Evidence Based Instruction for Students with ASD and Other Developmental Disabilities Applied Behavior Analysis and Direct Instruction Penny Williams, M.Ed., BCBA

Why is school so challenging for students with ASD? Groups Sometimes inconsistent Classrooms Fast moving Always Changing Environments Social Verbal Activities

Classroom Challenges Insistence on sameness/difficulty with changes in routines Difficulty learning in large groups Poor organization skills Poor writing skills Poor concentration Vocab usually good, comprehension poor

Classroom Challenges Inability to make friends Difficulty with reciprocal language Low frustration tolerance Poor coping strategies Emotional vulnerability Problem solving abilities tend to be poor

Adjust Environment To: Make communication easier Meet a need Add a preference Remove some distracters

ABA (Applied Behavior Analysis) Systematic instruction using principles (i.e. reinforcement) Breaks complex tasks into small discrete tasks Gives systematic, repeated practice of skills across people/places Uses data to make instructional decisions Individualized

Teaching Tools Instruction Reinforcement Token Systems Visual Supports

What is it that motivates a student to try when something is hard? What is the schedule of reinforcement—or how often do they need to be motivated? How to keep it as natural as possible. Fading and Delaying Reinforcement It begins and ends with motivation

10 What is Reinforcement? Something that immediately follows a behavior and increases the likelihood that that behavior will happen again.

A reinforcer is a stimulus that increases likelihood of behavior occurring again, and is presented AFTER behavior occurs A bribe does not guarantee the increase of behavior and is presented DURING a behavior or as a “carrot” 11 Reinforcement is not a bribe!

Reinforcers are individual Use natural reinforcers whenever you can Choosing Reinforcers

Schedules of Reinforcement Goal: Natural Less available over time Thick to Thin

Variable Interval Variable amount of time (i.e. after an average of 3 minutes) Fixed interval Set amount of time (i.e. after a minute) Variable ratio Variable amount of responses (i.e. after an average of 3 correct responses) Fixed ratio Set amount of responses (i.e. after each correct response ) Schedules of Reinforcement

More structure during instructional time Information about what is expected The first step toward understanding more remote contingencies Some control over instructional session Motivational Systems Give Students:

Nick earns a trip to the computer room if he earns six periods of great work. Great work means using nice words and following his teacher’s directions. A period of great work is for 5 minutes. If Nick doesn’t have great work for a period, he can try again. Time:______ Time for computer:_________

Period/ Class Circle all that apply Comments Science Assignment A-Okay Behavior Concern Test Participated in group work Math Assignment A-Okay Behavior Concern Test Attended to instruction English Assignment A-Okay Behavior Concern Test Raised voice volume during group work Reward? Did I earn my reward time? I need 2+ A-Okay’s 10 min computer Lunch Assignment A-Okay Behavior Concern Test PE Assignment A-Okay Behavior Concern Test

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Teaching Tools Instruction Reinforcement Token Systems Visual Supports

Something that occurs before a response and increases the likelihood of a correct response Prompting before a response minimizes errors Prompting—What is it?

VerbalPictorial Environmental PhysicalGesturalModel Types of Prompts

1 Use the least amount necessary to ensure a correct response 2 A prompt is only a “good” prompt if it results in a child’s correct response 3 Prompts must be faded systematically 4 Any prompt that is added must be faded Guidelines for using Prompts

Discrete Trial Training One form of teaching using principles of ABA Repeated practice at discrete responses Systematic procedures to shape correct responses Emphasis on 1:1 teaching

A Discrete Trial (Teaching Loop) Instruction or Discrimitive Stimulus (SD) Student’s Response Consequence Prompt if necessary Inter-trial Interval A ntecedent B ehavior C onsequence

30 Discrete Trial: The Instruction  Keep instruction concise.  Give when student is attending.  Doesn’t have to be verbal. Text as prompt  Be sure and give the student time to respond (at least 5 seconds)  Make sure that if you give a direction, that you are there to follow through. Instruction Child’s Response Consequence Prompt if necessary Inter-trial Interval

31 Discrete Trial: The Prompt  What is it? Something the teacher does that increases the likelihood of correct responding. Auditory Prompt Mixed Prompt Mixed Prompt (Model, gestural & physical)  Prompting happens BEFORE the child’s response  Allows you to get responses that you can reinforce. Instruction Child’s Response Consequence Prompt if necessary Inter-trial Interval

32 Discrete Trial: The Child’s Response  Four possibilities: Independent Correct Prompted Correct Error No Response Feature, function, class DTT Labeling Gestures DTT Instruction Child’s Response Consequence Prompt if necessary Inter-trial Interval

33 Discrete Trial: The Consequence  What is it? Clear feedback to the student about his response. Correct response= reinforcement Incorrect response=feedback that response was incorrect.  For the teaching loop to work, the child always needs a clear consequence for his response. Instruction Child’s Response Consequence Prompt if necessary Inter-trial Interval

Teaching Tools Instruction Reinforcement Token Systems Visual Supports

Verbal info A strategy that really works….

Change in activities or new activities When events will happen When it is time to move to next activity Provide the following info: Establish concept of being finished Set expectations Decrease “surprises”- reduce anxiety Establish routines Help: Schedules may………..

How was my day? Great Okay Will work on it (2 points) (1 point) (no points) Followed directions Completed Work Kept it together Total Points:____________

First Then Scheduler

Visual Schedule Planner