven Decision Analyses Among Teachers |
| ELI NEWCOMB (The Faison School for Autism) |
| Abstract: The Teachers at The Faison School are required to follow a rule-governed decision making protocol which functions to assess a student's data collection and determine the need for an intervention. The Teachers follow this protocol as part of the School's overall commitment to using empirically proven strategies as used in the CABAS programs. In addition, this protocol functions to evoke an opportunity for the Teachers and Teaching Assistants to tact a decision opportunity and to follow the corresponding rule. At times, the Teachers and Assistants make errors in one or both of these processes which has the potential to delay a needed intervention. Given that the students are already functioning significantly behind their same aged peers, this is a critical issue. The following data collection shows the effectiveness of a self-monitoring procedure on improving the use of the data decision analysis procedure. The results of this study are discussed in relation to the current research on Teacher decision making and Teacher training efforts. |
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| Creating a Levels System to Increase the Independence of Students Emitting Interfering Problem Behaviors |
| NATHAN HABEL (The Faison School for Autism), Beth Braddock (The Faison School for Autism) |
| Abstract: Students attending The Faison School for Autism are grouped into classrooms based on their level of verbal behavior, as part of the CABAS component program. This presentation is focused on demonstrating the effectiveness of a reinforcement procedure via a Levels System in addressing the needs of students who are speakers, readers and writers attending the "Self-Management" class. These students have academic strengths, however, are still learning how to complete tasks independently and how to function as independently of the Teacher as possible. To accomplish this, the use of a Levels System was initiated to teach goal setting, self-monitoring and self-assessment for several students participating in the class. The results showed a decrease in interfering and problem behaviors, thus, increasing the level of independence of the students. Further, increased independence improves the likelihood that these students will transition to a less restrictive setting. The results are discussed as they relate to the literature on self-management and verbal behavior. |
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| Scheduling Reinforcement to Promote Spontaneous and Appropriate Mands and Tacts for a Student Emitting Few Conversational Units |
| AMANDA WELLS (The Faison School for Autism), Katherine M. Matthews (The Faison School for Autism) |
| Abstract: The following presentation is focused on increasing verbal behavior. This data collection demonstrates the effectiveness of designing instruction and reinforcement procedures to increase the verbal behavior of an older student diagnosed with autism. The student emitted mands and tacts, primarily mands but had few appropriate conversational units with his peers and Teachers. Further, the student had the capacity to use language, but was not doing so independently and spontaneously. The purpose of the present data collection was to increase his verbal behavior which, in turn, would increase his likelihood for peer relationships, advocacy and employment/training opportunities, which are all critical life skills. Through the implementation of a reinforcement procedure which consisted of establishing contingencies focused on gradually increasing the variety and type of mands and tacts emitted, an increase in verbal behavior was established. These results are discussed in terms of how they relate to verbal behavior and teaching procedures. |
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| Utilizing a Conditioning Protocol to Increase Sitting and Access to Instruction for a Student With Residential Placement Needs |
| JENNIFER CAMBLIN (The Faison School for Autism) |
| Abstract: Adult residential facilities that accommodate people diagnosed with developmental disabilities have rarely had the funding for a structure which includes a 1:1 staffing ratio. Because of this, people with the most severe disabilities have often been denied placement in adult residential facilities and have sometimes ended up in more intensive medical placements, due to a low level of independence across a variety of skill sets. In the current data collection, a 19 year old male student diagnosed with autism was denied placement at a number of adult residential facilities because they were not equipped to support him. A lack of functional communication skills, independent leisure skills, and constant roaming/pacing behaviors made the typical residential setting unsafe. As a result, the current data collection focused on implementing a conditioning procedure to increase the students sitting and access to instruction in these critical life skills areas. The results are discussed in terms of transition planning and life skills. |
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