The Autism Society Event and Education Recordings Archive

Over the past 15 years, the Center for Autism and Related Disorders (CARD) has developed a system of individualized assessment and an extensive curriculum to teach skills to children with autism. This presentation will review CARD SKILLS, an online training protocol for parents and professionals and a detailed assessment that aids in identifying deficient and sufficient skills in children diagnosed within the autism spectrum. In addition, the CARD curriculum outlines programs to teach skills in various areas of development. Autism is a neurobiological, developmental disability that impacts 1 in 150 children in this country, according to the Center for Disease Control (CDC).  Treatment approaches grounded in Applied Behavioral Analysis (ABA) are now considered to be at the forefront of educational interventions for children with autism.  However, there are many misconceptions about ABA and its applications to the treatment of individuals diagnosed within the autism spectrum.  Similarly, with the explosive rise in diagnosis, programs to support children on the autism spectrum and their families are simply not available in sufficient quantity, or quality to meet the demand. 

Since its inception in 1990, the Center for Autism and Related Disorders (CARD) has treated thousands of children worldwide by developing unique and individualized behavior programs.  With the help of highly qualified and experienced staff, CARD has developed a comprehensive system of individualized on-going assessment and training, and an extensive curricula aimed to identify specific skills to teach children diagnosed with Autism and related disorders.  By providing access to a full system approach to treatment, children with autism are more likely to lead independent, productive, and successful lives.

Attendees at this presentation will be exposed to the CARD SKILLS and CARD Curricula, which work hand in hand to provide training to parents and professionals, identify areas of strength and need in children, and guide behavior-based programs.  Case studies and video footage will also be presented in support of CARD’s treatment model and recent research will be presented to show successful outcomes with related protocols. 

More specifically, the presentation aims to accomplish the following objectives:

• Identify at least one research protocol that supports the success of interventions utilizing techniques in ABA for individuals diagnosed with autism
• Identify one advantage to on-going assessment of skills
• Identify one advantage to on-line teaching modules for parents and professionals
• Identify developmental areas to be considered when implementing a behavior-based program

The CARD SKILLS is comprised of the SKILLS E-Learning Modules and the SKILLS Index.  Together they encompass the training of parents and professionals, and the assessment of skills in the children we aim to assist.  The SKILLS E-Learning Modules provides instruction to parents and professionals on how to effectively apply the principles of ABA to manage challenging behaviors and teach skills.  E-Learning will allow parents and professionals the flexibility and convenience of learning necessary concepts and techniques at their own pace with the use of multimedia material, and will enable those who may not otherwise be able to travel to receive training.  The SKILLS Index is a comprehensive assessment tool to be used in identifying the current abilities of each child.  The SKILLS Index is comprised of hundreds of individual skill targets within the following developmental areas:  Adaptive Behavior, Language, Cognition, Motor Skills, Executive Function, Self-Help, School-related or Academic Skills, Play, Social Skills.  Once completed, parents and professionals can access easy-to-read graphs depicting the areas of strength and deficit for the child, based on their age.  This assessment is then linked on-line to the appropriate areas within the curricula.  The CARD Curricula will provide detailed instructions on how to teach target skills, as well as provide helpful teaching points, possible IEP goals, and video footage demonstrating correct procedures.

Learning Objectives: