G. Richmond Mancil

Using Opportunities to Respond in a General Education Classroom: A Case Study

In this study researchers examined a teachers use of opportunities to respond in a 5th grade general education classroom setting. Using an ABA single subject design, the effects of a choral responding procedure and increased rate of delivering questions with an elementary aged student identified as at-risk for emotional or behavior disorders were examined. Results indicated that when the teacher increased the rates of opportunities to respond, the students on-task behavior and correct responses increased, while the students disruptive behavior decreased. A discussion of limitations and future research directions is included.

Differentiated Effects of Paper and Computer-Assisted Social Stories[TM] on Inappropriate Behavior in Children With Autism.

Despite evidence from previous studies that support using Social Stories™ for problem behaviors, research conducted with more rigorous controls is needed to examine whether or not Social Stories constitute an evidence-based practice.This study employed an ABABCBC single-subject design comparing a Social Story presented in two formats across three elementary-age students with autism. Interpretation of the results documents a decrease in the frequency of problem behavior for each participant. Outcomes were slightly better for the PowerPoint™ format than for the paper format. Results were maintained in the training setting and were generalized to another setting with a single verbal prompt. Teachers reported that the PowerPoint format was easily implemented, and students indicated that they liked the computer-assisted format.

Effects of a Modified Milieu Therapy Intervention on the Social Communicative Behaviors of Young Children with Autism Spectrum Disorders

The purpose of the current study was to evaluate the effectiveness of combining milieu therapy and functional communication training (FCT)] to replace aberrant behavior with functional communicative skills in 3 male preschool or elementary aged children with Autism Spectrum Disorders (ASD). Study activities were conducted in the natural environments of the participants and parents acted as change agents. A concurrent multiple baseline design across participants was used to evaluate the effectiveness of the modified milieu therapy intervention. Results indicate that aberrant behavior decreased concurrent with an increase in total percentage of communication responses (PCR). The children maintained communication and low rates of aberrant behavior, and generalized their communication from the home to the classroom. A discussion of limitations and future research directions is included.

Functional Communication Training in the Classroom: A Guide for Success

ABSTRACT Researchers have consistently shown the effectiveness of functional communication training (FCT) to address both the communication and behavioral needs of children on the autism spectrum. The three steps of FCT include completing a functional behavior assessment, identifying a communication response, and developing a treatment plan. In addition, 10 support components aid in the successful implementation of FCT, which enhance the maintenance and generalization of learned skills. Although the authors introduced this approach in a therapeutic setting, the research has extended to natural environments including the home and school with considerable success. FCT consistently reduces challenging behavior and increases communication, therefore improving the quality of life for the child and parents.

A Review of the Effectiveness of Guided Notes for Students who Struggle Learning Academic Content

The No Child Left Behind Act (2001) requires that all students, including those with disabilities, to make adequate yearly progress in the general education curriculum. To ensure that this occurs, effective practices are needed that fit the classroom needs of teachers and result in improved academic gains. One practice that shows promise as an effective classroom practice is guided notes. The purpose of this article is to examine research on the effectiveness of guided notes. For this review, 13 studies met inclusion criteria. Results indicate that using guided notes has a positive effective on student outcomes, as this practice has been shown to improve accuracy of note taking and student test scores. The authors discuss the implications of these findings for classroom practice and future research.

Chapter 4 – Communication Skills

Publisher Summary Communication is a skill that influences the adaptive ability of an individual in every facet of life. The Adaptive Behavior Assessment System-II (ABAS-II) is designed to provide a comprehensive assessment of adaptive functioning and an assessment of the degree to which individuals, ages 0–89, independently display functional skills in everyday living. It assesses 10 adaptive skill areas, including communication, emphasizing the importance of this adaptive skill area. The communication items of the ABAS-II allow evaluators to assess the areas of receptive language, expressive language, and nonverbal communication and the use of these adaptive skills in everyday situations. This chapter provides a discussion of the ABAS-II as it relates to communication. A brief discussion of the definition and measurement of the communication adaptive skill area of the ABAS-II, additional communication assessments, and interventions connected to the ABAS-II and other assessments are provided. Finally, a case study example using the ABAS-II is also discussed.