Teaching Advanced Manding Skills to Children with Autism Spectrum Disorder Using Systematic Instruction, Speech-Generating Devices, and Skinner’s Analysis of Verbal Behaviour

<p>Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) is characterized by marked impairments in social and communication skills, as well as restricted and/or repetitive patterns of behaviour or interests. Approximately 25-30% of children with ASD do not develop speech. As a result they may require augmentative and alternative communication (AAC) interventions. However, most interventions discussed in our present body of research focuses on basic communication skills like requesting. As such, it is important to investigate systematic teaching strategies for more complex requesting (i.e., manding) skills like requesting actions or requesting information. This research aims to extend previous manding literature by investigating effective methods for teaching advanced manding skills to children with ASD who communicate using an SGD. Three empirical intervention studies that a presented in this thesis evaluated the use of behaviour chain interruption strategy (BCIS) and systematic teaching procedures based on the principals of applied behaviour analysis (ABA), to teach advanced manding skills (i.e., manding for actions, manding for “where” questions, and persistence of “where questions”) for individuals with ASD who use speech-generating devices (SGD). Single-case research methodology was used via variations of the multiple baseline design (i.e., multiple probe multiple baseline design across participants and multiple probe multiple baseline across participants and behaviour chains) to evaluate the effectiveness of the interventions. A total of three participants (2 boys and 1 girl, ages 13, 10, and 5) participated in the interventions that were designed to teach the targeted mand. Results of each study yielded positive results, in that each participant acquired the targeted skill. Generalisation (i.e., across stimuli, over time, and across communication partners) results were mixed, however with additional teaching with the use of systematic instruction they were also acquired. Although these results are preliminary, they indicated that advanced manding skills should be taught to children with ASD who communicate using SGDs and can be acquired with the use of systematic instruction.</p>

Teaching Advanced Manding Skills to Children with Autism Spectrum Disorder Using Systematic Instruction, Speech-Generating Devices, and Skinner’s Analysis of Verbal Behaviour

<p>Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) is characterized by marked impairments in social and communication skills, as well as restricted and/or repetitive patterns of behaviour or interests. Approximately 25-30% of children with ASD do not develop speech. As a result they may require augmentative and alternative communication (AAC) interventions. However, most interventions discussed in our present body of research focuses on basic communication skills like requesting. As such, it is important to investigate systematic teaching strategies for more complex requesting (i.e., manding) skills like requesting actions or requesting information. This research aims to extend previous manding literature by investigating effective methods for teaching advanced manding skills to children with ASD who communicate using an SGD. Three empirical intervention studies that a presented in this thesis evaluated the use of behaviour chain interruption strategy (BCIS) and systematic teaching procedures based on the principals of applied behaviour analysis (ABA), to teach advanced manding skills (i.e., manding for actions, manding for “where” questions, and persistence of “where questions”) for individuals with ASD who use speech-generating devices (SGD). Single-case research methodology was used via variations of the multiple baseline design (i.e., multiple probe multiple baseline design across participants and multiple probe multiple baseline across participants and behaviour chains) to evaluate the effectiveness of the interventions. A total of three participants (2 boys and 1 girl, ages 13, 10, and 5) participated in the interventions that were designed to teach the targeted mand. Results of each study yielded positive results, in that each participant acquired the targeted skill. Generalisation (i.e., across stimuli, over time, and across communication partners) results were mixed, however with additional teaching with the use of systematic instruction they were also acquired. Although these results are preliminary, they indicated that advanced manding skills should be taught to children with ASD who communicate using SGDs and can be acquired with the use of systematic instruction.</p>

Effectiveness of Video Modeling in Teaching Computer Skills to Students with Intellectual Disabilities

The purpose of this study is to determine whether video modeling is effective in teaching computer skills to students with intellectual disabilities. The study was designed with the multiple probe design across subjects, one of the single-subject research designs. The study was conducted with three female students with intellectual disabilities, who were 17&ndash;19 years old. Graphical analysis was used to analyze the data. The results show that video modeling was effective for them to acquire and retain skills for preparing a r&eacute;sum&eacute;, printing it out, and emailing it. However, the students had difficulties generalizing some of the skills on different computers and printers. It can be said that the reason for this originates from different designs of technological tools. In line with this, it is thought that removing the accessibility barrier in technological equipment will increase availability. The video modeling motivated students to learn computer skills. The participants reported that they could use these skills to do homework, apply for a job, and communicate with friends.

Behavioral Self-Regulation: A Comparison of Goals and Self-Monitoring for High School Students With Disabilities

High school students, particularly those with disabilities, often struggle with academic engagement in general education classes. One empirically supported method for improving academic engagement includes self-regulation interventions. However, individual effects of frequently used self-regulation strategies’ goal setting and self-monitoring remain unknown. To address this issue, we implemented a multiple-probe single-case design with embedded alternating treatments to evaluate the differential impact of behavioral goal reminders and self-monitoring. The sample included three high school students with emotional or behavioral disorders (EBD) in general education classes who also received special education services. Innovative approaches to intervention design included student-determined behavioral goals and self-monitoring procedures informed by triangulated behavioral assessment data. Although visual analysis indicated only moderate improvements in academic engagement, and no functional relations were determined for either the multiple-probe or alternating treatments designs, the intervention was rated with high social validity from teachers and students, and the study represents an exemplar of high-quality special education single-case research. Practical implications, limitations, and directions for future research are discussed.

Using Interactive Mobile Applications to Teach Reading Skills to Female Students with Hearing Impairments

The purpose of the study was to investigate the use of mobile applications to teach word reading to three students with hearing impairments aged 9-12. Instruction was conducted using four mobile applications (Chalkboard, Expeditions, Phonto, and Words Seller) that combined interactive multimedia features such as text, images, videos, and interactive content. A multiple probe design was used to evaluate the effectiveness of the applications in teaching reading skills. Results indicated that the use of these mobile applications was effective on the acquisition of the reading skills. Results also showed that all students performed at or above criterion on maintenance probe sessions. Additionally, students were able to generalize the acquired reading skills to read new words. Implications for practice and suggestions for future research are discussed. Keywords: Hearing impairments, interactive multimedia, mobile applications, reading skills, multiple probe design

The Effects of a CRA-I Intervention on Students’ Number Sense and Understanding of Addition

As students develop understanding and fluency in single-digit operations such as addition, they develop sophisticated strategies and number sense (magnitude, number order, and composition). Deficits in number sense and reliance on inefficient approaches can lead to struggle in mathematics. Intervention research in this area reported effects on students’ automaticity. Research reported observational data regarding strategy-use, but not growth in number sense and understanding of operations. This study investigated the effects of an intervention using the concrete-representational-abstract-integrated (CRA-I) sequence. The purpose of this study was to assess the effects of CRA-I on students’ number knowledge (magnitude, place value, and flexibility in strategy-use) and understanding of addition (commutative property and relation to subtraction). The researchers used a multiple probe across participants design. In addition, the researchers collected descriptive data on students’ automaticity. There was a functional relation between CRA-I and students’ number sense and understanding of addition, and students’ automaticity increased.

Building Professionals’ Capacity: The Cascading Coaching Model

The importance of family engagement in their children’s education and treatment is emphasized by researchers, professional organizations, and legislatures. Providing services with caregivers via telepractice has gained more support and is becoming especially timely due to the current pandemic and social distancing requirements. Professionals, such as board-certified behavior analysts (BCBAs), who work with caregivers with children with disabilities may benefit from receiving professional development on strategies for building better rapport with caregivers and coaching them to bring about maximum clinical efficacy. The current pilot study replicated an earlier study by Meadan et al. to examine the effects of the Coaching Caregiver Professional Development (CoCarePD) intervention package, in which BCBAs received training and coaching from researchers via telepractice, on their caregiver coaching practices. A single-case, multiple-probe design study across three BCBAs was conducted, and findings support a functional relation between the CoCarePD and BCBAs’ use of coaching practices.

Preparing Job Coaches to Implement Systematic Instructional Strategies to Teach Vocational Tasks

Job coaches are not typically trained to implement systematic instructional strategies to teach vocational skills to students with intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD). This study replicated and expanded the evaluation of a job coach behavioral skills training program designed by Brock et al. (2016) to teach participants to implement task analysis, simultaneous prompting, and system of least prompts to teach vocational tasks to students with IDD. We used a multiple probe design with probe conditions across strategies, replicated across three participants, to assess acquisition and generalization. Participants demonstrated mastery of the three instructional strategies in simulated assessments with actors and generalized use of the strategies to teach novel vocational tasks to student interns with IDD. Implications for future research and practice are discussed.

Function-Based Self-Advocacy Training for Students With or at Risk for Emotional and Behavioral Disorders in General Education Settings

This study evaluated the effects of a function-based self-advocacy (FBSA) intervention, which provided systematic and explicit instruction to three students with or at risk for emotional and behavioral disorders on how to self-advocate their needs in regard to behavioral support based on the function of their behavior. We used a single-case, multiple-probe across-participants design and measured participants’ problem behaviors and replacement behaviors to determine the intervention effects. Results showed a functional relation between FBSA and reduction of problem behaviors. There also was an increase in replacement behaviors upon implementation of the FBSA training. In addition, a descriptive analysis of students’ ability to complete steps to self-advocate needs indicated an increase in the number of responses emitted or steps completed across both intervention and generalization settings.