Welcome to Functional Curriculum: Week 7

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

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?

Cue(opportunity to respond)

Response/Behavior

Consequence Pause

FR Environment provides a natural cue

Student does each

step needed to complete the activity

Student gets natural

outcome of activity

Student focuses on

next routine

EX Student’s bus arrives and

door opens.

Other students

get off bus

S gets off bus, goes in the correct direction,

enters building, goes to

class, puts away

materials

Student is now inside with

other students and has inviting activities to do. Teacher offers

praise

Student transitions

to next routine

Cue(opportunity to respond)

Response/

Behavior

Consequence Pause

DTT T provides instructional

cue (prompting

may be needed)

Student Responds

Teacher praises and give child a

positive reinforcer

There is a pause

EX 1. Student indicates interest in

chips2. Teacher

says “Give me a car”

Student gives car to teacher

Teacher praises student and

gives student a chip

Student eats chip and teacher

waits a few seconds

before next cue

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2afb4i7LMJc

Cue(opportunity to respond)

Response/Behavior

Consequence Pause

PRT

1. S indicates interest

2. Teacher withholds access to desired

item/activity

Student Responds

S gets desired item

There is a pause

EX 1. Student reaches for

car.2. Teacher

withholds and says,

“Car”

Student imitates the word car.

Teacher gives student access to

car

Student plays with car

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

“Want to Know(s)”

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)

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 studentsProvide direct assessments to determine if

student understands words, pictures, symbols, etc.

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.

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)

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

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.

Conduct person-centered ecological assessment on communication

Team approach- teacher, SLP, parentsConsider contextual-fitConsider: 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

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.

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.

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.

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;

Greetings & Farewells Age-appropriate vocabulary, mannerisms May not necessarily need a Speech Generated Device

(SGD)

Asking for Attention/HelpComments of Approval & RejectionSocial 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

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)

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

Communication System

Combination of all of the techniques used by an individual student

Unaided Communication

• Teachers need to be attuned to how student communicates

• Understand what various gestures, vocalization, and other techniques mean

Gesture DictionaryWhat John

DoesWhat it means

How to Respond

Runs to the door

“I want a drink of water”

Let him go for a drink of water from the water fountain or set a timer for when he can go

Grabs another student’s arm

“I like you”

Explain the meaning to John’s classmate & help them work together

When is unaided communication appropriate?• Used when students have

no other way to get their messages across

• Must be socially acceptable & intelligible

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?

When to teach signs

• Poor prognosis for speech

• Signing partners available

• Physically able

• Adequate cognitive skills

• A portable communication system is desirable

Aided Communication

• Low-Tech/Non-electronic: symbols, and communication displays

• Hi-Tech/Electronic: Speech-generating devices

• Advantages/ Disadvantages of both?

Symbols for Communication

• Real Object Symbols

• Photographs & Pictures

• Line Drawing Symbols

• Textured Symbols

• Letters & Words

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

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

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.

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?

Using Symbols to Promote Participation/Conversation• Calendar/Schedule

Systems• Choice Displays• Remnant (e.g. Movie

ticket, scraps from activities) Displays

• Conversation Displays

Hi-Tech: Speech Generating Devices• Devices “talk” when a

student touches a symbol on the device

• What are advantages/ disadvantages??

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

Supporting AAC learners is a collaborative effort

– Family/caregivers & friends– Present & future employers– Teachers (SPED & Gen Ed.)– Speech/language specialists– Physical & occupational

therapists– Student

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.

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

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

What do we choose to teach?

Consider:

• What to communicate about

• Activities/environments used in

• People communicate with

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

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

Teaching Functional SkillsTeaching Personal Care Skills

Importance, Relation between Personal Care & Self-Determination, Tactics for teaching, Self-management

Eating/Meal-time skillsToiletingDressing

Teaching Leisure & Recreation Skills

Eating Skills Checklist (Browder, 2001)Eating

Take food from spoon and swallowChew foodChoose between two food itemsExpress desire to eatFeed self finger foodsUse a napkinUse a spoonEat a sandwichPace eating (avoid stuffing mouth)Spear with a forkEat without spilling

Drinking skills checklistSwallow from a cup held by someoneChoose between two drinksHold own glass to drinkDrink from a soda canDrink from a mugDrink from a water fountainDrink through a straw

Dressing/Undressing ChecklistChoose between two clothing optionsSelect outfit for the dayChoose accessories for personal styleMove arms and lift legs to help in dressingCommunicate when help is needed in dressingPull down pants in restroomTake of clothing (shoes, socks, jacket, shirt,

pants, etc.)Get dressed (button, snap, zip, velcro)

Washing hands or face checklistAsk for help with washing hands or faceChoose between two types of soapDetermine whether water is comfortable

temperatureParticipate in washing: moving hands to

water, move face on cloth.Grasp/release paper towel in trashWash own hands when toldInitiate washing hands and face

Other groomingAsk for help with combing/styling hairComb/style own hairCare for nailsUse makeupLeave restroom groomed for public:

Clothing straightZippers & fasteners closedHair neatHands washedFace cleanMake up on neatly

Toileting: Designing bowel/bladder management plansAsk:

Will the student work towards using toilet based on internal cues?

Will student use toilet on a specific time schedule?Will student use: incontinence products (pull-ups);

catheterization, other?Initiation

Student will take care of needs without prompting?Prompted ?Ask for help?Prompted to ask for help?Adult will initiate toileting?

Using toilet or alternative methods?Perform all steps independently?Prompted with goal of independence?Interactive; student will perform some steps

without prompts?Interactive; student will be prompted to

perform some steps?

Accident managementStudent will manage? Prompted to manage?

Perform some steps? Adult provide all cleanup?