One Step at a Time: ABA and Autism in the Classroom Practical Strategies for Implementing Applied Behaviour Analysis for Student with Autism

By Jennifer Krumins

One Step at a Time promises to be a book for those who need practical down to earth help in planning an authentic and meaningful classroom program for a student with autism. Based on sound science and experience, this book offers personal, down to earth, common sense advice that has been gained through research and experience as a mother and a teacher of individuals with autism. The book includes a comprehensive account of the learning implications of autism and practical strategies about how to teach to the core autism deficits and strengths using the principles of Applied Behaviour Analysis in a regular classroom. Specific strategies such as prompting, fading, chaining, incidental teaching, peer structured play, social scripting, task analysis, generalization, data collection and reinforcement are just some of the strategies described in non clinical and easy to read manner.

The author examines the differences between Intensive Behavior Intervention (IBI) and ABA and explains why ABA methods are often very familiar to teachers because they are “just good teaching.” A detailed account of how to write meaningful and measurable goals and objectives that match the needs of a student with autism is included. A whole section of the book is devoted to creating "ABA style" Individual Education Plans and transition plans.

Teachers love the practical examples of Individual Education Plans written with ABA language and methods and the numerous sample forms for data collection and skill tracking. Finally, a resource that is packed with information that is engaging, inspiring and empowering!

The book includes:
> A comprehensive account of what autism might look like in the classroom and practical strategies about how we can teach to these core deficits using ABA principles

> A personal account of the perspective of a teacher and a mother in educating a student with autism

>Help with possible accommodations, modifications, goals and objectives

> A whole section that is devoted to creating "ABA style" Individual Education Plans and transition plans

> Examples of IEPs written with ABA language and methods

> Sample forms for data collection and skill tracking

• Language: English
• Publisher: Jennifer Krumins
• Release date: Oct 11, 2011
• ISBN: 9780981338842

Jennifer Krumins

A passionate international speaker, educator, certified leadership coach, and author, Jennifer is also the founder of Autism Aspirations and Autism Aspirations Academy. Both sites are designed to provide down to earth, practical mentorship, online learning tools, and a variety of practical resources that will no doubt increase your confidence and competence as you seek to develop the full human potential of those with autism. Nothing beats having a mentor who is living the autism journey both personally and professionally – someone who ‘gets it.’iJennifer is a firm believer that children who are diagnosed with Autism Spectrum Disorder are best served by adults who are ready to embrace learning and deepen connections! In her humorous, down to earth style, Jennifer helps parents, families and professionals, deepen their understanding of autism and learn how to find the gifts that autism has to offer. Her real life stories as a mom and special education teacher will be sure to boost your competence and confidence, and gift you with much needed hope for the future!A retired teacher, Jennifer has had the privilege of teaching students with autism from 3 to 21 years of age in Ontario, Canada for 26 years. Jennifer holds a Master of Education in Applied Psychology and she is proud mother to three adult children (one of whom has autism).Jennifer has published four easy to read, down to earth books that will be sure to empower and inspire you:Been There. Done That. Finally Getting it Right. A Guide to Educational Planning for Students with AutismOne Step at a Time: ABA and Autism in the Classroom; Practical Strategies for Implementing Applied Behaviour Analysis for Student with AutismAutism and the Grandparent Connection: Practical Ways to Understand and Help your Grandchild with Autism Spectrum DisorderUne étape à la fois : ACA et autisme en classe (ABA and Autism in the Classroom) Stratégies pratiques pour implanter l'Analyse Comportementale Appliquée pour élèves autistes (translated by Judith Rioulx Wilson)"Together we are stronger. Let's jdo this autism journey together! "Jennifer

Book preview

One Step at a Time: ABA and Autism in the Classroom

Practical Strategies for Implementing Applied Behaviour Analysis for Students with Autism

Jennifer Krumins

Copyright © 2008, 2011 by Jennifer Krumins

Smashwords Edition

This eBook is licensed for your personal enjoyment only. This eBook may not be re-sold or given away to other people. If you would like to share this book with another person, please purchase an additional copy for each recipient. If you’re reading this book and did not purchase it, or it was not purchased for your use only, then please return to Smashwords.com and purchase your own copy. Thank you for respecting the hard work of this author.

All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photo copying, recording or by any information storage and retrieval system, without permission in writing from the author.

Published by Autism Aspirations, Peterborough, Ontario, Canada

www.autismaspirations.com

Author’s Note:

This book is written from an educational perspective and is not intended to provide legal advice. This book contains material that is protected under International and Federal Copyright Laws and Treaties. Any unauthorized reprint or use of the material is strictly prohibited. Purchase of this book does not give resale rights. This book or download link may not be freely distributed in any public forum, posted on any other website or distributed via email without the author’s permission.

The pronoun he is used extensively in this book only for the sake of clarity in writing to avoid the repetition of he/she and because boys are most often affected by autism (only 1 in 4 children diagnosed will be a girl). This book absolutely relates to both sexes. The term Autism Spectrum Disorder and Autism are used in this book to describe all children on the autism spectrum that are affected by the disorder. It is again a matter of clarity for the reader.

The term Individual Education Plan (IEP) has been used to include all of the various titles of the same document throughout Canada and the United States. The author recognizes that the names of the document vary in many provinces, territories and states but they are all in essence, individualized education plans.

Who is Jennifer Krumins?

Each child’s birth changes the face of the world and brings with it new hope and a fresh beginning. Never could I have imagined what gifts my children would bring to my life: passion, clarity, and purpose. But life also has a way of delivering the greatest gifts wrapped in the disguise of grief. When our second child was diagnosed with severe autism, our life as we knew it (and planned it) changed dramatically. My husband of 16 years and I have learned the most important lessons in life through these difficult times: stay close, act on your instincts, stay positive and keep the faith. Riding the tidal wave of autism is a voyage of a life time but the rewards are profound and immeasurable. This is not to diminish in any way the heart -wrenching, exhaustive and heartbreaking nature of autism but we refused to look at it that way.

Even through the tears, we knew that our son was here to teach us something. Individuals with autism have gifts that they bring to the world. Sadly, the world doesn’t always recognize these treasures. Our own son and the students that I have had the privilege of teaching have made me take a hard look at what I value and what I believe about purpose and fulfillment in life. They have collectively taught me that getting ahead doesn’t always bring real happiness but looking into the eyes of a child that finally conquers a skill...now that is pure joy! My kids have taught me to really tune into my senses; truly feel the sun on my skin and the smell of a spring day. My kids have taught me to slow down and really look at even the most seemingly insignificant things in life and see their glory with new eyes. I have learned that our productivity doesn’t make us loveable; we already are. Our purpose in life isn’t about financial gain and material prosperity; it is about accepting ourselves and being at peace with the essence of who we are; living our lives for the sake of bringing some peace and light to others. My kids with autism have taught me more than I could hope to teach them. Yes, they have brought me frustration, exhaustion and sometimes pain but, over and above that, my students and my own children have pushed me to greater understanding, higher levels of learning and elevated awareness of the gifts that surround us and live in us.

My husband and I have 3 children: two daughters aged 16 and 8 and our son who is 14 years old. Teaching in Ontario, Canada for 20 years has equipped me with vast experience in all kinds of learning differences and challenging learning difficulties. But none would compare with teaching my own son both in the general classroom (for two years) and in private therapy at home. It was these experiences that both drained me emotionally and inspired me professionally. Being the teacher and the mom brought me face to face with my own teaching philosophy and my teaching practices. I earned my Special Education Specialist and I undertook extensive training from Queen’s University in Kingston, Ontario and the Geneva Centre for Autism in Toronto, Ontario.

I had the benefit of working in a private therapy program for my son under the guidance and direction of the Behaviour Institute in Hamilton, Ontario. Most importantly, I have been privileged to work with students with autism that have truly educated me.

I have been blessed with a family and a career that have enriched my life and made me who I am today. I want to share what I have learned and do my part to open the doors for students that have autism, their teachers and their parents. I want to facilitate collaboration, teamwork and mutual understanding in the education of our children. I hope to ease the anxiety that some teachers may feel when faced with the opportunity to teach a child with autism. Yes, these students bring a whole new set of deficits and impairments with them, but, more importantly, they bring with them an opportunity for expanding our skills and growth in understanding. They are not a problem to be solved; students with autism are a gift to be unwrapped. There are many hidden gems inside of each and every child; it is our privilege as educators to be able to find them.

This book has been written to encourage you, the teacher, to allow yourself the opportunity to let a child with autism lead you. Seek to understand and to grow as a professional and doors will open and the light of a human soul will inspire you to see things as you have never seen them before.

Table of Contents

PART A

WHAT DO WE KNOW ABOUT AUTISM SPECTRUM DISORDER?

The Spectrum

Teaching a Student with Autism

Kieran’s Story

What is Applied Behaviour Analysis (ABA)?

ABA in the Past

The Principles of ABA

What it is Not

Who does ABA Serve?

Why Use an ABA Approach in the Classroom?

ABA in the Early Years: Building a Foundation for Learning

ABA and the Home – School Connection

Program Policy Memorandum 140 in Ontario, Canada

PART B

APPLIED BEHAVIOUR ANALYSIS: A CLOSER LOOK

A. Individual Programming

1. Curriculum

2. Teaching Methods

Task Analysis

Discrete-Trial Training

Pivotal Response Training

Prompting

Fading

Shaping

Forward Chaining/Backward Chaining

Modeling

Video Instruction

Social Scripting/Script Fading

Incidental Teaching

Priming

Structured peer-play Interactions

B. Positive Reinforcement

In Search of the Most Valuable Currency

Positive Reinforcement

Negative Reinforcement

Punishment

What do I use for Reinforcement?

Secondary Reinforcement

What do I do With all of These Googles?

Reinforcement Systems

C. Data Collection and Analysis

What is the Point?

You Want ME to Collect Data?

How do I Collect Data?

When Should Data be Collected?

D. Generalization of Skills

E. Transition Planning

PART C

THE LEARNING IMPLICATIONS OF AUTISM

Social Impairments

1. Motivational Differences

2. Differences in Imitation Teaching Social Understanding

Communication Impairments

Teaching Communication Skills

Teaching Non Verbal Language

Teaching with Pictures

Living with Pictures

Back to School

I See What you Mean

Why use a Visual Schedule?

How do I Make a Visual Schedule?

How do I Use a Visual Schedule?

Are you Speaking to ME?

Stereotypical Behaviour and Repetitiveness

What Impact does Repetitive Behaviour Have in the Classroom?

There is Something That I Want to Tell You

Sensory Nonsense

More Physical Activity

Please Overly Anxious

PART D

Individual Education Plans ABA Style

Components of an Individual Education Plan

Creating an Individual Education Plan ABA Style

Gathering Information

Strengths and Needs

Current Level of Performance

Accommodations

Modifications

Alternative Programs or Courses

Annual Goals: The Big Picture

Specific Learning Expectations

Teaching Strategies

Assessment Methods

ABA in High School?

Bringing IBI into the School: Making it Work

Reaching the Goal: Independence

Appendices

Appendix A: Sample IEPs Written in ABA Style

Appendix B: Sample IEPs Written in ABA Style

Appendix C: Sample IEPs Written in ABA Style

Appendix D: Sample IEPs Written in ABA Style

Appendix E: Using Task Analysis to Teach Skills Sample)

Appendix F: Sample Baseline Data with Task Analysis

Appendix G: Motivational Assessment Chart

What Do We Know about Autism Spectrum Disorder?

• It is a life-long neurobiological disorder that has a tremendous impact on development of communication, language, social relations, sensory processing and cognition in the individuals that it effects

• 1 in 91 births will result in an Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) diagnosis

• More boys than girls receive a diagnosis

• ASD occurs in all races and socio economic groups

• There are variation in symptoms and variations within an individual over time

• A spectrum of disorders comprises the ASD designation

The Spectrum

Childhood Disintegrative Disorder (CDD): This category describes those individuals (usually boys) who appear to be developing normally in the early months following birth and then after the first year or two, skills and abilities begin to recede and the child’s development declines.

Rett’s Disorder: This category describes those individuals (usually girls) who appear to be developing normally in the early months following birth and then after the first year or two skills and abilities begin to recede and the child’s development declines.

Autism Disorder: This category describes those individuals who suffer from severe impairments in communication, social relations, and stereotypical and repetitive behaviour.

Pervasive Developmental Disorder – Not Otherwise Specified (PDD-NOS) also known as Atypical Autism: This category describes those individuals who have many but not all of the features consistent with autism. It may be used before an absolute autism diagnosis is made or for those who once had a classic autism diagnosis and the symptoms are not apparent any longer.

Asperger’s Syndrome: This category describes those individuals who share many of the same impairments with individuals with autism. The communication impairments may not be delayed as they are in autism however, language

Teaching a Student with Autism

Teaching a student with autism is a professional challenge and an opportunity to grow as an educator. These children will relate to others in a different way, perceive their environment differently, communicate with greater difficulty or not at all, and each child with autism has a unique learning style with an original ability/disability profile. There is no neat and concise, pre-packaged program that educators can pull off of a shelf when they are called upon to educate a child with autism. To make matters even more daunting, acronyms such as ABA, IBI, and DTT start flying around and teachers feel overwhelmed and under-trained to deal with the challenges of educating a student with autism in a classroom of students, some of which have very demanding learning needs.

Around the globe the incidence of autism diagnoses is soaring, parents are begging for schools to meet their children’s needs and school boards are desperately seeking ways to do just that! The stakes are high during these times; our children need more: more differentiated instruction, more varied teaching strategies and more trained staff that are able to address the particular autistic learning styles. Our professionals need more as well: more training, more support and more time.

There are countless therapies, programs, diets, medications and interventions that all claim to help children with autism. Some even prey upon the desperation of parents and claim to cure the child. It is my belief that while many things can help a person with autism, education plays a key role in retraining the brain and establishing the tools that individuals need to manage their own health, emotions, relationships and intellect. It is imperative that educators continue to look into best practices and scientific research to determine what we can do to educate children that live with autism and to inspire in them a drive to continue to grow and to learn on their own.

The term Autism Spectrum Disorder is a diagnosis that describes a range of symptoms that exist within the umbrella of autism. Autism is a life long, neurobiological disorder that has a profound impact on the way a child perceives his environment, the way he communicates, the manner in which he learns and relates to the people and objects in his world. Each and every child presents a myriad of symptoms that often change over time. The key to unlocking the grip of autism resides in working with the brain to develop new pathways and repair inefficient ones. One can be sure that this is far from a cut and dried approach to treatment.

Some children are so profoundly affected by autism that the impact is quite obvious in their physical appearance and the way that they present themselves. But, autism is not always visibly noticeable, especially in those individuals that have more language skills and a more social nature.

Metaphorically, autism can resemble an iceberg: odd behaviour and social interactions may be just the tip of the iceberg; the protruding part. However, the core features of the disorder are the severe behavioural, language, communication and social deficiencies that will pervade an individual’s life and his relationships. These represent the ice under the surface and they are the most devastating part of the iceberg and of autism. It is vital that we not assume a level of autism based on a child’s behaviour or interactions with others. It is the range in severity,