Débora Regina de Paula Nunes

Enhancing the Alternative and Augmentative Communication Use of a Child with Autism through a Parent‐implemented Naturalistic Intervention

The effects of a parent‐implemented naturalistic intervention on the communication skills of a 4‐year‐old boy with autism using an alternative and augmentative communication (AAC) system were investigated. The child’s mother was taught to use 4 naturalistic teaching strategies that incorporated a picture communication system during 2 typical home routines. Generalisation probes to assess the caregiver’s use of the intervention techniques and generalisation of the child’s communication outcomes were conducted in 2 similar interactions. A multiple baseline design was used to evaluate the effects of the intervention. Data indicated an increase in the use of 2 caregiver–teaching strategies across two routines following treatment. No consistent changes were observed in the use of the other caregiver strategies across the routines. An increase in the child’s frequency of initiations and responses and the use of the communication system also were observed.

Inclusão educacional de pessoas com Autismo no Brasil: uma revisão da literatura

Brazilian legislation mandates that all children with disabilities have access to general education, including those with autism spectrum disorders (ASD). While the benefits of mainstreamed education have been described in numerous studies, the topic remains controversial, particularly regarding the competence of general schools in addressing the needs of students with ASD. The purpose of this article is to describe what studies published between 2008 and 2013 have revealed about the educational inclusion of people with ASD in Brazil. The results indicate that the access of these students to regular classrooms increased after the popularization of the inclusion paradigm. In spite of this fact, investigations suggest that school personnel have scarce knowledge concerning the syndrome and the educational strategies applied in schools may entail little effect on the learning process of these students.

Teoria, pesquisa e prática em Educação: a formação do professor-pesquisador

The objective of this article is to point out factors that contribute to the dissociation between educational theory and practice, and to present the strategies for their reunification. The text deals with the devastating effect of this conceptual rift, which gives rise to an endless dilemma involving researchers, teachers, and educational managers. In such scenario, because of the lack of a communication channel between Science and current pedagogical practices, the results of this study reveal: a) the existence of feelings of threat to the credibility of Education as a profession; b) the possibility of scientists inadvertently outlining conceptual models distanced from the reality of the classrooms; and c) the risk that those responsible for public policies begin to defend educational practices that turn out to be ineffective in our days. Therefore, the article shows guidelines for the reunification of the concepts of educational theory and practice, emphasizing: a) the professional education of the teacher-researcher; b) the participation of the researcher in the school daily life; and c) the collaborative work between the academic researcher and the teacher in the classroom. Lastly, the work presents two North American educational programs that succeeded in associating academic research to school practice, using as their support a developmentalist model of work.

Comunicação alternativa e ampliada para educandos com autismo: considerações metodológicas

ABSTRACT: The methodological characteristics of fifty-six studies published between 1980 and 2007 involvingthe use of augmentative and alternative communication (AAC) by individuals with autism spectrum disorder(ASD) were analyzed. Eighteen investigations implemented sign language or manual signs, twenty-six usedpicture-based systems, nine employed voice output devices and three worked with hybrid systems, combiningtwo or more AAC modalities. This review focused on identifying the best practices implemented by interventionprograms for individuals with ASD, considering measures of internal, external and social validity. Apredominance of experimental and quasi-experimental single subject research designs were identified, whereasa limited number of studies employed group designs. Most worked with a reduced number of participants,which were mainly selected in incidental manners. Half of the investigations clearly revealed generalizationmeasures to other behaviors and environments, as well as the sustainability of the results post intervention. A

Interações comunicativas entre uma professora e um aluno com autismo na escola comum: uma proposta de intervenção

Os aspectos polemicos que envolvem o processo de inclusao de educandos com autismo nas salas de aula comuns tem suscitado debates amplos nas ultimas decadas. Um dos principais desafios apontados por professores para realizar esse tipo de inclusao sao os prejuizos na comunicacao, tipicamente evidenciados por alunos com esse diagnostico. Desse modo, torna-se imperativo o desenvolvimento de programas de intervencao focados no desenvolvimento das habilidades comunicativas desses alunos. Tendo isso em vista, o objetivo do presente estudo foi avaliar os efeitos de um programa de intervencao nas interacoes comunicativas, no contexto da sala de aula comum, entre um aluno nao falante de 10 anos, com diagnostico de autismo, e sua professora. Os dados foram coletados em uma escola de Ensino Fundamental, localizada na cidade de Natal (RN). No programa de intervencao, a professora foi capacitada a empregar estrategias do ensino naturalistico e recursos da comunicacao alternativa ampliada para aumentar a frequencia de interacoes com o aluno durante tres rotinas da sala de aula. Com base em um delineamento de pesquisa quase experimental do tipo A-B (linha de base e tratamento) foram identificadas mudancas qualitativas e quantitativas nas interacoes professora-aluno, logo apos a implementacao do programa de intervencao. Limitacoes do estudo sao apresentadas e discutidas a partir dos dados observacionais e registros das interacoes entre a diade.

Mesclando práticas em Comunicação Alternativa: caso de uma criança com autismo

A literatura cientifica evidencia os efeitos promissores do uso da Comunicacao Alternativa e Ampliada (CAA) por educandos com autismo. Entre os recursos utilizados da CAA por essa populacao destacam-se o Picture ExchangeCommunication System (Pecs) e as estrategias derivadas do Aided ModelingIntervention (AMI). O objetivo do presente estudo consistiu em avaliar a eficacia de uma adaptacao do protocolo Pecs e das estrategias do AMI ao desenvolvimento da comunicacao de uma crianca autista de cinco anos, tendo-se uma professora como agente de intervencao. Os dados foram coletados durante atendimento pedagogico realizado em uma clinica. No programa de intervencao a professora foi capacitada a usar o Pecs associado a estrategias do AMI para aumentar a frequencia de interacoes com o aluno no decorrer das atividades pedagogicas. Um delineamento quase experimental registrou aumento na frequencia de iniciativas de interacao do aluno com a utilizacao dos pictogramas e com mudancas no estilo de interacao da professora.Communication impairments, typically observed in individuals with autism, may be minimized by the use of Augmentative and Alternative Communication (AAC). The Picture Exchange Communication System (PECS) and Aided Modeling Intervention (AMI) are AAC protocols typically used with this population. The aim of this study was to evaluate the effectiveness of adapting PECS for a preschooler with autism, having his teacher as an intervention agent. Data were collected during individualized teaching sessions, conducted at a private clinic. The teacher was taught to implement the PECS protocol, associated with AMI Strategies to increase the frequency of interactions with the student during educational activities. A quasi-experimental design revealed increase in the student ́s communication turns using the pictograms and changes in the teacher ́s communication style.

Merging practices in Alternative Communication: An autism case study

A literatura cientifica evidencia os efeitos promissores do uso da Comunicacao Alternativa e Ampliada (CAA) por educandos com autismo. Entre os recursos utilizados da CAA por essa populacao destacam-se o Picture ExchangeCommunication System (Pecs) e as estrategias derivadas do Aided ModelingIntervention (AMI). O objetivo do presente estudo consistiu em avaliar a eficacia de uma adaptacao do protocolo Pecs e das estrategias do AMI ao desenvolvimento da comunicacao de uma crianca autista de cinco anos, tendo-se uma professora como agente de intervencao. Os dados foram coletados durante atendimento pedagogico realizado em uma clinica. No programa de intervencao a professora foi capacitada a usar o Pecs associado a estrategias do AMI para aumentar a frequencia de interacoes com o aluno no decorrer das atividades pedagogicas. Um delineamento quase experimental registrou aumento na frequencia de iniciativas de interacao do aluno com a utilizacao dos pictogramas e com mudancas no estilo de interacao da professora.Communication impairments, typically observed in individuals with autism, may be minimized by the use of Augmentative and Alternative Communication (AAC). The Picture Exchange Communication System (PECS) and Aided Modeling Intervention (AMI) are AAC protocols typically used with this population. The aim of this study was to evaluate the effectiveness of adapting PECS for a preschooler with autism, having his teacher as an intervention agent. Data were collected during individualized teaching sessions, conducted at a private clinic. The teacher was taught to implement the PECS protocol, associated with AMI Strategies to increase the frequency of interactions with the student during educational activities. A quasi-experimental design revealed increase in the student ́s communication turns using the pictograms and changes in the teacher ́s communication style.

Mezclando prácticas en Comunicación Alternativa: caso de un niño con autismo

A literatura cientifica evidencia os efeitos promissores do uso da Comunicacao Alternativa e Ampliada (CAA) por educandos com autismo. Entre os recursos utilizados da CAA por essa populacao destacam-se o Picture ExchangeCommunication System (Pecs) e as estrategias derivadas do Aided ModelingIntervention (AMI). O objetivo do presente estudo consistiu em avaliar a eficacia de uma adaptacao do protocolo Pecs e das estrategias do AMI ao desenvolvimento da comunicacao de uma crianca autista de cinco anos, tendo-se uma professora como agente de intervencao. Os dados foram coletados durante atendimento pedagogico realizado em uma clinica. No programa de intervencao a professora foi capacitada a usar o Pecs associado a estrategias do AMI para aumentar a frequencia de interacoes com o aluno no decorrer das atividades pedagogicas. Um delineamento quase experimental registrou aumento na frequencia de iniciativas de interacao do aluno com a utilizacao dos pictogramas e com mudancas no estilo de interacao da professora.Communication impairments, typically observed in individuals with autism, may be minimized by the use of Augmentative and Alternative Communication (AAC). The Picture Exchange Communication System (PECS) and Aided Modeling Intervention (AMI) are AAC protocols typically used with this population. The aim of this study was to evaluate the effectiveness of adapting PECS for a preschooler with autism, having his teacher as an intervention agent. Data were collected during individualized teaching sessions, conducted at a private clinic. The teacher was taught to implement the PECS protocol, associated with AMI Strategies to increase the frequency of interactions with the student during educational activities. A quasi-experimental design revealed increase in the student ́s communication turns using the pictograms and changes in the teacher ́s communication style.