ASA's 36th National Conference on Autism Spectrum Disorders (July 13-16, 2005)

Based on the ninety-minute time constraint, two specific techniques will be addressed: video modeling, and social skills groups. However, incorporating typical peers (Goldstein et al, 1992; Kamps et al., 1998; Odom and Strain, 1986) and scripting techniques (Goldstein and Cisar, 1992; Krantz & McClannahan, 1993; Krantz and McClannahan, 1998; Sarokoff, Taylor, & Poulson, 2001) will be strongly emphasized throughout the program as evidenced based practices.

Video modeling is a technique that has been the subject of much recent research. Video has been used to teach students conversational skills (Charlop & Milstein, 1989; Ogletree & Fischer, 1995; Thiemann & Goldstein, 2001), requesting (Wert & Neismith, 2003), community survival skills (Alcantara, 1994), perspective taking (Charlop-Christy & Daneshvar, 2003), play (D'Ateno, Mangiapanello, & Taylor, 2003), and spelling (Kinney, Vedora, & Stromer, 2003). The video vignette can, with equal effectiveness, feature either the target individual or other individuals in the model (Sherer, Pierce, Paredes, Kisacky, Ingersoll & Schreibman, 2001). Video modeling is a versatile technique that can demonstrate target behaviors in many naturalistic settings, can provide a repeatable, well-controlled model, and can be concurrently utilized by teachers, parents, and special educators to target generalization (Charlop-Christy, Le, & Freeman, 2000).

The second technique is the less widely researched technique of social skills groups. A social skills group involves direct instruction and opportunities to regularly practice social skills with a consistent group of people or a predictable type of instruction. In general, positive treatment effects have been noted, yet evidence supporting generalization of skills is variable (Barry et al., 2003; Kamps et al., 1992; Williams, 1989; Gonzalez-Lopez & Kamps, 1997; Matson, Fee, Coe, Smith, 1991; Webb, Miller, Pierce, Strawser, & Jones, 2004). However, the technique can provide the overall framework through which other more thoroughly researched approaches are employed.

Participants will receive a brief exposure to the research and will be provided with a detailed reference list. However, the majority of the program will center on instructing participants in a realistic methodology for utilizing these methods in a public school setting.

The program outline is as follows:

I Introduction

A. Importance of social skills to life and to school curriculum

B. Establishing a 5-year plan for students: -setting long term goals,establishing a short term plan that put instruction on the right path

C. Typical, less effective methods

II The model

A. Format of a social skills group

B. Planning and organization

C. Video Modeling: format of a video lesson

D. Scripting

E. Peer mediated intervention: peer parties

F. Generalization: parent involvement,teacher involvement

III Real life in a school

A. Finding social goals in the state curriculum standards

B. Writing IEP goals

B. List of commercially available teaching aides provided for future reference

Learning Objectives

1. Participants will identify evidence-based techniques relevant to their work settings for improving the social and communication skills of students with ASD.

2. Participants will demonstrate comprehension of video modeling, scripting, and peer mediated intervention techniques and will be able to incorporate them into a social skills group format to maximize effectiveness and generalization of skills.

3. Participants will learn to use existing state curriculum standards to write social and communication IEP goals that support a student's access to the general education curriculum.