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TBA Monday Afternoon Session |
Monday, May 28, 2012 |
12:00 PM–2:00 PM |
Exhibit Hall 4AB (Convention Center) |
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1. Training Public School Teachers to Utilize Applied Behavior AnalysisTechniques in the Classroom in Order to Provide Effective Educational Services to Children With Autism |
Area: TBA; Domain: Service Delivery |
CHIARA M. CUNNINGHAM (Marcus Autism Center), Dana Zavatkay (Marcus Autism Center) |
Abstract: While there are other model classroom programs for children with autism utilizing applied behavior analysis (ABA), the Marcus Autism Center Model Classrooms (MAC-MC) offer a sustainable solution for behavior analysts and schools attempting to develop and maintain these programs. Many model classrooms are housed either in clinics or private schools, are staffed with full-time "therapists", have high student: staff ratios typical of clinical settings, and are reliant on extensive and expensive consultation from certified behavior analysts. The MAC-MC utilize the "train-the-trainer" model within public schools training public school staff to not only implement ABA teaching procedures and collect data, but also to analyze data to make teaching decisions, assess skills, and develop appropriate individualized programs for students. The staff development goal for MAC-MC is to significantly increase the capacity of teachers ensuring that after 3 years of decreasing levels of consultation they are able to implement procedures, develop programs, and problem solve, providing increasingly better educational services to students. These teachers are then able to provide training and consultation throughout their school system lessening their reliance on outside consultation. MAC-MC training model will be outlined and data will be presented showing training efficacy for staff at different levels of consultation. |
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2. Evaluation of the OASIS Distance Training Program for Parents of Children with Autism in Geographically Remote Areas |
Area: TBA; Domain: Applied Research |
JOSEPH FURMAN BUZHARDT (Juniper Gardens Children's Project), Linda S. Heitzman-Powell (University of Kansas Medical Center), Emily McCarty (University of Kansas Medical Center), Elizabeth C. Rusinko (Summit Behavioral Services), Emily Collins (University of Kansas), Jessica M. Barr Corkill (University of Kansas Medical Center), Jaye Russell (University of Kansas Medical Center) |
Abstract: Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA) is the recommended evidence-based treatment for individuals diagnosed with autism. Training parents to implement ABA interventions can result in positive and sustainable outcomes for their children. However, limitations imposed by geographical location prohibit many families from accessing ABA treatment for their children, or being effectively trained to implement it themselves. The Online and Applied System for Intervention Skills (OASIS) Training Program removes geographical location as a barrier to effective ABA training. The program combines interactive web-based tutorials and assessments with live coaching sessions in which trainees practice ABA techniques with their children while receiving feedback from an experienced coach at a distant site via video-conferencing technology. The effectiveness of the OASIS program was evaluated across families with young children diagnosed with an Autism Spectrum Disorder within 12 months of participation living in remote areas of Kansas. An assessment battery was administered to parents and their children prior to starting the training, and again after completion of the training. Evaluation data include parent outcomes on pre- to posttest skill mastery and knowledge assessments, and intra-training skill mastery and knowledge assessments. Parents demonstrated significant pre- to posttest gains in knowledge and ABA implementation with their children. We will discuss some of the challenges in implementing distance training with this population, and factors that appear to be linked to successful outcomes. The implications of disseminating effective distance ABA training for families of children diagnosed with autism or other developmental disabilities in remote areas will also be discussed. |
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4. Comparing the Effects of Multiple and Single Exemplar"Say All Fast Minute Every Day Shuffle" on Generalization to a Written Quiz |
Area: TBA; Domain: Applied Research |
Neal Miller (The Ohio State University), JOSHUA GARNER (The Ohio State University), Eliseo Jimenez (The Ohio State University), Nancy A. Neef (The Ohio State University) |
Abstract: One strategy used by college students to learn the definitions of new concepts is a flashcard activity known as SAFMEDS (Say All Fast Minute Every Day Shuffle). Previous research has suggested that this way of teaching concepts may sometimes lead to limited generalization, but that this issue may be mitigated by the use of multiple examples of the concept definitions (Meindl, Ivy, Miller, & Neef, in press). In the current study, graduate students enrolled in an introductory course on single subject design were asked to practice saying the names of the 10 different terms on flashcards while looking at the definitions. Half of these terms had two different definitions on the flashcards, and the other half had only a single definition on the flashcards. After students reached a specified level of fluency (20 correct in 45 seconds), they were given a brief written quiz. The effect of the flashcard format on generalization differed across participants, with some performing better with a single example, and others with multiple examples. The results call into question the utility of using multiple examples of definitions in flashcard activities. |
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5. Self-Reports of Mastery Across Behavorial Analyst Certification BoardCompetencies: Areas of Strength and Learning Opportunities |
Area: TBA; Domain: Applied Research |
DEIRDRE LEE FITZGERALD (Saint Joseph College), John D. Molteni (Saint Joseph College) |
Abstract: Graduate students in the last course of a behavior analysis certification preparation course sequence rated BACB 3rd Edition competencies as unknown, partial mastery , or full mastery on a three point Likert-scale. Data show individual patterns of mastery and need, as well as areas of common challenge in the behavioral curriculum. Potential uses as a pre and posttest within a course or a program of study, as well as uses as a tool for individual student skill development will be described. Considerations about relative difficulty of behavioral terms and concepts are raised and suggestions for teaching these concepts are detailed. |
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6. CANCELED: Training Teachers to Complete a Multiple-Stimulus-Without-Replacement Preference Assessment With Individuals With Developmental Disabilities |
Area: TBA; Domain: Service Delivery |
ELISEO JIMENEZ (The Ohio State University), Helen Irene Malone (The Ohio State University), Linsey M. Sabielny (The Ohio State University), Christopher A. Tullis (The Ohio State University) |
Abstract: Multiple-stimulus-without-replacement (MSWO) preference assessment is one type of assessment teachers can utilize to identify preferred and effective reinforcers for use during instruction with individuals with developmental disabilities. Previous research has shown that single session training is able to produce mastery level performance in staff members (Roscoe & Fisher, 2008). In the current study, teachers were trained using a single session training format in an AB design and evaluated to determine if teachers could be taught to conduct an MSWO preference assessment with a high level of procedural integrity with students with severe to profound intellectual and developmental disabilities. After the teachers demonstrated mastery levels of performance with trainers, they were assessed with students in their classroom. Follow-up data were collected to measure teacher performance one and three months after training. We hypothesized teachers would be able to conduct, and maintain over time, a high degree of procedural integrity with MSWO preference assessments following a single session training with students with severe to profound intellectual and developmental disabilities. |
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7. Tapping the Natural Environment to Promote Graphing Skills |
Area: TBA; Domain: Applied Research |
NICOLE M. DAVIS (Simmons College), Amanda N. Kelly (SEEM Collaborative, Massachusetts), Rebecca A. Markovits (Simmons College) |
Abstract: One of the roles of a Board Certified Behavior Analyst (BCBA) is to supervise or mentor students who are in the process of obtaining their certification. An important area to develop in these students is the ability to accurately portray their data in a visual display. Behavior analysts use experimental designs as a way to determine the effectiveness of their interventions and graphs as a way to represent these data. Students should be able to identify and create a variety of graphs that evaluate the effectiveness of their procedures using such experimental designs as reversal, multiple baseline, changing criterion, and alternating treatments. To ensure the development of these skills it is essential to use a variety of techniques to promote generalization such as multiple exemplars, training loosely, and using common relevant stimuli from the students daily life. |
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8. Primary School Teachers' Knowledge of and Attitude Toward Applied Behavior Analysis |
Area: TBA; Domain: Applied Research |
PATRICIA CAROLAN (ABACAS Special School), Claire E. McDowell (University of Ulster at Coleraine) |
Abstract: This research examined teachers knowledge & attitudes to Applied Behaviour Analysis (ABA) in the Republic of Ireland (ROI). Understanding the knowledge & attitudes of teachers is an important prerequisite to raising the profile of ABA in Ireland. This research was divided into two phases. Participants in Phase 1 (N = 158) were tested using a questionnaire, on their knowledge and attitudes towards ABA. Assessment of the group revealed a low understanding, and a neutral attitude towards the subject. Phase 1 also tested for between-group differences in participants who trained pre & post the new Primary School Curriculum (1999), in an endeavor to discover whether the new curriculum had lead to an improved awareness of ABA. Results showed some between-group differences. Teachers who trained after the introduction of the new curriculum had a marginally greater knowledge base of ABA. Attitude measures for both groups were similar with no conclusive negative or positive results recorded. In Phase 2 participants (N =11) completed 4 hours of workshop training on ABA and afterwards were re-administered the original questionnaire from the Phase 1. Results showed that training, tailored specifically to the needs and interests of primary school teachers led to an improvement in both knowledge of, & attitudes towards ABA. |
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9. Teaching Behavior Analysis in a Service Dog Training Program |
Area: TBA; Domain: Service Delivery |
ANNE M. FOREMAN (National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health), Lindsay Parenti (National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health), B. Jean Meade (West Virginia University), Matthew E. Wilson (West Virginia University), Joseph R. Scotti (West Virginia University), Oliver Wirth (National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health) |
Abstract: Well-trained service dogs can significantly improve the quality of life for individuals with disabilities. Since 2006, West Virginia University has offered several undergraduate courses in service dog training. These courses are the result of collaboration between the University and a non-profit organization, The Human-Animal Bond, Inc. The basic course consists of lectures and laboratory (dog training) sessions. Students are introduced to basic behavioral concepts, including shaping, reinforcement, punishment, and stimulus control. Each student is tasked with training the skills needed to assist individuals with disabilities. The popularity of this course led to the creation of two additional courses: an intermediate training course and a course in which students teach dog-training techniques to adolescents at a local psychiatric hospital. The courses provide an opportunity to teach behavior analytic principles to a diverse group of students from various academic majors. The value of the courses to the greater community is evident in the placement of trained dogs with individuals with disabilities and the use of the dogs in Returning Our Veterans to Employment and Reintegration (ROVER), a research collaboration between the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health and West Virginia University. |
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10. The Impact of Systematic Training to Conduct Experimental Analyses on the Quality of Functional Behavior Assessments in Iowa |
Area: TBA; Domain: Service Delivery |
JOHN F. LEE (University of Iowa), Michael Scheib (University of Iowa), Jessica Emily Schwartz (University of Iowa), Brenda J. Bassingthwaite (University of Iowa Children's Hospital), David P. Wacker (University of Iowa) |
Abstract: Functional behavior assessments (FBAs) and behavior intervention plans (BIPs) for students whose behavior interferes with learning are required components of an individualized education program as outlined in The Individuals with Disabilities Education Improvement Act of 2004 (PL 108-446). FBAs and BIPs are intended to promote a free and appropriate education by addressing interfering behavior. Area Education Agency (AEA) members in Iowa serve as behavior consultants by assisting school teams in the development of FBAs/BIPs. Currently AEAs do not have a uniform tool to evaluate the quality of the FBAs/BIPs. We evaluated AEA-submitted FBAs/BIPs using a rubric developed by behavior specialists at The Center for Disabilities and Development as part of the Challenging Behavior Service (CBS) funded by the Iowa Department of Education. The rubric rates FBA/BIP components, including, Is the function of the problem behavior identified in the FBA addressed in the BIP? This poster provides descriptive information on the impact of our CBS training program (see table), which focuses on teaching AEA personnel to conduct experimental analyses of problem behavior, on the quality of their FBAs/BIPs by comparing the differences between FBA/BIP rubric scores submitted during Year 1 and Year 2 of their participation in the training program. |
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12. The Effects of CABAS Training Package on the Acquisition of Effective Teaching Practices |
Area: TBA; Domain: Applied Research |
Jessica Adele VanDerhoef (Columbia University), COLLEEN CUMISKEY (Teachers College, Columbia University), Emilia Clancy (Teachers College, Columbia University) |
Abstract: We tested the effects of the Comprehensive Application of Behavior Analysis to Schooling or CABAS Training package on the acquisition of effective teaching practices in one adult. A district-employed teacher, who did not have in CABAS training repertoire, participated in the experiment. The dependent variables were the accuracy of delivered learn units, the accuracy of graphic decisions, and the accuracy of the rates of approvals and disapprovals. The independent variable consisted of the CABAS Training package which included formal instruction in the learn unit, formal instruction in the decision analysis protocol, and formal instruction in the uses of approvals and disapprovals. A single-subject delayed multiple probe design across behaviors was used, where probe sessions were conducted prior to the start of each intervention and following each of the instruction conditions. The results thus far showed that the participant mastered the delivery of accurate learn units, mastery of the decision analysis protocol, and mastery over tacting approvals and disapprovals. |
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