Autism and Teaching based on Applied Behavior Analysis

Extensive research has shown that children with autism do not readily learn from typical environments. They can, however, learn from instruction based on the principles of Applied Behavioral Analysis (ABA) and Skinner’s Analysis of Verbal Behavior (VB). ABA is the science of Applied Behavior Analysis, which provides a structure for studying human behaviors, what causes them, and how to make them increase or decrease. It also provides a basic structure for teaching new skills.

Interventions based on Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA) improve outcomes in children with autism. The 1999 Surgeon General’s Report on Mental Health in comments regarding autism treatment states: “Thirty years of research demonstrated the efficacy of applied behavioral methods in reducing inappropriate behavior and in increasing communication, learning, and appropriate social behavior.” 1

Published data supports the use of ABA for children with autism 2,3,4,5,6,7 and multi-disciplinary reports have reached conclusions similar to the Surgeon General’s report. 8,9 The estimates from cost-benefit analysis estimate overall savings from improved outcomes to be $1,600,000 to $2,800,000 per child for Early Intensive Behavioral Intervention (EIBI). 10

The teaching procedures include: shaping, prompting, fading, chaining, and differential reinforcement. VERY simple explanations of these procedures, borrowed from the training manual used by the Mariposa School in Cary, NC, are provided below:

Shaping—A process of gradually modifying the child’s existing behavior into what we want it to be by adjusting the requirements before reinforcement is given. For example, if a child is beginning to learn to say words, he may simply be asked to touch an item before receiving it. Later, we may require the beginning sound, then a syllable, and eventually the entire word.

Prompting—Assistance given by the teacher to promote correct responding. One of the primary differences between most traditional ABA programs and the VB model is the use VB model’s use of “errorless learning” in contrast to the “no, no, prompt” procedures in traditional ABA models. Prompts range in intrusiveness from physical guidance to demonstration, verbal cues, visual cues, and pointing. We should always try to use the least intrusive prompt that will cause the behavior to occur. For example, when initially teaching a child to “touch” a given object or picture, you may need to actually move his hand to the object at the beginning.

Fading—This is a critical part of teaching children to NOT become dependent on prompts. Any prompts used are gradually removed (“faded”) as the child becomes successful until he can respond correctly with no prompts. To use the above example, if we wanted to teach a child to touch a ball we may start by physically moving his hand to the ball, and then provide less physical guidance by just touching his elbow, then pointing at the ball, etc., until the child is able to successfully touch the ball when told to. (Most typical children would not require this many prompts to learn to “touch” an object.)

Chaining—Basically this means that skills are broken down into their smallest units and are taught in small units that are “chained” together. Forward or backward chaining are both techniques that are frequently used in teaching a new skill. An example of forward chaining may be to teach a child to say a sentence one word at a time. (Say “I”, Say “I love”, say “I love you!”) If we taught the same sentence using backward chaining we would teach it from the end first: (Say “you”, say, “love you”, Say, “I love you”.)

Differential Reinforcement—Reinforcement is perhaps the most important part of teaching. It involves providing a response to a child’s behavior that will most likely increase that behavior. The term “differential” refers to the way we vary the level of reinforcement depending on the child’s response. “Hard” tasks may be reinforced heavily whereas “easy” tasks may be reinforced less heavily. We must systematically change our reinforcement so that the child eventually will respond appropriately under natural schedules of reinforcement (occasional) with natural types of reinforcers (social).

Discrete Trial Teaching is ONE technique used in both traditional ABA and Verbal Behavior programs. The technique involves:

a) breaking a skill into smaller parts
b) Teaching one sub-skill at a time until it is mastered
c) Providing concentrated teaching
d) Providing prompting and prompt-fading as necessary
e) Using reinforcement procedures

Each teaching session involves repeated trials, with each trial having a distinct beginning (the instruction), a behavior (child’s response) and a Consequence (reinforcement or prompt- fade prompt).

In order to result in educational benefit, the instruction must:

-be designed and regularly updated by consultants with extensive training and experience in the ABA/VB principles and their application to children with autism.

-be administered by teachers and teaching assistants (paraeducators) trained in these programs and teaching procedures by these consultants. The teaching procedures and programming must be regularly shaped and modified by the consultants in order to accommodate a student’s instructional/program needs as new skills are acquired.

-involve programs across the verbal operants and other skills in both discrete trial learning (DTL) and natural environment teaching (NET) and involve large numbers of trials per day/week.

School districts in several states have implemented ABA based teaching in cost-effective and educationally beneficial programs.

These include the he Pennsylvania Verbal Behavior Project (PA VB Project) and the Brick Township (NJ):

“In 2002-2003, two classrooms in the Wilkes-Barre area became the first model ABA/VB classrooms in the State of PA through an $80,000 grant from the Pennsylvania Department of Education (PDE). These two classrooms were patterned after the Verbal Behavior classrooms set up by Tom Caffrey in Brick, New Jersey. Fran Warkomski, Ph.D., BCBA, was the Director of the Bureau of Special Education in PA at the time and shared [the] vision to increase quality ABA programming within public schools. In 2003-2004, the Project was expanded to twelve model site classrooms again through a grant given to SAFE from the PDE. The Project was a huge success. Lynette Weaver, Coordinator of Special Education for the West Shore School District, on February 3, 2004 wrote, ‘To say the Verbal
Behavior Project far exceeded my expectations would be an understatement. In thirty two years of working in the field of special education and in being involved in many initiatives, the Verbal Behavior Project should stand as a model for all future endeavors. The model more then quadrupled in 2004-2005, when 57 model classrooms were accepted into the Project. Each model site receives:
1) training from National ABA/VB experts;

2) materials such as Language Builder Cards, video cameras and DI materials; and

3) on-site weekly guided practice from SAFE consultants.

"An interesting side note is that 1/3 of the 30 SAFE VB consultants are professionals who are also parents of children on the Autism Spectrum. For more information about the PAVB Project, contact Debi Namey, SAFE Administrator of the PA VB Project, at 1-877-510-SAFE, option 1 or check www.pavbsafe.org, www.autismsafe.org or www.pattan.k12.pa.us.’

“Because a typical classroom is unable to meet the diverse needs of students with
autism, Brick Township, under the direction of Vincent J. Carbone, Ed.D, created a model Verbal Behavior kindergarten classroom that is appropriate, interesting, and
provides the daily structure that children with autism require to be successful
learners. The early childhood classroom was designed to allow instruction to
focus on developing communication, social interaction, and adaptive behavior
skills.

“Brick Township began with one early childhood model classroom in 2001. In the 2002-03 school year, seven additional Verbal Behavior classrooms at the Pre-K and Elementary level were implemented throughout the district. By the fall of
2003, Brick Township schools will have a total of 13 model classrooms. By
2004, it is anticipated that there will be complete special education implementation throughout the district whereby children with other types of developmental disabilities will benefit from the same high level of teacher training. The success of this program has resulted in many more children successfully transitioning into the less restrictive environment (LRE) of their home schools instead of private out-of-district placements.”11

For more information see: http://www.verbalbehaviornetwork.com



References:
1. Satcher, D. (1999). Mental health: A report of the surgeon general. U.S. Public Health Service. Bethesda, MD. Available at: http://www.surgeongeneral.gov/library/mentalhealth/chapter3/sec6.html#autism

2. Fenske, E.C., Zalenski, S., Krantz, P.J., & McClannahan, L.E. (1985). Age at intervention and treatment outcome for autistic children in a comprehensive intervention program. Analysis and Intervention in Developmental Disabilities, 5, 49-58

3. Lovaas, O.I. (1987). Behavioral treatment and normal educational and intellectual functioning in young autistic children. Journal of Consulting and Clinical Psychology. 55, 3-9.

4. McEachin, J.J., Smith, T., & Lovaas, O.I. (1993). Long-term outcome for children with autism who received early intensive behavioral treatment. American Journal on Mental Retardation. 97, 359-372.

5. Sallows, G.O., & Graupner, T.D. (1999). Replicating Lovaas’ Treatment and Findings: Preliminary Results. Paper presented at the first internet conference on autism: http://www.autism99.org/flash/papers_front.htm.

6. Eikeseth, E., Smith, T., Jahr E., Eldevik, S. (2002)Intensive behavioral treatment at school for 4- to 7-year-old children with autism. A 1-year comparison controlled study.Behav Modif. Jan;26(1):49-68.

7. Howard JS, Sparkman CR, Cohen HG, Green G, Stanislaw H. (2005) A comparison of intensive behavior analytic and eclectic treatments for young children with autism.Res Dev Disabil. Jul-Aug;26(4):359-83.

8. Maine Administrators of Services for Children with Disabilities (2000). Report of the MADSEC Autism Task Force, Revised Edition.. Kennebec Centre, RR 2 Box 1856, Manchester, ME 04351, http://www.madsec.org/docs/atf.htm

9. New York State Department of Health Early Intervention Program (1999). Clinical Practice Guideline: Report of the Recommendations, Autism/Pervasive Developmental Disorders, Assessment and Intervention for Young Children. Publication #4215. Health Education Services, P.O. Box 7126, Albany, NY 12224. http://www.health.state.ny.us/nysdoh/eip/menu.htm

10. Jacobson, J.W., Mulick, J.A. & Green, G (1998). Cost-benefit estimates for Early Intensive Behavioral Intervention for Young Children with Autism – General Model and Single State Case. Behavioral Interventions. 13, 201-226.

11. Parents Of Autistic Children Teacher Training Model, http://www.verbalbehaviornetwork.com/Model%20Classroom/VBNTeacherTrainingModel.pdf