1. 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

2. About Us Interventions based upon methodologies of
Knapp Center
About Us
Interventions based upon methodologies of
ABA & supported by research
What we offer:
Psychological Evaluations
Treatment Services
ABA services (home, school, & community)
Summer Camp/Social Skills Groups
ABA International Program
ABA Military Program
Partnerships with Local Schools
Internship Program
Vocational Program

3. 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.

4. 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

5. 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”

6. 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 programs
Add in additional TA’s when:
Behavior control is achieved
Some programs enter maintenance

7. 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

8. Graphic Representations of Common Learning Trends

9. 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

10. 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

11. 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

12. 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

13. 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)

14. 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

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

16. 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

17. 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

18. Teaching Strategies
Video Example

19. 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.

20. 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.

21. 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

22. 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)

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

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

25. 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

26. 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.

27. 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

28. 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.

29. 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.

30. 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.

31. 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

32. 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.

34. 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

35. Maintenance

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

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

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

39. 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.

40. 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