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| Center for Autism and Related Disorder Shaping Knowledge Through Individualized Life Learning System: A Comprehensive Web-Based Assessment, Curriculum, Training Package, and Progress-Monitoring System |
| Tuesday, June 1, 2010 |
| 9:00 AM–10:20 AM |
| 204AB (CC) |
| Area: AUT/DDA; Domain: Service Delivery |
| Chair: Adel C. Najdowski (Center for Autism and Related Disorders, Inc.) |
| CE Instructor: Nathan Call, Ph.D. |
| Abstract: CARD SKILLS is a comprehensive web-based environment with four main components: (1) an eLearning tool for training behavioral therapists, (2) an assessment for identifying mastered and unmastered skills in children with autism, (3) a curriculum linked directly from targets identified in the assessment, and (4) a tracking system which graphically depicts the child’s progress during behavioral intervention. This symposium presents four papers on the various components of CARD SKILLS. The first presentation provides an outline and demonstration of the CARD SKILLS website with glimpses into the assessment, curriculum, and progress-tracking components of the program. The second presentation provides a demonstration of an empirically validated eLearning tool that is used to train individuals to provide behavioral intervention to children with autism. Data from a follow-up field evaluation of this tool is also presented. The third presentation demonstrates outcomes of children receiving behavioral intervention using the CARD SKILLS curriculum for one to two years. The symposium concludes with a description of outcome variables associated with a field evaluation of the CARD SKILLS program. |
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| An Outline and Demonstration of the Components of the Center for Autism and Related Disorders Shaping Knowledge Through Individualized Life Learning Systems |
| Doreen Granpeesheh (Center for Autism and Related Disorders, Inc.), ADEL C. NAJDOWSKI (Center for Autism and Related Disorders, Inc.), Dennis Dixon (Center for Autism and Related Disorders, Inc.) |
| Abstract: Shaping Knowledge Through Individualized Life Learning Systems, also known as CARD SKILLS, is a web-based environment for the assessment and treatment of autism spectrum disorders. It has many features that help users achieve the highest possible results for their students, while keeping information organized and accessible to relevant stakeholders (parents, ABA providers, insurance carriers, teachers, speech language pathologists, etc). It is designed to be the home-base for all those who contribute intervention components to the student’s program. The primary components of SKILLS include: (1) an eLearning tool for training behavioral therapists, (2) an assessment for identifying mastered and unmastered skills in children with autism, (3) a curriculum linked directly from targets identified in the assessment, and (4) a tracking system which graphically depicts the child’s progress during behavioral intervention. This presentation provides glimpses into the CARD SKILLS website and each of these components (excluding the eLearning, which will be covered in a separate presentation). |
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| Follow-Up Field Evaluation of an Empirically Validated eLearning Training Program for Behavioral Therapists |
| Doreen Granpeesheh (Center for Autism and Related Disorders, Inc.), CATHERINE PETERS (Center For Autism and Related Disorders, Inc.), Jonathan J. Tarbox (Center for Autism and Related Disorders, Inc.), Dennis Dixon (Center for Autism and Related Disorders, Inc.), Kathy Thompson (Center For Autism and Related Disorders, Inc.), Amy Kenzer (Center for Autism and Related Disorders, Inc.) |
| Abstract: Effective training of behavioral therapists is an integral part of top-quality treatment programs in applied behavior analysis (ABA). However, training programs are often time-consuming and costly to operate. In addition, global dissemination of training is limited as it requires direct instruction on the principles and procedures of ABA from professionals within the field. The development of electronic training programs (sometimes referred to as “eLearning” or “self-instructional computer based training”) extends the accessibility of training to rural areas and proffers an alternative or supplement to traditional in-person training. A demonstration of an empirically validated (Granpeesheh, Tarbox, Dixon, Peters, Thompson, & Kenzer, 2009) eLearning training tool is provided during this presentation. Additionally, follow-up data are presented on the evaluation of whether professionals trained in this manner were able to perform sufficiently under hands-on, real-world conditions. The field performance of these therapists was compared to a group of therapists who received traditional in-person training on the same topics. No significant difference between the groups was found, suggesting that therapists trained through an eLearning format can perform satisfactorily, given the proper hands-on experience. Implications related to the need for decreasing the costs of training in the developing world and global access to training in behavioral principles and procedures are discussed. |
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| Outcome of Behavioral Intervention for Young Children With Autism |
| AMY KENZER (Center for Autism and Related Disorders, Inc.), Doreen Granpeesheh (Center for Autism and Related Disorders, Inc.), Jonathan Tarbox (Center for Autism and Related Disorders, Inc.) |
| Abstract: Early intensive behavioral intervention (EIBI) has been established as an effective treatment for autism, resulting in an increase in the number of EIBI programs for young children with autism. As these services rise in popularity, multiple approaches to comprehensive behavioral intervention have emerged but virtually no research has evaluated the effectiveness of any one given approach. The current paper will present an evaluation of the CARD model of EIBI for children with autism following one to years of intervention. The differential effects of low (8-15 therapy hours per week) and high (25+ therapy hours per week) intensity treatment for 50 children will be presented. Additionally, data from a subset of 16 participants whose treatment programs were funded through a state grant will be presented with particular emphasis placed on providing a detailed account of treatment variables, social validity measures, and impact on public policy at the state level. For all participants, a comprehensive battery of assessments was conducted prior to treatment and at yearly intervals. Measures included tests of adaptive behavior, language, IQ, social skills, and executive function, in addition to the ADOS. |
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| Field Evaluation of the Center for Autism and Related Disorders Shaping Knowledge Through Individualized Life Learning Systems Program |
| DENNIS DIXON (Center for Autism and Related Disorders, Inc.), Doreen Granpeesheh (Center for Autism and Related Disorders, Inc.), Adel C. Najdowski (Center for Autism and Related Disorders, Inc.), Jonathan J. Tarbox (Center for Autism and Related Disorders, Inc.) |
| Abstract: Recently the CARD SKILLS program has been developed as an online tool for the assessment, treatment, and progress monitoring of early intensive behavioral interventions (EIBI) for children with an autism spectrum disorder (ASD). The CARD SKILLS program has recently been evaluated in a large sample (over 300) of children with ASD receiving EIBI services over a 6-month period, across a large region of the United States (several states). Data will be presented regarding the initial outcome variables. |
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