12th Annual Milestones Autism Conference Amy Lockney, MS, BCBA Board Certified Behavior Analyst Behavior Consultant Knapp Center for Childhood Development Mary Brown, MS, BCBA Teaching Strategies to Promote Skill Development in ABA Programs for Individuals with Autism

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Learning Objectives Modify the implementation of ABA programs Implement behavior teaching strategies to accelerate learning trend Identify tactics to promote generalization Identify teaching procedures to ensure maintenance Help child reach optimal potential.

Level System Level Systems Purpose: to individualize ABA program to match learners skill acquisition rate and characteristics of the learner Promote efficient skill acquisition for all learners Knapp Center Curriculum offers a three tiered level system for program implementation

Level 1 Characteristics of Individuals Young Acquires skills slowly Level System Level 1 Characteristics of Individuals Young Acquires skills slowly New to therapy Regresses without intervention Considered “lower functioning”

Level 1 Follow TA as written Start with 10-12 programs Level System Level 1 Guidelines for program implementation: Follow TA as written Teach one target at a time Start with 10-12 programs Add in additional TA’s when: Behavior control is achieved Some programs enter maintenance

Level System Level 1 Mastery Criterion: 80% or above or 0 prompts for three consecutive days across two people Add teaching strategies when the following occurs across 5 consecutive days: No learning trend Variable learning trend Stagnant learning trend Lovass’ study had better outcomes than most of see, given the functioning level of children in his study – nonetheless, demonstrated improvement in children with ASD

Graphic Representations of Common Learning Trends

Level 2 Characteristics of Individuals Level System Level 2 Characteristics of Individuals Individuals who have demonstrated a quicker learning curve Have been in ABA therapy for some time and data indicate they quickly master targets Once individual reaches mastery criterion they stay at this level of responding Less likely to lose acquired skills

Level 2 Guidelines for Program Implementation Level System Level 2 Guidelines for Program Implementation Teach two targets at once (in random rotation) Baseline all targets in a field of 3 (FO3) Probe in natural environment before initiating maintenance TA’s with multiple SD’s once individual meets criterion for SD A, probe the last step in SD B Generalization to other environments occurs during teaching process

Level System Level 2 Mastery criterion: 80% or above or 0 prompts for 2 consecutive days across 2 people Add teaching strategies when the following occurs across 3 consecutive days: No learning trend Variable learning trend Stagnant learning trend

Level 3 Characteristics of Individuals “higher functioning” Level System Level 3 Characteristics of Individuals “higher functioning” Average to above average cognition Succeeded at level 2

Level 3 Guidelines for program implementation Level System Level 3 Guidelines for program implementation Follow same modifications as level 2 learners with a few exceptions Teach 5 targets at once Change targets frequently 2nd set of 5 targets teach in a new environment No maintenance, straight to natural environment When conducting baseline, probe only one trial (not 5)

Level 3 Level 3 Same as level 2 Mastery criterion: 80% or above or 0 prompts for 2 consecutive days across 2 people Add teaching strategies when the following occurs across 3 consecutive days: No learning trend Variable learning trend Stagnant learning trend

Teaching Strategies to Promote Learning Use when no, variable, or stagnant learning trend is observed

Teaching Strategies 90/10 Teaching Strategy Description: prompt learner to display skill for 9 trials, probe the 10th (mass trial) Fade teaching strategy by reducing number of trials that are prompted while increasing probe trials 80/20 70/30 60/40 50/50 DTT

90/10 Teaching Strategy Use this strategy when: Teaching Strategies 90/10 Teaching Strategy Use this strategy when: Learner has difficulty grasping new skill or target No learning trend (little to no correct responses) Child has responded well to strategy in the past Skill acquisition programs

Teaching Strategies Video Example

Teaching Strategies Decreasing Immediate Echolalia when implementing programs with verbal response Description: Therapist holds up an index finger to indicate “quiet” Therapist re-asks original question with quick speed and low volume and then models the expected response in a higher volume with a normal speed. Learner is required to imitate expected response. If learner does not repeat, therapist continues to provide verbal prompt until leaner imitates response.

Teaching Strategies Decreasing Immediate Echolalia when implementing programs with verbal response Use this strategy when: Child is displaying immediate echolalia which is interfering with appropriate responses to SD’s Video Example Most intrusive to least intrusive, select a prompt that provides just enough assistance to ensure success but never more than is needed. Choosing the right level of prompts, makes it easier to fade later and reduces prompt dependency.

Teaching Strategies Modifying the SD Description: change SD, simplify language, use built in prompt with SD Examples: Change SD: imitation to one step instruction, “match” versus “put with same”, “what’s up?” versus “how are you?” Simplify Language: “finish” versus “finish the pattern”, “open” versus “open the lock” Built in prompt with SD: pair visuals with SD

Teaching Strategies Stimulus Fading “Stimulus fading: highlight physical dimension (e.g. color, size, position) of a stimulus to increase to likelihood of a correct response. The highlighted or exaggerated dimension is faded gradually in or out”(Cooper, Heron & Heward, 2007)

Teaching Strategies Stimulus Fading 2 + 2 = 4 2 + 2 =

Teaching Strategies Stimulus Shaping “Occurs when the overall configuration or topography of the stimulus is changed” (Cooper et. al, 2007)

Stimulus Shaping Teaching Name Recognition Teaching Strategy 1 Teaching Strategies Stimulus Shaping Teaching Name Recognition Teaching Strategy 1 &&& Dan &&& Dan &&& &&& Teaching Strategy 2 Dan T s F b Dan Teaching Strategy 3 fit hop Dan Dan got cup Teaching Strategy 4 Pan Fan Dan Dap Dan Don

Modifying the SD Use this strategy when: Teaching Strategies Modifying the SD Use this strategy when: Difficulties are noted when learner has to discriminate between stimuli Learner is not acquiring the skill through physical or gestural prompting When the learner has difficulties with language associated with the SD Most intrusive to least intrusive, select a prompt that provides just enough assistance to ensure success but never more than is needed. Choosing the right level of prompts, makes it easier to fade later and reduces prompt dependency.

Modifying Field Size/Decrease # of Targets Teaching Strategies Modifying Field Size/Decrease # of Targets Description: removing the number of distracters in the visual field or decreasing the number of targets in a response Examples: Removing Amount of Distracters: learner identifies targets in field of 2 presenting blank cards instead of actual pictures, words, items as distracters Decreasing Amount Targets in Response: handing note card with 2 quarters glued instead of picking up 2 quarters

Modifying Field Size/Decrease # of Targets Teaching Strategies Modifying Field Size/Decrease # of Targets Use this strategy when: Learner has difficulties with scanning or visual scanning is currently a program Learner consistently identifies target in a field of 2, but does not maintain the skill when additional distracters are presented Most intrusive to least intrusive, select a prompt that provides just enough assistance to ensure success but never more than is needed. Choosing the right level of prompts, makes it easier to fade later and reduces prompt dependency.

Teaching Strategies Inadvertent Prompts Inadvertent prompts can lead the learner to emit the correct response not because they acquired the skill, but because they are following an instructor's prompt without the instructor being aware that they are doing it.

Tips on Inadvertent Prompting Teaching Strategies Tips on Inadvertent Prompting Inadvertent Prompt Tip Target location Rotate placement of the target. Eye Contact with target Look at the learner, not objects. Silent verbal prompt Keep mouth closed after SD A useful behavioral tactic is to use self-monitoring to identify inadvertent prompting. This can be done by videotaping sessions and evaluating performance.

Teaching Strategies Delay in Responding Description: Use fluency Training to decrease response latency over time. Timed repeated practice can increase fluency. When to use: There is a delay between instructors SD and learners response

Difficulties with Generalization Description: Add more steps to promote generalization or add generalization steps earlier in teaching. Add more steps to generalization: Individual will have generalization criterion to move on after each target Generalize across people, places, and materials.

Difficulties with Maintenance Increase exposure using DTT and error correction after probe on maintenance day. Place items on a more frequent maintenance schedule. Incidental teaching DTT

Maintenance

Audience Participation Case Presentation 1 Audience Participation What teaching strategy would you utilize? Why?

Audience Participation Case Presentation 2 Audience Participation What teaching strategy would you utilize? Why?

Audience Participation Case Presentation 3 Audience Participation What teaching strategy would you utilize? Why?

Level Systems promote skill acquisition based upon learner profile. Conclusion Level Systems promote skill acquisition based upon learner profile. There are various strategies to promote learning when stagnant learning trends are observed. Build in strategies when teaching to promote generalization and maintenance when learner is not demonstrating a skill.

ADD KNAPP Curriculum here References Cooper, J. O., Heron, T. E., Heward, W. L. (2007). Applied behavior analysis, 2nd ed. Upper Saddle River, NJ: Pearson Prentice Hall. ADD KNAPP Curriculum here