building employment skills for adults with asds using theatre techniques presenter: christina...

Building Employment Skills for Adults with ASDs Using Theatre Techniques

Presenter: Christina Whalen, PhD, BCBA-DVice President, Director, Vocational & Life Skills Academy (SARRC)

Consulting Assistant Professor (Stanford School of Medicine)

Increasing Number of Adults Needing Services (ref. Laura Grofer Klinger, UNC TEACCH)

• Autism prevalence rate in 2002 was 1 in 150

•The prevalence rate now is 1 in 88 (since 2008)

•Prevalance reports are typically on children (8 years old avg), so 8 year old children from 2002 are now 20 year old, and in 6 years, the children from 2008 will be 20 year olds

•We can expect to see a 78% increase in demand for services for adults

•About 50,000 individuals with ASDs will turn 18 this year

•ASD adults needing VR services rose 121% from 2002-2006 (Cimera & Cowan, 2009)

•Studies show 15-25% employment for people with ASDs (compared to 40-80% for other types of disabilities) (NLTS2 Study; Roux et al., 2013)•Individuals are often placed in jobs below their education level •Maintaining employment is often difficult for individuals with ASDs

Employment for ASDs

Employment & Education Post High School

National Longitudinal Transition Study 2 (NLTS2)Shattuck, Narendorf, Cooper, Sterzing, Wagner, & Taylor, 2012

• 9-year study of adolescents who were enrolled in special education with over 500 surveys completed by parents

• 35% of those with ASDs had no employment or education for the first 6 years following high school

• 50% of those with ASDs had no engagement for the first 2 years following high school

• 28% attended a community college, 12% attended a 4-year college, and 9% attended a technical or vocational program

• Individuals with ASDs were consistently less engaged than those with other disabilities & even less engagement for African-American, Hispanic, and low-income families

NLTS2 Research (cont’d)

Barriers to Employment

• Executive Function Skills• Social Skills – “The Hidden Curriculum”• Communication Skills• Functional Independence• Emotion Regulation• Anxiety/Depression• Transportation!!

• Focus on generalized employment skills:– SOCIAL SKILLS– INDEPENDENCE– Typing– Customer Service– Phone Skills– Computer Skills– Organization– Problem Solving– Conversations– Planning/Scheduling– Following Directions– Community Safety and Awareness

Middle School Years

Middle School Years

• Participate in social groups or community activities (e.g. theatre, sports, SARRC summer programs)

• Engage in career exploration – what kinds of jobs are out there• Identify strengths and limitations and focus on improving weaker

areas• Register with DDD (diagnosis before 18)

High School Years

• Focus on areas from middle school that still need work

• Learn to use transportation• Explore post-secondary education

opportunities• Develop post-high school goals and a

plan for how to get there• Get work experience (e.g. volunteer,

SARRC Community Works, intern, etc.)• Register with VR/DDD

• Provides employment services to those whose disabilities are barriers to employment

• Direct Contact with Local RSA Offices: Please call the office nearest you to set up an appointment to attend a regularly scheduled orientation session.

• When to call??– When transition services are included in high school IEP, find

out if school has TSW (Transition School to Work) contract with VR

• If YES, register ASAP• If NO, contact local VR office to register

Vocational Rehabilitation (VR)

• Services VR can provide may include:– -Post-Secondary education– -Work Exploration– -Job Training– -Job Development & Placement– -Driving Training– -Vocational Evaluation

Vocational Rehabilitation (VR)

• Contact disabilities office for support at college to set up an action plan BEFORE starting school

• Disabilities counselors can be critical to the success of a student with ASD

• Meet with admissions and department chair to ensure that it’s a good fit

• Know expectations and accommodations ahead of time

Post-Secondary Education/College

Types of Employment

• Transition Programs (Project SEARCH; Riehle, 2006) (TEACCH T-STEP)

• Supported (TEACCH)• Enclave• Internships (paid or unpaid)

(SARRC)• Independent (Train with a Job

Coach and fade to independent) (SARRC)

• Self-Employment (SARRC)

Getting Started

• Get training whenever possible (e.g. SARRC Employment Classes; certificates in area of interest)

• Get experience whenever possible (e.g. SARRC Academy of Classes, GardenWorks, CulinaryWorks programs, volunteer)

• Take care of funding (e.g. DDD or VR)• Secure a job coach

Self Employment

• Start your own business!• SARRC’s Home Baking Entrepreneur

Program– 10 week program– Class time, home visits, and “lab”

time– Must have a support person/caregiver

to assist at home and attend the classes

• Other ways to get started…– Have a business plan before you begin– Have a support/caregiver person to

assist through process

Road to Employment

Intake

Not ready

ABA Counseling Social Skills Life Skills Culinary Works Garden Works

Ready

Voc. Assessment

Employment 101

Employment 201

Job Coaching & Placement

Rising Entrepreneurs

Competitive Employment

SARRC Employment Services

• Vocational Assessment– Basic, Moderate, Comprehensive

• Job Coaching/Employment Placement• Employment Classes 101 and 201• Technology Workshops

• https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HsrPqDy8lfE

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9j-EXPEcgPE&feature=youtu.be

Employment Classes

© 2011 SARRC

SARRC’s Employment ProgramEmployment 101

• Hygiene and grooming for the workplace,

• Basic communication/ interaction in the workplace,

• Workplace relationships,• Problem solving• Attendance/punctuality,• Organization, time

management, • Frustration

tolerance/managing changes,• Basic organization.

• Basic computer skills.

• Community visits will be to various employers in the Valley to allow participants a basic knowledge of available employment.

© 2011 SARRC

SARRC’s Employment ProgramEmployment 201

• Apply for employment, • Develop/update a resume, • Complete job applications,• Interview for jobs, • Complete required

documents to begin work, • Maintain employment.

• Advanced computer skills will be taught.

• Community visits will be to employers in the Valley who have agreed to orient and interview participants in their business to allow for experience in the natural work setting.

Employment Classes

What Does Theatre Have to do with anything???

•Acting classes and role-playing can result in improved Theory of Mind skills (Goldstein & Winner, 2010)

•Participation in a musical theatre production can result in improved facial recognition and Theory of Mind (Corbett, et al., 2011)

•Graduated guidance and script fading are effective strategies for teaching pre-vocational skills (Dotto-Fojut, Reeve, Townsend, & Progar, 2011)

•Role-playing can improve play skills• Murdock & Hobbs, 2011• UCLA PEERS program (Laugeson, et al., 2012)

•Role-playing can improve social skills• UCLA PEERS program (Laugeson, et al., 2012)

The process of teaching social skillsABA vs Theatre

Rehearsal• Rehearsal

Modeling• Directing

Role-Playing• blocking

Script Fading• off-book

Perspective-Taking/Theory of Mind• acting• characterizati

on

BEHAVIOR MASTERED

- SHOWTIME!!

Using Theatre in Employment Classes

Target Skills Theatre Strategies• Conflict Resolution• Working with others• Interviews• E-mail communication• Social media• Resumes• Job searches• Job training & Career

tracks• Customer Service

• Modeling• Imitation

• Role-Playing• Script Memorization

• “Acting” Skills

VIDEOS: Theatre Games

Interview Skills: Spring, 2013

App. Attire

& Hygeine

On Time

Eye Contac

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Positive Attitude

Clear Voice

Answer Q

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ctly

Prof. C

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Prof. B

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App. Greeti

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App. Ending

Resume

Average:

0

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2

2.5

Like

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N=8 students

App. Attire

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e

On Time

Eye Contac

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Clear V

oice

Answer

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Prof. C

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Prof. B

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BaselinePost

N= 12

Interview Skills: Fall, 2013

VIDEOS: Interview Skills

CHCA KERU MAHO MAWO JEMC WIFI RYKR JESC Average0

10

20

30

40

50

60

70

BaselineMid Post

Typing Skills (WPM): Fall, 2013

• Help to facilitate relationships with employers and coworkers & set up client for independent success: – On-the-job-training and coaching– Identify barriers– Provide visual supports– Monitor placements– Facilitate independence– Support & train employers and staff– Provide follow-up and re-training as needed.

Employment Coaches

• 1: Client has recently started employment services. Still within the first two sessions. Working on identifying employment goal and potential barriers/ challenges. OR client is working on RIS goals ( before employment phase)

• 2: Client has started practicing interviewing skills. They have started their flash cards and resume.

• 3: Clients interviewing skills have improved, resume is completed, and is learning how to search and apply for jobs. Client starting to look toward employment readiness.

• 4: Client is ready for employment. Has been actively searching for a job.• 5: Has been in phase 4 for over two months. Needs to be placed immediately.

• 6: Client has been placed successfully, and has an assigned JC for first two weeks of employment/ or as needed.

• 7: Client has been placed successfully, weekly/biweekly maintenance check-ins only. Beginning to fade out JC as needed, client may return to Phase 6 if necessary.

• 8: Client Placed successfully, check in periodically with client and employer to address any concerns/ continue relationship.

Coaching Phases

Employment Coaching DataSouthwest Autism Research & Resource Center (SARRC) Client Name: ___________________________________ ___

Employment- 101 or 201 VOICE- VLSA or On Site (Circle) Reporting Period: ___________________________________

Progress Report SARRC Staff Providing Services: ________________________

PHASE: 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8

5 6 7 8

**Indicate client's progression in skill development by entering 0, 1, 2 or 3 skill levels each week in columns B-I and write brief description of services provided.

**All skills are evaluated while attending VOICE Employment Services.

**LEVEL of ATTAINMENT 0 Unattained, 1 Somewhat able to demonstrate skills, 2 Attained, 3 Exceeded

Baseline

SKILLSWEEK: 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12

Maintained a clean-cut, groomed appearance and consistently wore appropriate attire

Exhibited as having conducted appropriate hygiene

Was punctual and attended class, as well as returned from breaks on time

Demonstrated dedication to learning by participating in class Demonstrated dedication to learning by completing homework assignments on time

Followed instructions and accepted direction respectfully and willingly Communicated needs, thoughts, comments, concerns, and questions professionally

Demonstrated appropriate social etiquette at all times

Created a professional resume

Searched and applied to at least one job

Conducted a professional interview with a facilitator

Presented effectively about desired career path

Building Blocks

Resume Building

Filling out an Application

Social Rules in the Workplace

Professional Dress

Organization Hygiene Job Searches Interview Skills

Job Searches

• Identify career interests• Mind-mapping• Identify schedule conflicts and # of hours you can

work• Identify what you are most comfortable doing and

most uncomfortable doing• Search online with help of job coach and on your own

What NOT to wear! Find it!

• Items labeled or color coded • Visual markings on specific work areas• Picture directions • Written schedule of daily work activities• Timers used for breaks / lunches

Setting up for Success

Self-Management/ABAA - Antecedent B – Behavior C - Consequence

Customer/co-worker is rude to you

1. Smile, keep your comments to yourself and try to resolve the problem

2. Ask your supervisor to help the customer

3. Be rude back to the customer

1. Happy customer and supervisor

2. Happy customer and supervisor

3. Unhappy customer and supervisor; possible disciplinary action

You don’t remember or understand directions given to you

1. Ask them to repeat instructions

2. Ask them to write instructions down

3. Ask a co-worker for help4. Sit at your station and do

nothing

1. You are able to complete the project

2. You are able to complete the project

3. You are able to complete the project.

4. Unhappy supervisor: possible disciplinary action

SARRC Employment Placements

• 97 Successful Placements since 2008

2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 20130

5

10

15

20

25

30

FiredLaid offQuitOther# placed# still employed

Conclusions• More services for adults are needed• Employment programs need to be a priority• Employment readiness programs need to teach

skills that are barriers to employment that are related to core deficits (not just work skills)

• Theatre games are 1 strategy for practicing social, communication, and work skills

• More research is needed on effective programming for employment and generalization of training into work environments

Employment is Exciting!(Jeff Video)

Christina Whalen, PhD, BCBA-D

602-218-8223

cwhalen@autismcenter.org

Contact Information

www.autismcenter.org