1. Evidence Based Practices for Autism in the Early Childhood Classroom
Kathy Oehler –Autism Consultant
and
Mary Roth – Lead Ally, Autism Society of Indiana

2. What are “Evidence Based Practices”?
An evidence-based practice can be defined as an instructional strategy, intervention, or teaching program that has resulted in consistent positive results when experimentally tested (Mesibov & Shea, 2011; Simpson, 2005).

3. Evolution of Evidence Based Practice in Early Childhood Education
Late 1980’s: ‘Developmentally Appropriate Practices’ (NAEYC)
Early 1990’s: ‘Recommended Practices ‘(DEC)
Late 1990’s: ‘Revised Recommended Practices’ (DEC)
2006 +: ‘Practice Based Research Synthesis’ (Research & Training Center for Early Childhood Development)
2008: 24 Evidence Based Practices for students with ASD (National Standards Project)

4. Evidence Based Practices for Children with ASD http://autismpdc. fpg

5. Using Evidence Based Practices (EBP) at School and at Home

6. Behavior and Learning Prompting
Evidence Based Practices:
Prompting
Reinforcement / Differential Reinforcement
Task Analysis
Functional Communication Training
Discrete Trial Training
Functional Behavior Assessment
Naturalistic Setting
Visual Supports
Structured Work Systems

7. EBP: Prompting How do I do it
EBP: Prompting How do I do it? If the child doesn’t respond within 2 – 3 seconds, use a prompt.
Full Physical Prompt:
Hand over Hand Prompt:
Partial Prompt:
Visual Prompt / Cue:
Verbal Prompt:

8. EBP: Prompting
Prompting keeps students engaged (and reduces ‘tune out time’
Prompting reduces frustration (and reduces negative behavior!)
Prompting increases rate of learning (by insuring a correct answer EVERY time)

9. Prompt Fading
It is essential to NOT have children become dependent on prompts. Any prompts used are gradually removed as the child becomes successful until he can respond correctly with no prompts

10. EBP: REINFORCEMENT How do I do it?

11. Rules for reinforcement - 1
Avoid use of escape as the reinforcer . Don’t say, “If you do this, then you get to go play!”
Instead, give the reinforcer more often, for smaller tasks. Help the child see that doing the task itself is a way to get something good.

12. Rules for reinforcement:2
Last behavior reinforced is the behavior that will emerge again
SO……
Do not end a session with non-compliant behavior

13. Rules of Reinforcement 3:
Two Critical Components:
Pair yourself with the reinforcer, so YOU are the source of good things.
Talk less! Pair the reinforcer with Compliant Behavior, rather than repeatedly giving verbal directions.

14. Rules of Reinforcement 4:
A child should never gain access to a reinforcer with negative behavior
Do not give attention to trantruming behavior
Never allow the child to escape or avoid a demand (adult can change the demand)

15. Schedules of Reinforcement How often do I reinforce?
FOR NEW BEHAVIORS
Continuous: positive reinforcement after EVERY correct response. But mix it up – praise, tickle, cuddle, give a treat. Make sure the child knows he has done something good.

16. Schedules of Reinforcement:
For established behaviors (like hanging up backpack / coat)
Intermittent: Praise and reinforce, but not every time. Intermittent reinforcement is very effective in maintaining established behaviors

17. EBP: Task Analysis How do I do it?
Every task consists of many little steps. It is essential that we recognize and teach each step.
Example: Wash your hands
Turn on water
Put your hands in water
Put soap on your hands
Rub your hands together
Rinse your hands
Turn off water
Dry your hands
Go back to your seat
Task analysis is in their packet.
Use a white board or easel to have the group expand or contract the steps of the task analysis to meet specific student needs. A task can be broken into very minute steps or can be one step in a chain of actions.

18. EBP: Task Analysis
After you break the task down, make a picture schedule of each step.

19. “Bad” behavior is communication!
EBP: Functional Communication Training
Behavior is a form of communication for children. If they can’t “talk it out”, they will “act it out”.
“Bad” behavior is communication!

20. EBP: Functional Communication Training How do I do it?
Teach a replacement behavior. Teach the child a different way to tell you what he wants.
For example:
If he bites his hand when he doesn’t get to watch TV,
Teach him to sign or give you a picture of the TV. Teach the new communication when you can reinforce it by turning on the TV. Practice / reinforce; Practice / reinforce!

21. EBP: Discrete Trial Training How do I do it?
Teach everything in small chunks. Prompt for success every time. Praise and reinforce every time. Review and practice 1000 times a day, in many different settings!

22. EBP: Discrete Trial Training
Include Computer Aided Instruction:
iPad app: ABC Tracer (Lite version is free for ABC and 1,2,3; full version $2)
Teaches top to bottom letter formation with dotted lines to follow. Reinforcing sounds when kids stay in the lines. Other literacy activities included.

23. EBP: Functional Behavior Assessment How do I do it?
Antecedent: what happened right before the behavior.
Behavior: what was the behavior
Consequence: what happened right after the behavior
What was the function of the behavior? What was the child trying to get: attention? Escape? A desired item?
What’s the new plan?
- may involve changing the environment, timing, or task demand. May involve teaching a new way to ask or protest.

24. EBP: Functional Behavior Assessment Set the child up for success
EBP: Functional Behavior Assessment Set the child up for success. Have him do sensory motor exercises BEFORE he works.
1. Rub My Hands On My Legs-10 times. 2. Push My Hands Together & Release 10 times. 3. Open and close Fingers 10 times.
4. Place my hands on the chair seat, then
raise my bottom off the seat 10 times.
5. Deep Breathe in slowly through my
nose, then blow out through my lips.
Repeat 5 times.

25. EBP: Functional Behavior Assessment Documentation:
Your data is your friend. It doesn’t have to be fancy, but it needs to be kept daily.
What is the target behavior?
What’s the baseline?
How many responses did the child give?
How many were right?

26. EBP: Naturalistic Interventions
How do I do it?
Generalize across environments: Work on each skill in a variety of settings, not just at the table. If you are working on a new skill, practice it in different rooms, during different activities, at different times of the day, etc.

27. EBP: Naturalistic Interventions
How do I do it?
Generalize across people: Make sure the skill is taught and practiced with lots of different people – especially with peers.

28. EBP: Visual Supports How do I do it?
A picture is worth a thousand words. Talk less!
Examples:

29. EBP: Visual Supports How do I do it?
Examples: Visit the Visual Supports section at:

30. EBP: Structured Work Systems
How do I do it?
Use pictures. Make sure the child can see:
What do I need to do? (a job)
What do I do when I am finished? (a reinforcer)

31. EBP: Structured Work Systems
Always work toward independent task completion.

32. If it’s not working, ask yourself:
Setting (sensory): Is the room noisy? Is there clutter in his workspace?
Seating (motor): Is he uncomfortable? Does he need a different place to work?
Task (organization): Is the task too big? Do you need to break it down into smaller chunks?

33. If it’s not working, continued:
Timing (organization): Is the wait time too long between directive / writing / reinforcement?
Directions (language): Was there too much talking? Does he need a prompt?
Attention (sensory): Did you get his attention before giving the task?

34. The most important Evidence Based Practice is……
The home / school connection. Our children benefit when everyone works together.

35. Challenges for Families
Parents blame themselves
Society blames parents
Professionals blamed parents through the 1970’s
Grandparents don’t understand
Siblings feel left out, carted around, responsible
Financial burden
Stress on marriage
Embarrassment – don’t want to tell anyone or ask for help

36. Understanding Parents
The parent is raising a whole child and is responsible for every aspect of that child’s life
The student’s behavior may be very different at home
It is easy to lose sight of the “big picture” during everyday struggles
It is hard for us to imagine our children with disabilities as adults

37. Don’t Wake Up Mama Bear
It is instinctive to protect one’s children, particularly if they seem vulnerable
People cannot think clearly when they are emotional
Parents may take your comments as an indictment of their parenting

38. Teaching Parents Ask, “How are things going at home?”
Try to show parents how a strategy (visual support, reinforcement) you are using in the classroom can be used at home
Explain what the real-world significance will be to the student as an adult
As resources allow, provide visual supports for home and community (church, etc) use

39. Additional Resources
Suggest a computer lab where caregivers can make visual supports
HANDS in Autism will mail basic visual supports (
Social StoriesTM and social narratives
Lending libraries

40. The Autism Resource Network of Indiana (ARNI)
Brought to you by the Indiana Inter-Agency Autism Coordinating Council (IIACC), which Autism Society of Indiana leads
Find Local Resources to find providers in your area
SuperSearch feature for information, providers
View several topics from the home page
Event Calendar
Legislative and other News
Autism Society of Indiana

41. The Autism Resource Network of Indiana (ARNI)
Resource Map to find providers in your area
SuperSearch feature for information, providers
Topics from the home page
Event Calendar
Legislative and other News
IIACC
Autism Society of Indiana

42. Autism Society of Indiana
Allies help parents, educators, and other providers
eNewsletter
Teacher’s Toolbox
Resources for Educators on ARNI
Autism Society of Indiana

43. Contact Us
Kathy’s contact information
Mary Roth
Autism Society of Indiana
ext 22