Welcome to Functional Curriculum: Week 7

1. Welcome to Functional Curriculum: Week 7 Upcoming Due DatesMay 18th- Instructional Plan for Functional Skills Due May 25th- Instructional Plan for Communication Skills June 1st- Instructional Plan for Academic Skills June 8th- Implementation Plan (for one of the above)

2. Task Analyses Suggestions • Objectives- write a complete objective including the learner, condition, skill, criteria, by when, & “as measured by”… • Relevant/critical features to vary- think critically. • What would you change/introduce to increase generalization used in this routine? • Steps- Word them in a way that it could be a verbal prompt, e.g. “Raise hand.” • Anecdotal comments-write about that activity, anything different you noticed

3. Quick Review • What are some antecedent strategies? • Think prompt (correct responses) & prevent (errors) • Why consequence strategies? • To reinforce (increase) expected behaviors • To make errors extinct • Effectively respond to correct & incorrect behaviors • Give an example of generalization strategies presented in class on Monday?

4. Functional Routines Instruction

5. Discrete Trial Training

6. Discrete Trial Training Video • http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2afb4i7LMJc

7. Pivotal Response Training

8. Video Examples • http://www.asatonline.org/intervention/videos.htm • Picture Exchange Communication System (PECS) • Six Phases • http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZP48lxnNdHM • http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tr3lQXNEcps&feature=related • http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZrELOVWnp28&feature=related

9. K-W-L about Communication skills for students with sig. disabilities • “Want to Know(s)”

10. Best Practices/Research • Importance (Causton-Theoharis, Ashby, & Cosier, 2009; Han & Chadsey, 2004; Light, 1997) • Social closeness, • Talking most frequently reported activity by school-aged students (more frequently as they get older) • Promote friendships & alleviate loneliness • Reduction in challenging behavior when given appropriate means to communicate (Durand & Merges, 2001) • Higher quality of life (Agran & Hughes, 2005)

11. How to establish baseline skills student already has? • Significant other interviews • Ecological Assessment • Direct observation in natural environments • Interrupted chain procedures • Interrupt a routine that student has to complete and see how student communicates • Assess student in interactions with other students • Provide direct assessments to determine if student understands words, pictures, symbols, etc.

12. Take Typical Language Samples • As we talked about last class, take an inventory of the vocabulary used in the settings student’s are in or will be going to. • Conversation inventories with same age peers • Could use audio recorder if allowed.

13. Research on Comm. Assessment • Standardized Tests may provide age-equivalencies in receptive & expressive language, but often fail to recognize the unique characteristics of students with severe disabilities (Cress, 2002; Ross & Cress, 2006; Snell, 2002). • Recommendation is interviewing significant others (Bailey, Stoner, Parrette, & Angelo, 2006) • Analyze Communication Environment (Blackstone & Hunt Bert, 2003; Downing, 2005); Use of Video recordings (Suarez & Daniels, 2009)

15. Reference for Gathering Info/Assessing Communication • Blackstone & Hunt-Berg (2003). Social Networks: A Communication Inventory for Individuals with Complex Communication Needs and Their Communication Partners • Guides team in efforts to collect info on student’s skills & abilities, various modes of expression used by the student, and who the typical communication partners are for the student. • Targets info concerning how the student selects a message, typical topics of conversation, supportive strategies

16. Resistant student and/or Refusal to learn to use his device • This may mean that the device/system is not meaningful or does not meet a communicative need (OR BOTH) • Re-evaluate student’s opportunities to communicate. • May need to manipulate the environment in such a way that necessitates the student use the device/system (Reichle, 1997; Snell, 2002) • May be too difficult in comparison to other communicative means…think of some unaided means of communication (facial expressions, gestures, etc.) OR different symbols, colors, etc.

17. How to select communication devices? • Conduct person-centered ecological assessment on communication • Team approach- teacher, SLP, parents • Consider contextual-fit • Consider: durability, ease of use, transportability, flexibility, cultural sensitivity, cost of device, & quality of speech (McCord & Soto, 2004; Mirenda, 1999). • Ability of student to access an AAC system need to be assessed prior to purchasing system

18. Funding for AAC? • http://www.aacfundinghelp.com/ • Low-incidence funding • (property of school) • Health Insurance (property of student) • Medicare (property of student) • Department of Rehabilitation • Dependent on potential for employability w/ device • In Oregon, Educational Service District (ESD) may have guidelines for this.

19. Collaborating with SLPs? • Developing a communication system for a student is a team effort. • Speech/Language Pathologists will be your “go-to” person to collaborate with when selecting system, designing instruction, implementing communication instruction • Work closely with them. • Make sure you emphasize the ecological assessments and preference assessments conducted with student.

20. Working with Parents? • Consider their home-language, culture, and long-term vision for the student’s communication. • Want to build system so that you can bridge home and school vocabulary, language, etc. • May be an issue when device is not allowed to go home. • Try to work with school to allow device to go home. Parents may need to sign responsibility for device.

21. Research on Intervention Strategies • Comm. Skills are best taught throughout the day where they typically occur or are expected to occur (Beukelman & Mirenda, 2002; Fox, 1989; Haring et al., 1985) • Students without disabilities play a critical role in the development of communication for students with severe disabilities (Carter & Hughes, 2005; Kamps et al., 2002; Von Tetzchner et al., 2005;

22. Communication Skills Across Classes & Subjects • Greetings & Farewells • Age-appropriate vocabulary, mannerisms • May not necessarily need a Speech Generated Device (SGD) • Asking for Attention/Help • Comments of Approval & Rejection • Social Closeness • Observe what typical students do to achieve this • E.g., admiring another’s hairstyle, telling secrets • Communicative Skills specific to a class or an activity

23. Augmentative & Alternative Communication is… • “any means that helps a person communicate when conventional speaking, writing, and/or understanding others are not possible.” (McCormic, Loeb, & Schieffelbusch, 2003) • “any item, piece of equipment, or product system, whether acquired commercially off the self, modified, or customized, that is used to increase, maintain, or improve the functional capabilities of children with disabilities.”(IDEA, 1990 ~ Federal Register)

24. Two types of AAC techniques • Unaided- Do not require any external equipment (i.e. manual signs, facial expressions, gestures) • Aided- Incorporate external devices (i.e., computers, microswitches, or speech-generating devices (SGDs) • Most people use both to communicate in different situations with different people

25. Communication System Combination of all of the techniques used by an individual student

26. Unaided Communication • Teachers need to be attuned to how student communicates • Understand what various gestures, vocalization, and other techniques mean

27. Gesture Dictionary

28. When is unaided communication appropriate? • Used when students have no other way to get their messages across • Must be socially acceptable & intelligible

29. Manual Signs: Pros & Cons • Some people who can hear use manual signs (e.g. ASL) • Advantage: requires no equipment • Disadvantage: Many people do not understand signs, therefore limited communication partners • What are other pros or cons?

30. When to teach signs • Poor prognosis for speech • Signing partners available • Physically able • Adequate cognitive skills • A portable communication system is desirable

31. Aided Communication • Low-Tech/Non-electronic: symbols, and communication displays • Hi-Tech/Electronic: Speech-generating devices • Advantages/ Disadvantages of both?

32. Symbols for Communication • Real Object Symbols • Photographs & Pictures • Line Drawing Symbols • Textured Symbols • Letters & Words

33. Selecting Symbols—What to look for? • Should make sense to the user & communication partners (assess with range of choices) • Similarity between the symbols & what represents should be obvious • Students sensory modalities should be considered • Symbols introduced gradually building on current communication skills

34. Communication Displays--examples • Velcro board with a few picture symbols that students point to • Plexiglas eye gaze display that a student uses eye to “point” (Figure 8-19, p.261) • Communication Book or Wallet

37. Considerations for Designing Displays • Messages: which are needed, in what contexts • Symbols: depending on the individual & messages • How symbols are displayed: booklets, notebooks, wheelchair trays, scanners • Organizing symbols: context specific, how many per page, etc.

38. Graphic arrays • Designing communication boards or communication notebooks • Choosing items • Size of each item • Positioning each item • Accessibility of each item • Perception of each item (both user and communication partner) • Item placement/ordering- groups? Effort in scanning? • Motor involvement in using array- vertical or horizontal?

39. Using Symbols to Promote Participation/Conversation • Calendar/Schedule Systems • Choice Displays • Remnant (e.g. Movie ticket, scraps from activities) Displays • Conversation Displays

40. Hi-Tech: Speech Generating Devices • Devices “talk” when a student touches a symbol on the device • What are advantages/ disadvantages??

41. Types of Electronic Devices • Single-level Devices: deliver a limited number of messages (about 20), simple to program & operate (e.g. BIGmack) • Multi-level Devices: Up to thousands of messages, more difficult to program, multiple symbol displays to program messages on two or more levels. • Comprehensive Devices: “dynamic display” technology

42. Supporting AAC learners is a collaborative effort • Family/caregivers & friends • Present & future employers • Teachers (SPED & Gen Ed.) • Speech/language specialists • Physical & occupational therapists • Student

43. Supporting AAC Learners (continued) • Access to AAC • Available • Accessible • Appropriate • Atmosphere of acceptance • Nonjudgmental - OK to make mistakes, model correct response, praise attempts, allow more time, minimize peer pressure, reinforce tolerance of individual differences.

44. Teaching Communication Skills • General Education Classroom Ideal environment- numerous opportunities to communicate with responsive communicative partners • However, students need specific & systematic instruction to acquire desired skills • Educational Team must develop teaching strategies and implement them consistently

45. Things to Consider with AAC • Mode of communication – Input: how the student receives the message; • Output: means in which the student transmits the messages to others • Mechanism for communication – Gestures, Vocalizations, Graphic • Type of selection - Direct selection, Scanning, Encoding • Physical display - Number of graphic symbols, Spacing and arrangement, Background, Orientation, Fixed or dynamic • Vocabulary selection • Output - Print copy, Speech, Scan display

46. What do we choose to teach? Consider: • What to communicate about • Activities/environments used in • People communicate with

47. Initial Instructional Strategies • Establishing Want/No • Response Prompt Strategies (Time Delay, System of Least/Maximum Prompts) • Milieu Teaching- modeling, manding, time delay, incidental teaching • Environmental Arrangement & Interrupted-chain Strategy • Conversation skill training

48. Supporting AAC Learners (continued) • AAC Training • Training for student, parents/family/friends, teachers, employers, peers • Training in the use/maintenance of the system • Training in facilitative/instructional techniques that promote communication

49. Teaching Functional Skills • Teaching Personal Care Skills • Importance, Relation between Personal Care & Self-Determination, Tactics for teaching, Self-management • Eating/Meal-time skills • Toileting • Dressing • Teaching Leisure & Recreation Skills

50. Eating Skills Checklist (Browder, 2001) • Eating • Take food from spoon and swallow • Chew food • Choose between two food items • Express desire to eat • Feed self finger foods • Use a napkin • Use a spoon • Eat a sandwich • Pace eating (avoid stuffing mouth) • Spear with a fork • Eat without spilling