Supporting Students Supporting Students With Autism Through With Autism Through

Community-Based Community-Based InstructionInstruction

Presented by:Presented by:Todd Harris, Ph. D. & Cathleen M. Albertson, MA, BCBATodd Harris, Ph. D. & Cathleen M. Albertson, MA, BCBA

Devereux CARESDevereux CARES

Overview of PresentationOverview of Presentation Introduction to CBIIntroduction to CBI Objectives of CBIObjectives of CBI Pre-CBI Assessment Pre-CBI Assessment Implementation of CBIImplementation of CBI Ongoing Evaluation and ModificationsOngoing Evaluation and Modifications Community-Based Employment TrainingCommunity-Based Employment Training Service LearningService Learning

What is CBI? What is CBI? It’s an educational process that provides It’s an educational process that provides

planned and highly structured learning planned and highly structured learning opportunities beyond an individual’s opportunities beyond an individual’s classroom, immediate work environment, classroom, immediate work environment, and home.and home.

Focuses on those skills that will allow the Focuses on those skills that will allow the student to be as independent as possible, student to be as independent as possible, particularly for adulthoodparticularly for adulthood

Primary Goal of CBIPrimary Goal of CBI

To teach skills that will lead to greater To teach skills that will lead to greater independence and a higher quality of life for independence and a higher quality of life for each student by enabling them to successfully each student by enabling them to successfully participate in community trips with their participate in community trips with their family and friends. family and friends.

General Objectives of CBIGeneral Objectives of CBI Teach general and specific skills that will lead to Teach general and specific skills that will lead to

greater independence in community settings (e.g., greater independence in community settings (e.g., waiting in line at the grocery store, ordering from waiting in line at the grocery store, ordering from a menu, etc.) a menu, etc.)

Generalize other IEP objectives to community Generalize other IEP objectives to community settings (such as social skills, communication, and settings (such as social skills, communication, and so on)so on)

Establish or maintain appropriate behavior in new Establish or maintain appropriate behavior in new (and usually less structured) settings(and usually less structured) settings

Increase an individual’s interactions with Increase an individual’s interactions with typically-developing peerstypically-developing peers

Who Should Participate in CBI?Who Should Participate in CBI?

At what age should CBI begin?At what age should CBI begin?

Who Should Participate in CBI?Who Should Participate in CBI?

Any individual with community skills that Any individual with community skills that are not at the level of same-age peersare not at the level of same-age peers

Any individual that exhibits challenging Any individual that exhibits challenging behaviors in community settingsbehaviors in community settings

Any individual that needs structured Any individual that needs structured employment trainingemployment training

Domain Areas Related to CBIDomain Areas Related to CBI Social SkillsSocial Skills Communication SkillsCommunication Skills Leisure/Recreation SkillsLeisure/Recreation Skills Shopping/PurchasingShopping/Purchasing Accessing Services (e.g., restaurants, post Accessing Services (e.g., restaurants, post

office, library, etc.)office, library, etc.) Travel & SafetyTravel & Safety EmploymentEmployment

Setting Up and Implementing Setting Up and Implementing CBICBI

Pre-CBI Pre-CBI AssessmentAssessment

Implementation of Implementation of CBICBI

Ongoing Ongoing Evaluation & Evaluation & ModificationModification

Pre-CBI AssessmentPre-CBI Assessment Gain information regarding present skills and Gain information regarding present skills and

behavioral issues from family/caregivers and all behavioral issues from family/caregivers and all team members team members

Ask the family to identify settings and situations Ask the family to identify settings and situations that they would like to visit but do not or cannot that they would like to visit but do not or cannot presently presently

Identify which pivotal skills (i.e., skills needed Identify which pivotal skills (i.e., skills needed across settings) are not yet acquired (e.g., across settings) are not yet acquired (e.g., communication, social, academics or functional communication, social, academics or functional academics, employment).academics, employment).

Once settings are identified, conduct “ecological Once settings are identified, conduct “ecological assessments”assessments”

Excerpt from Family CBI SurveyExcerpt from Family CBI Survey

Fast FoodFast Food How Often Do you Go?How Often Do you Go? (e.g., daily, weekly, monthly)(e.g., daily, weekly, monthly)

Priorities for InstructionPriorities for Instruction (e.g., ordering food, waiting (e.g., ordering food, waiting for food, paying, trying new for food, paying, trying new foods, etc)foods, etc)

1.1.

2.2.

3.3.

Table Service Table Service How Often Do you Go?How Often Do you Go? (e.g., daily, weekly, monthly)(e.g., daily, weekly, monthly)

Priorities for InstructionPriorities for Instruction (e.g., ordering food, waiting (e.g., ordering food, waiting for food, paying, trying new for food, paying, trying new foods, etc)foods, etc)

1.1.

2.2.

3.3.

Excerpt from Family CBI SurveyExcerpt from Family CBI Survey CONVENIENCE STORES:CONVENIENCE STORES: What convenience store do you shop at What convenience store do you shop at most most

frequentlyfrequently (circle one): (circle one): WawaWawa 7-11 7-11 Turkey Hill Turkey Hill LEISURE ACTIVITIES: LEISURE ACTIVITIES: What leisure activities What leisure activities

does your child currently participate in? Examples does your child currently participate in? Examples include visiting parks, shopping malls, sports, include visiting parks, shopping malls, sports, swimming, movies, etc. swimming, movies, etc.

What leisure activities would you like your child to What leisure activities would you like your child to learn? learn?

Let’s look at the Let’s look at the CARES Skills ChecklistCARES Skills Checklist

Pre-CBI AssessmentPre-CBI Assessment Person-Centered Future’s PlanningPerson-Centered Future’s Planning

A process for identifying the individual’s A process for identifying the individual’s hopes/dreams, clarifying the vision for the future, hopes/dreams, clarifying the vision for the future, identifying the steps to reach life goals by including identifying the steps to reach life goals by including community supports. (At CARES we typically start this community supports. (At CARES we typically start this at age 14)at age 14)

Meetings include the student, family members, friends, Meetings include the student, family members, friends, school personnel, and other agency contactsschool personnel, and other agency contacts

The following is also discussed:The following is also discussed: Preferences related to activities (recreational and work), people, Preferences related to activities (recreational and work), people,

sensory input, and community environmentssensory input, and community environments A description of strengths and needs, particularly related to social A description of strengths and needs, particularly related to social

skills, communication, and behavioral challengesskills, communication, and behavioral challenges Needed supports to ensure success (staffing, medical/physical, Needed supports to ensure success (staffing, medical/physical,

behavioral, and visual aids)behavioral, and visual aids) The end result is an action plan for the next yearThe end result is an action plan for the next year This process should be repeated annuallyThis process should be repeated annually

Pre-CBI AssessmentPre-CBI Assessment Ecological Assessment – a process for surveying Ecological Assessment – a process for surveying

current and future environments to determine what current and future environments to determine what specific skills are needed in those settingsspecific skills are needed in those settings

Once these settings are identified, visit to assess needed Once these settings are identified, visit to assess needed skills and possible environmental challengesskills and possible environmental challenges

Situational Assessment: important to allow student to Situational Assessment: important to allow student to experience community settings. Compare student’s experience community settings. Compare student’s performance to typically-developing peer and perform performance to typically-developing peer and perform discrepancy analysis. discrepancy analysis.

Ecological Inventory ExcerptEcological Inventory Excerpt When visiting a setting, you may want to observe When visiting a setting, you may want to observe

some of the following:some of the following: General accessibility of the setting. What orientation General accessibility of the setting. What orientation

and mobility skills are required?and mobility skills are required? General safety considerationsGeneral safety considerations Special equipment or clothing necessary (e.g., uniform)?Special equipment or clothing necessary (e.g., uniform)? What types of communication and social skills are What types of communication and social skills are

required? required? Natural cues or reinforcers available? Natural cues or reinforcers available? Owner’s or manager’s response to using site for Owner’s or manager’s response to using site for

instruction? instruction?

Implementation of CBIImplementation of CBI Determine if you need to give information to staff Determine if you need to give information to staff

working in the settings that you are visitingworking in the settings that you are visiting Determine what resources are needed (transportation, Determine what resources are needed (transportation,

staffing, money, supervision)staffing, money, supervision) Determine if instruction will occur individually or in a Determine if instruction will occur individually or in a

groupgroup Select instructional strategySelect instructional strategy

Many tasks required in community settings have many steps Many tasks required in community settings have many steps (e.g., making a purchase, ordering food at McDonald’s), (e.g., making a purchase, ordering food at McDonald’s), therefore chaining procedures are often usedtherefore chaining procedures are often used

Forward ChainingForward Chaining Backward ChainingBackward Chaining Total-task PresentationTotal-task Presentation

Implementation of CBIImplementation of CBI Determine prompt strategy: Often necessary to Determine prompt strategy: Often necessary to

deliver prompts because many students with autism deliver prompts because many students with autism do not attend to cues in the natural environment to do not attend to cues in the natural environment to initiate a task independently or to complete a taskinitiate a task independently or to complete a task

Determine if additional reinforcement procedures will Determine if additional reinforcement procedures will be necessary: CBI itself is a highly preferred and be necessary: CBI itself is a highly preferred and motivational activity for many students. motivational activity for many students. If necessary to use additional reinforcement procedures If necessary to use additional reinforcement procedures

strive for as naturalistic as possible so as not to call undue strive for as naturalistic as possible so as not to call undue attention to student. attention to student.

Implementation of CBIImplementation of CBI Generalization and MaintenanceGeneralization and Maintenance

Many students do not generalize skills from school Many students do not generalize skills from school and home to community settings unless directly and home to community settings unless directly taught to do sotaught to do so

Variety of methodsVariety of methods General-case instruction may have the best General-case instruction may have the best

generalization outcomesgeneralization outcomes Identify generalization conditionsIdentify generalization conditions Identify variations of the relevant stimuli and responsesIdentify variations of the relevant stimuli and responses Teach individual to respond under all conditionsTeach individual to respond under all conditions

Example: Washing HandsExample: Washing Hands

Example: Washing HandsExample: Washing Hands

Example: Washing HandsExample: Washing Hands

Working Together As A TeamWorking Together As A Team To enhance skill acquisition and generalization, To enhance skill acquisition and generalization,

it is important that professionals and families it is important that professionals and families work together to provide continuity in work together to provide continuity in community settingscommunity settings

Two- way information can be shared via:Two- way information can be shared via: Team meetingsTeam meetings Sharing lesson plan summaries and intervention Sharing lesson plan summaries and intervention

strategies and materialsstrategies and materials Meeting in the communityMeeting in the community

Visual Supports to Enhance Visual Supports to Enhance IndependenceIndependence

We all use visual supports everydayWe all use visual supports everyday Daytimers and calendarsDaytimers and calendars Post-it notes/to-do listsPost-it notes/to-do lists MenusMenus Written instructions/signsWritten instructions/signs Strategic placement of materialsStrategic placement of materials Tables and graphsTables and graphs

Many individuals with autism are visual learnersMany individuals with autism are visual learners

Categories of VisualsCategories of Visuals SchedulesSchedules Learning tasks and/or routinesLearning tasks and/or routines Reward systemsReward systems CommunicationCommunication Social skillsSocial skills

Individual Mini-SchedulesIndividual Mini-Schedules

Reward SystemsReward Systems

Reward MenuReward Menu

Let’s look at some videoLet’s look at some video

Ongoing Evaluation & ModificationsOngoing Evaluation & Modifications

Develop data systems that are efficient and Develop data systems that are efficient and reliablereliable

Organize data so that ongoing progress can Organize data so that ongoing progress can be assessed – however, should be non-be assessed – however, should be non-obtrusiveobtrusive

Use data and other information sources to Use data and other information sources to make decisions about progress and needed make decisions about progress and needed modificationsmodifications

Social validity Social validity

Service LearningService Learning A volunteer experience which encourages A volunteer experience which encourages

participation in organized activities for the good participation in organized activities for the good of the community. It integrates education, of the community. It integrates education, character, personal growth, skills, and the character, personal growth, skills, and the development of socially acceptable attitudes and development of socially acceptable attitudes and values focusing on citizenship and civic values focusing on citizenship and civic responsibility.responsibility.

It is a cycle of action and reflection.It is a cycle of action and reflection.

Service LearningService Learning Students with autism can make meaningful Students with autism can make meaningful

contributions to their local communities. contributions to their local communities. These students can help educate community These students can help educate community

members about autism and the capabilities of members about autism and the capabilities of students with autism.students with autism.

While participating in service learning activities, While participating in service learning activities, they are able to work on their IEP objectives in they are able to work on their IEP objectives in functional and “real-life” situationsfunctional and “real-life” situations

How will Students Specifically How will Students Specifically Benefit?Benefit?

By working on…By working on… Social and Communication SkillsSocial and Communication Skills Problem Solving SkillsProblem Solving Skills Academics and Functional AcademicsAcademics and Functional Academics Community SkillsCommunity Skills Employment SkillsEmployment Skills Motor SkillsMotor Skills

Through enhancement of their own self-esteem, sense Through enhancement of their own self-esteem, sense of social responsibility, and concern for othersof social responsibility, and concern for others

The Process of Service LearningThe Process of Service Learning

1 – Self-assessment1 – Self-assessment2 – Community assessment2 – Community assessment3 – Choose an issue3 – Choose an issue4 – Conduct research4 – Conduct research5 – Create a plan5 – Create a plan6 - Implementation6 - Implementation7 – Celebration7 – Celebration8 – Evaluation/Reflection8 – Evaluation/Reflection

Examples of Service LearningExamples of Service Learning RecyclingRecycling Thrift storeThrift store Supporting the troopsSupporting the troops One warm coatOne warm coat Canned food driveCanned food drive Balloonacy – St Judes Balloonacy – St Judes SPCASPCA

Presents From The Troops!Presents From The Troops!

Community-Based EmploymentCommunity-Based EmploymentTrainingTraining

Ongoing assessment of Ongoing assessment of general strengths and needsgeneral strengths and needs Target Target specificspecific employment employment

skillsskills Continue working on critical Continue working on critical

global skills (e.g., global skills (e.g., communication, social, communication, social, hygiene, behavioral)hygiene, behavioral)

Student preferences and Student preferences and happinesshappiness

Situational assessments and Situational assessments and time studiestime studies

Employment ExplorationEmployment Exploration Community-Based Community-Based

Employment ExperiencesEmployment Experiences

Training SitesTraining Sites Job CarvingJob Carving Customized EmploymentCustomized Employment Individual Work Sites with Individual Work Sites with

SupportSupport Competitive EmploymentCompetitive Employment

Community-Based EmploymentCommunity-Based EmploymentTrainingTraining

12 to 15 Years 12 to 15 Years Increase learning time in the communityIncrease learning time in the community Provide opportunities to engage in Service Learning Provide opportunities to engage in Service Learning

activities within neighborhood/communityactivities within neighborhood/community Begin/continue adolescent and employment Begin/continue adolescent and employment

assessments, and person-centered futures planningassessments, and person-centered futures planning May be a shift toward increased chores/work tasks May be a shift toward increased chores/work tasks

within school environmentswithin school environments Begin rotation through community-based employment Begin rotation through community-based employment

training sitestraining sites Continue to help family plan for post-21 transitionContinue to help family plan for post-21 transition

Community-Based Employment Community-Based Employment TrainingTraining

16 to 17 Years 16 to 17 Years Continue with previous activitiesContinue with previous activities Increase time in employment training sitesIncrease time in employment training sites Begin to develop work portfolioBegin to develop work portfolio

18 to 21 Years18 to 21 Years Begin placement at individual site based upon Begin placement at individual site based upon

results of various assessments and proximity to results of various assessments and proximity to homehome

Finalize plans for post-21 transitionFinalize plans for post-21 transition

Let’s look at some videoLet’s look at some video

Thanks For Listening!Thanks For Listening!