Teaching Students On The Autism Spectrum Through a Verbal Behavior/Applied Behavior Approach

Implementing a Verbal Behavior/Applied Behavior Analysis program within an educational setting establishes a successful learning environment for children with autism. Development of such a program allows for intensive teaching in all aspects of the day. All teaching works to increase cognitive skill repertoires and functional language by analyzing communicative intent. This approach utilizes consistent strategies based upon assessment. This presentation will describe how to set up the classroom, strategies in establishing positive relationships,and teaching through a VB/ABA approach. Objectives:

1. To identify the basic concepts of Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA)
2. To explain the structure of setting up the physical classroom environment in an ABA/VB approach
3. To identify the first steps to teaching from an ABA/VB approach

   In 1987, Dr. Ivar Lovaas studied a group of 59 children with autism, examining the best ways for them to learn. He discovered that the group of 19 children who received 40 hours a week of 1:1 ABA therapy had the best outcomes. Of that group, nearly half (47%) became indistinguishable from their typical peers by first grade. (1) A follow-up study by Lovaas and two colleagues in 1993 (McEachin, Smith and Lovaas) indicated that those “best outcome” children maintained their abilities at age 13. (2)

  ABA or Applied Behavior Analysis is a discipline devoted to the understanding and the improvement of human behavior. (3)  Simply we define ABA as a systematic delivery of instruction and reinforcement in order to teach skills, or, ‘just good teaching’. There are many teaching approaches available, however, ABA is the only approach that is evidence based, meaning it is an approach that has research to support its effectiveness. ABA has also been recognized by the National Standards Project on Autism Treatment as the approach to implement when beginning a program for children with ASD.

    Implementing an ABA/VB program within the parameters of an educational setting establishes a successful learning environment for children on the autism spectrum. Development of such a program allows for individualization of teaching, intensive teaching sessions and structure in all aspects of the educational day. This approach to teaching starts with establishing both the environment and the staff as preferred and positive. All teaching then works to increase cognitive skill repertoires, and most importantly, to develop functional language, by analyzing not only what the child is saying, but why the child is trying to communicate. This is accomplished through the combined teaching of multiple disciplines utilizing consistent strategies and techniques based upon the same assessment.

   This presentation will describe how to set up the classroom environment, what strategies are utilized in establishing a positive relationship with staff and how to begin teaching through and ABA/VB approach.

 

1. The Verbal Behavior Approach, Mary Lynch Barbera, 2007
2. The Verbal Behavior Approach, Mary Lynch Barbera, 2007
3. Applied Behavior Analysis, Cooper, Heron,Heward, 1987