Tag Archives: autistic spectrum disorder

Different Roads Introduces ‘Tell Me About It! Learning Language By Receptive Function, Feature & Category’ – An iPhone/iPad App

Posted on by

We’re thrilled to introduce you to our latest iPhone/iPad App for teaching language to students with Autism: Tell Me About It! Learning Language by Receptive Function, Feature & Category.

Tell Me About It! teaches the label, category, function, and features of more than 235 language targets over 6 levels of incremental difficulty with over 1000 unique testable attributes. The presentation of each language target conforms to an Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA) discrete trial program, with reinforcement provided by a token economy system. Once the user collects the given number of tokens, they are rewarded with an adorable 5-10 second animation clip of the token character. Tell Me About It! provides a self-contained discrete trial program that error corrects and provides direct reinforcement to the student while collecting and synthesizing data for up to 10 students. There is a Student Report Card in the format of a data sheet that displays data for each student, with an option to email the results.

 

 Categories

The App covers 15 categories of language targets that include: Animals, Body Parts, Clothing, Food, Household Items, Dishes, Utensils, Tools, Toys, School Supplies, Sports, Vehicles, Accessories, Furniture, and Musical Instruments.

 

 
 

Levels
The App advances from the basic building blocks of language – simple labeling – all the way through shared features across categories. The Levels presented in incremental difficulty are: Labels; Categories; Function; Feature; Randomized Feature, Function, Category; and Shared Featured, Function, Category.

 

Teacher’s Console
Teachers and parents can delve into the Teacher’s Console to control the settings for each student by turning the written labels for each language target ON/OFF, selecting a specific token character, selecting the default Level, and choosing a Reinforcement Schedule.

There is even a motion that administrators can use while a game is in progress to access the Teacher’s Menu to adjust the settings or view reports. To access the Teacher’s Bar, simply swipe 2 fingers in an upward motion from the bottom of the screen up.  

 

 

Reinforcement Schedule

The Reinforcement Schedule determines how many targets the student must answer correctly in order to complete a trial session and receive a 5-10 second animation reward.  There is an option for 3, 5, or 10 tokens and you can even select the token character you want or keep the default setting of Random.

 

 

 

 

 

Reward

Once the student obtains the set number of tokens, they are rewarded with an adorable and engaging animation clip, complete with stimulating images and sounds.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 


Reporting & Data

Tell Me About It! tracks each student’s progress and provides a report after every trial as well as a comprehensive Report Card accessible in the teacher’s console. You’ll see a + for every correct response and a – for incorrect ones. If a student hasn’t yet mastered a target, you’ll see the number of presentations in parentheses after the score. You can also email the Report Card to share data and progress.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 
 

 

Determining Mastery of Targets

This App strives to mimic an actual one-on-one instructional session with a therapist as much as is possible in an application. For this App, we determine which targets will be defined as mastered by the program in a variety of ways depending on how many times they have been presented.  When answered correctly on the very first presentation, the student receives both a token and verbal praise and that target is considered “known” or mastered and not presented again on that level.  If the answer is not correct on that first presentation, the target will be reintroduced in subsequent trials and must then be answered correctly on two different, consecutive presentations to be considered mastered. When an incorrect response is given, error correction is provided by having the correct image flash while auditory correction is also provided. The App then shuffles the placement of the images, and re-presents the same question. If the student answers correctly on this second attempt, they receive verbal praise only (no token) and then move to another question.  Note that your Data sheets will display, in parentheses, how many times each target has been presented so that you are always aware of your student’s progression and where there might be deficits.

 To Purchase


To purchase Tell Me About It! for $9.99, visit the App store in iTunes by clicking here!

 

 

 

Other Apps

We’re proud to offer two other quality Apps for developing language and cognitive skills.

What Goes Together?

This app teaches young learners early association skills, relationships, reasoning by asking them to match what items go with others.

 

 
What’s That Sound? Learning to Listen and Identify Sounds

This app develops auditory processing and listening skills. Hear a sound and touch the image of what makes that sound.

Individualized Token Economy Systems – Strategies for Teaching Students with ASD by Autism Partnership

Posted on by

Individualized Token Economy Systems

 At Autism Partnership we have found the development and implementation of individualized token economy systems to be a powerful tool in accelerating progress for our students. Token economies have been shown to be an extremely effective contingency management system for a variety of populations. Initially, Ted Allyon used token economies to provide consequences to hospitalized mentally ill residents. The procedure proved to be extremely effective and quickly token systems were utilized with other populations exhibiting challenging behavior problems, including “delinquent” adolescents (Montrose Wolf) and mentally retarded adults (Nathrin Azrin).

Today, token economies are used to address a variety of behavioral concerns including those of children with Attention Deficit Disorder and Autism Spectrum Disorder as well as typically developing children. Token economies have been so widely recognized as effective and efficient behavior management strategies to such a degree that they are routinely being employed in general education classrooms throughout the world. (Star Charts, Table Points, Marble Jar).

Tokens are symbols (e.g., points, coins, stickers, ticks or check marks, toy parts, etc), which are delivered immediately after a target response and are exchanged later for an item or activity of preference. Tokens therefore symbolize access to other preferred items or experiences, technically referred to as “generalized reinforcement”. Initially the tokens in and of themselves are not rewarding but once the student understands that tokens can be “exchanged” for preferred activities, their value is established. A daily life example of this process would be our use of money which allows us to purchase desired items or experiences. Creative systems often use motivating tokens such as pictures of favorite cartoon characters, athletes or musicians. Pictures of the target behavior can be used as the symbol as well. The tokens are clearly displayed, allowing the student to always see how many they have earned, and how many more they need to earn until reinforcement will be delivered.

This is part of a guest series by Autism Partnership founders Ron Leaf, John McEachin and Mitchell Taubmann. Established in 1994, Autism Partnership is one of the nation’s premier agencies dedicated to providing intensive behavior intervention for children with autism and their families. They offer a comprehensive program and a variety of proven services, including in-home, in-classroom and one-on-one, as well as lectures and workshops. All programs are handled by expert staff and tailored to each individual child, family and caregiver, with the goal of helping that child achieve their best life. For more information, visit www.autismpartnership.com.

Reinforcement Development – Strategies for Teaching Students with ASD by Autism Partnership

Posted on by

Reinforcement Development

 When discussing the importance of reinforcement often parents and teachers alike will comment that reinforcement doesn’t work because there is nothing that the child finds to be reinforcing.   Often this is not accurate: there are lots of potential reinforcers but they are receiving them for “free.”  That is they are not earned or technically they are not contingent.  They watch TV, play on the computer or go on an outing without them being earned.  If they were made to be contingent upon behavior they would indeed change behaviors.  Moreover, there are often many things that could be reinforcers but if the student doesn’t know how to play with, say, the toy, therefore it too is not a reinforcer. 

Identifying reinforcers often requires creativity.  By “definition” children with ASD enjoy self-stimulation.  Perhaps their self-stimulation can be used as a reinforcer.  For example, you may provide them the opportunity to line up objects, sift sand or perseverate on a topic as a reinforcer.  As another potential reinforcer you can bother them by making demands and intruding upon their space and then leaving them alone can serve as the reinforcer.

Naturally, if you were to use self-stimulation or escape as a reinforcer, you would want to use this as a means to develop other reinforcers.  For example, when engaging in self-stimulation you may associate it with music so that music eventually becomes a reinforcer.  Association can also be used with escape.  For example,  when they escape a demand,  direct them to play on the computer thereby making the computer a reinforcer.

Whether a student has established reinforcers or if truly there is nothing that is reinforcing, it is necessary to develop reinforcers.  But it takes creativity and being highly systematic!  The following are a few ideas on how to develop reinforcers:

 

  •  Sometimes reinforcement development can be as simple as exposing the child to potential reinforcers. 
  •  Giving free access to potential reinforcers can also create new reinforcers. 
  • An effective way to develop reinforcers is to associate potential reinforcers with established reinforcers.
  •  The “packaging” of the reinforcer can is another strategy to develop reinforcers.  Often you can “sell” the reinforcer by being enthusiastic and playful. 
  • Assessing what the student likes and then creating reinforcers based upon interests can create reinforcers. 

Giving students choices can be effective in the development of the reinforcement.  Simply giving a student a choice of which of two toys he would like to play with can have the effect of making the selected toy as a reinforcer. 

This is part of a guest series by Autism Partnership founders Ron Leaf, John McEachin and Mitchell Taubmann. Established in 1994, Autism Partnership is one of the nation’s premier agencies dedicated to providing intensive behavior intervention for children with autism and their families. They offer a comprehensive program and a variety of proven services, including in-home, in-classroom and one-on-one, as well as lectures and workshops. All programs are handled by expert staff and tailored to each individual child, family and caregiver, with the goal of helping that child achieve their best life. For more information, visit www.autismpartnership.com.

Reactions to the Proposed Changes in the DSM-V

Posted on by

There have been a lot of strong reactions to the proposed changes to the criteria for an Autism diagnosis in the revised DSM-V. We wanted to present some thoughts from some of the people we rely on most:

From Julie Azuma:

We’ve all known for some time that the DSM V is going to exclude some children on the spectrum as in the Asperger’s Syndrome student. Everyone has been asking what we think about it.  The article in last week’s NY Times, alarmed many of our families.

 When Different Roads started participating in the autism community back in 1995, Asperger’s Syndrome was little known.  Somewhere around the year 2002, there was an answer to so many parents who questioned the behaviors of their kids.  Michael John Corley, an advocate of adults with Asperger’s Syndrome said in the NY Times last week, and I paraphrase…”some people needed to give it a name and to understand. ”

For those parents of children who are more classically affected by autism, they will continue to get services; those without language, academic or daily living skills.  And we want them to continue to get support.

Even if Asperger’s Syndrome or PDD NOS in no longer in the DSM V, we think that the cat is out of the bag.   Awareness has already set in.  Parents will continue to advocate and fight for services, classes and programs for their children. One way or another, this will not be a setback but a new road of discovery on ways to support all of our kids.

We know our parents, and we know that they won’t give up getting whatever their children need.

 From Justin DiScalfani, Clinical Director of The Elija School

The proposed changes to the DSM-V for the Autism Spectrum Disorders would have a profound impact on those dealing with this disability. These changes would greatly reduce the rates of people diagnosed with autism. The primary question is: What will happen to those that would have received a diagnosis under the old criteria but no longer receive the diagnosis under the new criteria? The biggest concern with combining the different diagnoses from the current DSM-IV (Asperger’s, Autism, PDD ) into one category with only three different levels is that it may exclude thousands of children and adults from obtaining crucial services that are necessary for them to become functioning members of society. Policy makers and school districts will be able to use this change as an opportunity to restrict services to those in need. They may also use the proposed level system of severity to allocate more services to the more severely impaired individuals while more mildly impaired individuals may not be given adequate services. Another extremely important area of concern surrounding this change is that it may restrict insurance coverage for people with Autism that many families and advocates have worked so long and hard to reform and recently pass across the country.

Combining the diagnoses of Autism and Asperger’s may also have a negative social impact for these groups. Many children and adults have formed identities for themselves to help cope with their disabilities and to advocate for services for themselves and others around them. People diagnosed with Asperger’s will often refer to themselves as “Aspies”. People with this diagnosis have also formed social groups during which they meet others with the same diagnosis to discuss difficulties that they face and ways in which they are able to integrate into society. By combining all Autism Spectrum Disorders into one category, people such as the “Aspies” could suffer a great loss of personal identity.

Finally, another major issue with the proposed changes concerns the research that has been conducted on the etiology and treatment of these disorders over the past decades. Many studies select subjects based on their diagnosis. With the combining of the diagnoses into one large category, it will be difficult to compare any research that has been conducted in the past to research that will be conducted in the future.


Teaching Interactions – Strategies for Teaching Students with ASD by Autism Partnership

Posted on by

Teaching Interactions

 Teaching Interactions (TI’s) are another instructional format that can be invaluable in teaching children skills.  This instructional technique was developed at the University of Kansas as part of the Teaching Family Model for delinquent youth.  TI’s have several benefits as it allows for structured training of more complex, often sophisticated skills in a highly natural, interpersonal, expanded conversational format.  TI’s are designed to teach complex skills (e.g., social skills, problem solving, etc.).  They utilize shaping and reinforcement to teach a skill and rely on a task analysis format.  The teaching style is typically conversational and flexible in nature, providing the student multiple opportunities to participate in the teaching process.  Although flexible, the technique approaches teaching skills systematically, and requires planning for generalization.  Following are the 6 steps of a TI and both guidelines and considerations when utilizing this teaching technique.

 

  • Initiation & Labeling
  • Rationale
  • Demonstration
  • Practice
  • Feedback
  • Consequences

This is part of a guest series by Autism Partnership founders Ron Leaf, John McEachin and Mitchell Taubmann. Established in 1994, Autism Partnership is one of the nation’s premier agencies dedicated to providing intensive behavior intervention for children with autism and their families. They offer a comprehensive program and a variety of proven services, including in-home, in-classroom and one-on-one, as well as lectures and workshops. All programs are handled by expert staff and tailored to each individual child, family and caregiver, with the goal of helping that child achieve their best life. For more information, visit www.autismpartnership.com.

Pick of the Week: NEW! Language Builder Picture Nouns Software

Posted on by

This week, we’re so excited to introduce you to the new Language Builder Picture Nouns Software. We’re also thrilled to be the first to offer this wonderful program. For the next 2 weeks – to celebrate our worldwide exclusive on this new program – we’re offering you 15% off!

Based on the top-selling flashcards – The Language Builder – this innovative software program transforms basic flashcards into an interactive digital learning experience. The 550 Images are taken directly from the popular Language Builder Picture Nouns 1 & 2. There are 550 images presented through six different activities. The easy-to-use interface gives you the ability to select which words, word lists, or categories you want to practice.

Activities Include: Identification, Matching, Multiple Choice, Sorting Similar Images, Grouping by Category, and a Voice Recorder Function. The Word Groups include: Wild Animals, Farm Animals, Pets, Sea Life, Insects & Bugs, Foods, Clothing, Vehicles, Toys, Musical Instruments, Everyday Objects, Body Parts, Safety Signs, and Shapes & Color.

To redeem your 15% discount and be the first to purchase this great new program, simply purchase the Language Builder Picture Nouns Software and enter the Promo Code BLOGLBPS at checkout.

*Offer expires on February 7, 2012 at 11:59 pm EST. Not compatible with any other offer. Be sure there are no spaces after the Promo Code when you enter it at checkout.

Drive Me to the Sea

Posted on by

Last month, I was asked to support a viewing of a Japanese film about autism, “Drive Me to the Sea.”   I was so excited that the Japanese community was interested in autism awareness that I threw myself into promoting the film without knowing the details of the story.  I was doubtful that the film would portray autism appropriately (by my standards).  Upon viewing it, it does.  Everyone on the ASD spectrum is different but this film thoughtfully connects all of us affected by autism. The screenwriter, Kuniaki Yamashita, was a parent of a young man on the spectrum and a core advocate of people affected by ASD.

Jun, the young man with ASD, loves everything about cars and driving.  He has very limited language and independence and lives at home with his family.  There are scenes of what life is like for the family; his mother, his brother and their ties to the disability community. A young woman who knows nothing about autism gives a ride to Jun because he reminds her of someone in her past.  Jun loves everything about cars and vans, so of course, he got in the car and the adventure begins.

The film is about autism awareness, education, advocacy but more importantly acceptance; acceptance of behaviors and inclusion into the mainstream community.   The film gives the autistic person a place in our community.

Wouldn’t it be wonderful if we were able to gain acceptance for our children in the global community?  The film was a glimpse of promising possibilities.

Learning How to Learn – Strategies for Teaching Students with ASD by Autism Partnership

Posted on by

“Learning How to Learn”    

Teachers and parents are often eager to teacher children language, social and academic skills.  Clearly, these are important objectives that are essential for children’s well being.  It is generally recognized, that in order for children to be successful in learning these skills that their disruptive behaviors must not interfere in the learning processes.  Therefore behaviors such as aggression, non-compliance and self stimulation must be targeted prior to teaching more formal skills.  However, there is another critical perquisite skill that is essential in order to maximize learning success.  Acquiring “learning to learn” skills is absolutely pivotal in a child’s success.  It is really teaching children the process of learning.  It is the foundation, perhaps the pivotal skill necessary for them to acquire all other skills. Often when a child is struggling in learning beginning or even advanced skills it is often because the child is deficient in this area.  “Learning to learn skills” include some of the following skills:

    • Attending
    • Returning Reinforcers
    • Hands Still
    • Waiting
    • Responding to Instruction
    • Changing Behavior Based Upon Feedback
    • Learning From Prompts
    • Remaining Calm

 

    “Learning to learn” skills often are not directly targeted.  Typically by the time children participate in more formal instruction they have learned these behaviors.  However, the majority of children with ASD require direct teaching to understand these critical skills.  Therefore, systematic programs designed to teach these critical skills are essential.

This is part of a guest series by Autism Partnership founders Ron Leaf, John McEachin and Mitchell Taubmann. Established in 1994, Autism Partnership is one of the nation’s premier agencies dedicated to providing intensive behavior intervention for children with autism and their families. They offer a comprehensive program and a variety of proven services, including in-home, in-classroom and one-on-one, as well as lectures and workshops. All programs are handled by expert staff and tailored to each individual child, family and caregiver, with the goal of helping that child achieve their best life. For more information, visit www.autismpartnership.com.

Changes to Definition of Autism to Exclude Many Currently Diagnosed on the Spectrum

Posted on by

A new study by an expert panel appointed by the American Psychiatric Association is examining the impact that the proposed changes to the definition of Autism under the DSM-V would have both on diagnosis and on access to services. The changes would almost certainly exclude high functioning individuals. For more complete details on the findings and the ramifications, read the full article New Definition of Autism Will Exclude Many, Study Suggests in the NY Times.

This obviously raises a lot of strong emotions in our community. How do you feel about the changes? Do you think it would affect the access that your children or students would have to services?

“Cool” versus “Not Cool” – Strategies for Teaching Students with ASD by Autism Partnership

Posted on by

“Cool” versus “Not Cool”

Children understanding appropriate versus inappropriate behaviors and correct versus incorrect responses are a fundamental aspect of intervention.  When children can recognize these distinctions it can help change their performance.  And when it can be taught in a fun way it can help motivate children them not only to acquire the information but to use it in their everyday life.

This discrimination can be used to teach a variety of concepts.  We have used it to successfully teach children to reduce self-stimulation and acting out behaviors.  Children have also learned pro social behaviors such as personal boundaries, recognizing when they are boring peers and empathy through this strategy.  Voice modulation and even articulation have improved through “cool/not cool”. 

There is nothing magic in the words “cool” or “not cool”!  Use words that are appropriate for age, level of understanding or that are common used among peers.  For example, you could use “good idea” vs. “not such a good idea” or “great” vs. “not so great”.  Instead of words teachers could use thumbs up vs. thumbs down or a smiley face vs. a sad face.

This is part of a guest series by Autism Partnership founders Ron Leaf, John McEachin and Mitchell Taubmann. Established in 1994, Autism Partnership is one of the nation’s premier agencies dedicated to providing intensive behavior intervention for children with autism and their families. They offer a comprehensive program and a variety of proven services, including in-home, in-classroom and one-on-one, as well as lectures and workshops. All programs are handled by expert staff and tailored to each individual child, family and caregiver, with the goal of helping that child achieve their best life. For more information, visit www.autismpartnership.com.