Understanding and nurturing the communicative competence in learners with significant disabilities

philip d schweigert

Webinar series part 3: Promoting progress and the transition to early

symbolic communication using Tangible Symbol Systems©

Professional Development in Autism and Low Incidence (PD-ALI) Project, University of Idaho Center on

Disabilities & Human Development November 2015

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Describe any differences between levels II and III

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“When a child has not progressed we have not taught

well enough”Naomi Zigman

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Intervention Record Glossary

(see page 11-35 First Things First)

Assessment

Assessment of Skills. Indicate if you are conducting an assessment to determine the learner’s communicative behaviors and intents in the home and or school environment.

Assessment of Preferences. Indicate if you are investigating what is motivating to the learner at this time. Often times this is an ongoing part of instruction.

Symbol Type Probe. Not Applicable

Assessment of Environment. Indicate if you are conducting an analysis of the child’s environment to determine existing and new supports to learning.

Teaching Routine: (cues, responses and consequences)

Materials/Vocabulary. List the specific materials used in this activity to teach or practice the target skills.

Array size. Indicate the number of objects presented at one time

Distractors. If appropriate, describe whether the objects other than the desired one in the array are nothing (unknown), non-preferred or equally preferred items.

Instructional Format. Describe the manner in which objects are presented to the learner (e.g. to his left, randomly, with contrasting backgrounds, one at a time, etc.). Describe how the learning opportunity is to be provided (e.g. Direct Instruction or Environmental Engineering; duration and manner of interaction before pausing, alternating treatment reinforcement first then no reinforcement phase etc).

Scanning. Describe any assistance provided as needed to insure that the learner is aware of what is available.

Teaching routine (cont’d)Instructional Cues. Describe what the teacher does to elicit

a response from the learner.Targeted Behavior. Describe how the learner is to respond.

This may include any mechanical adaptation Time/Latency. Indicate the amount of time to be allowed the

learner to respond.Level of Assistance. Describe any physical assistance,

model/demonstration, or other assistance that is being provided to the learner to make his response.

Protest/Reject. Describe the behavior or absence of behavior, used by the learner to reject choices or further engagement with current activity.

Consequence. Describe the manner in which the partner responds when the learner makes a correct and, (if possible/appropriate), an incorrect response.

Environment

Setting. Describe the context in which the learning opportunity is being targeted.

Partner. List the person(s) with whom the learner will be interacting in the target activity.

Position. Describe any unique positioning considerations that will be made to enable the learner to respond. This may include partner’s position in relation to the learner.

Levels V-VIIGOALS

Learner demonstrates 1:1 correspondence between symbol and referent to make choices, or to request

Learner demonstrates 1:1 correspondence between symbol and referent to request objects not present

Learner will gain the attention of a receiver and use symbol to make request for desired item/activity

(see also suggestions for promoting progress )

Identical Object

Partial or Associated Object

One or Two Shared Features

Artificial Association

Photographs -Self Explanatory-

Line Drawings -Self Explanatory-

RaisinsBolt

ShoeBicycleCar/OutEating

Pretzel

MulticoloredVinylTherapy Ball

Work Table

Cafeteria

A few raisins glued to a piece of cardboard A bolt is shrink-wrapped onto cardboard backing

ShoelaceHandle GripCar KeySpoon

Thermoform of pretzel (shares shape & size with referentWood block covered with multicolored vinyl

Shares texture and color with referent; for blind individuals only one feature <texture> is shared

Ribbed rubber mat is attached to table: a small piece of the mat serves as the symbolWooden apple shape is attached to cafeteria door: a similar shape serves as the symbol

LEVELS OF REFERENT SYMBOLREPRESENTATION

Types of Tangible Symbols

“Tangible” Means…

Physically Tangible

•Permanent

Conceptually Tangible- to the INDIVIDUALUSER (eye of the beholder)

Tangible Symbols InstructionKey Elements

#15

Readiness

Motivation

Indicating Response

Comprehension

Promoting Progress

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http:/www.osepideasthatwork.org/toolkit/

Groups Based on Type of Symbol Acquired

Group I: no symbols acquired (n = 6)

Group II: tangible symbols acquired (n = 25)

Group III: tangible and abstract symbols acquired (n = 10)

Contingency table showing relationship between communication skills pre-intervention and symbol acquisition at end of intervention

Communication MatrixLevel pre-intervention

Group I(no symbols)

Group II(tangible symbols) Group III

(tangible symbols+ abstract symbols)3-D only 2-D

Level I(Pre-intentional behavior)

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Level II(Intentional behavior)

5 6 4

Level III(Pre-symbolicnonconventionalcommunication)

3 9 5

Level IV (Pre-symbolic conventionalcommunication)

1 4

Level V(Concrete/tangiblesymbols)

1 1 1

Level VI(Single abstractsymbols)

Level VII(Combinations of 2-3abstract symbols)

picture recognitionSome studies have suggested that children first develop the

ability to

– Recognize (point and label) picture– Then interpret them (get information about

their world from them– Finally learn that pictures can be used to

represent specific reality (using them for symbolic communication)

It may be possible to teach someone to use a more abstract symbol through repeated practice

but the task is far easier if the learner understands the

representation inherent in the symbol

ComprehensionWhen the child indicates a symbol he should also be

asked to show indicate what the symbol means (1:1 correspondence)

When the data clearly indicates that the child understands what the symbol stands for then it may be no longer necessary to require the comprehension check

Pros: You know. You don’t have to guess.

Assuming that a student understands symbols when he doesn’t isn’t doing him any favors.

As long as you make this faulty assumption, you are depriving the student of appropriate communication instruction.

You may also be teaching the student that it doesn’t make any difference what symbols he indicates

A comprehension checkprovides an objective measure upon which to

base your decisions.

gives sound documentation of your efforts to tailor a communication system to the individual user (and can be used to explain to parents and professionals why you made the decision you did)

Documentation is always good

Cons of a comprehension check

The comprehension check delays the provision of the natural reinforcement for communicating

The comprehension check is one more thing to keep track of and take data on.

The comprehension check may show you that the student doesn’t understand his symbols. Everyone was happier when they assumed that he did!

Promoting ProgressHow do you help the child to keep learning?Expand vocabularyIncrease size of symbol arrayGeneralize the use of symbols to other situations

and with other peopleTeach new functionsMulti-symbol utterancesPortabilityChange symbol type

Expand Vocabulary

• Variety of topics• Variety of places to 

communicate• Variety of people to 

communicate with 

Array size

• Expanding the number of symbols presented at one time– increases the 

individual’s control – Increases the 

likelihood  he will want to communicate

Generalize the use of symbols to other situations and with other people

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Functions of Communication

• Labeling/commenting• Social/greetings

Portability

• Increased access• Decreased 

dependency on someone else to initiate communication

Form of communication

• From concrete to more abstract and conventional such as; – Sign – Printed word – speech

Symbol Acquisition Across All Students

41 Children participated in project

35/41 Acquired Tangible Symbols

18/35 Advanced from one level of symbolic representation to a more abstract level of symbolic representation

11/18 Advanced beyond Tangible Symbols to acquire abstract symbols

4/11 Began to use speech as primary expressive mode

9 of the 41 children in the project demonstrated autism spectrum disorders

8/9 acquired Tangible Symbols

5/8 advanced beyond Tangible Symbols to include abstract symbols in vocabulary 2/5 were using speech as primary expressive mode at last contact

Symbol Acquisition by Children with Autism

Fast mappingAs the learner begins to acquire vocabulary at a

certain level of symbolic representation new vocabulary may be learned at a faster rate

Moving the learner to a more abstract level too soon rather than allowing them to develop a meaningful vocabulary at the current level may preclude this fast mapping

Case Studies

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