Bob Williams, AAC user with complex communication needs (Williams, 2000, p. 250)

1. “If I could not express myself, I would become like the tree in the forest—the one for which it does not matter if it makes a sound when it comes crashing down, because there is no one around to hear it. Unfortunately, there are still many silent fallen trees all around us if we stop and look.” Bob Williams, AAC user with complex communication needs (Williams, 2000, p. 250) http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fLg533x8vKE

2. Agenda • Review & Quiz • Discussion Communication Bill of Rights & Modules • Functional Communication Training/ Assessment

3. Review for Quiz #3

4. Preference Assessments • Why are preference assessments so important? • Want to be seen as the “giver of good things” • Natural consequences may not be reinforcing to the learner. • Example Videos on the wiki….let’s take a look.

5. Rating Scale of Potential Reinforcers • Blank Template & Example on the wiki • http://functionalassessment.pbworks.com/w/file/fetch/62504531/Preference.Rating%20Scale%20to%20Identify%20Potential%20Reinforcers.pdf

6. Direct Observation is most reliable method for assessing preferences • From list, directly manipulate potentially preferred items and observe to identify which items are actually preferred. • Free Access or Forced Choice of reinforcing items

7. Systematic Preference Assessments • Can be used for a number of reasons, but mostly used to identify potential reinforcers • Good idea is to start with: • An interview of significant others to find out about a variety of items and activities a learner might like

8. Steps in Conducting a Systematic Preference Assessment • Define the purpose of the assessment. • Select the range of sampling options • Determine the forms of the sampling options • Define the student’s responses for preference and non-preference of options • Outline presentation procedures • Determine sampling schedule & location • Observe & record responses to options • Summarize & make recommendations based on assessment.

9. Steps in Conducting a Systematic Preference Assessment • Define the purpose of the assessment. • Select the range of sampling options • Determine the forms of the sampling options • Define the student’s responses for preference and non-preference of options • Outline presentation procedures • Determine sampling schedule & location • Observe & record responses to options • Summarize & make recommendations based on assessment. Take a look at the Template and Example from the wiki.

10. 1. Define the purpose of the assessment • Planning for the immediate context • Provide the focus person with the opportunity to become familiar with the range of options available in the daily routine of a person without disabilities • Planning for lifestyle enhancement • Major life decisions, exposure to experiences • Planning Instruction & intervention • Identify things that will reinforce behaviors • Guiding question should be: “How will this information be used to promote the student’s self-determination?”

11. 2. Select the range of sampling options • Consider the category based on the purpose: • Foods, drinks, tangibles, formats, job types (e.g., clerical, custodial, etc.) • Within that category determine the options (must be meaningful) • Applesauce, mandarin oranges, yogurt, etc. • Tasks within a job: photocopying, shredding, etc. • Graphic organizers, cloze strategy, partners

12. 3. Determine the forms of the sampling options • Options can be either presented in their actual forms or represented with symbols or objects • Pictures (of them doing the job) • Video tape clips • A portion of the actual activity • Menu • Flyer

13. 4. Define the student’s responses for preference and non-preference of options Discrete responses -e.g., approaching, engaging, initiating Multi-component responses -e.g., manipulation for at least 30 seconds plus sustained eye contact for at least 15 seconds, plus positive vocalizations while manipulating them. Define both positive response (indicating preference) and negative response (indicating non-preference)

14. 5. Outline presentation procedures • Provide step by step instructions of how to present the options to the student • Define whether you will use • Single item presentation (one option; e.g., going to the movies) • Paired-item presentation (two options; e.g., markers or crayons) • Group presentations (three or more options, remove item selected, offer remaining options, re-present to determine hieararchy)

15. Free Access Steps (Ortiz & Carr, 2000) • Identify several potentially preferred items (checklist or interview of others) • Position items so that the learner has access to all items • Spread around the room in the learner’s reach/view • Observe the learner on several occasions • Document the first item (& successive items) the learner approaches and note the total duration of time the learner engages with each item.

16. Form 5.2

17. Forced Choice Steps (Piazza, Fisher, Hagopian, Bowman, & Toole, 1996) • Identify several potentially preferred items • Present items in pairs. • Randomize the presentation of items in pairs and order of pairs (to prevent the same item from being presented too many times in a row) • Randomize the position of the items • Observe the item in each pair the learner selects.

18. Forced Choice Form 5.3

19. 6. Determine sampling schedule & location • Want to present options within the most natural setting • Determine when the options will be presented: • Massed in brief trials • When the learner is familiar with the items available • Distributed across the day • e.g., different types of materials for instruction • Combination of massed and distributed • Narrowing job interests to schedule job tryouts • Specifically scheduled events • Touring housing options with a realtor • Important to note who presented the options

20. 7. Observe & record responses to options • Record the responses of the student • Indicate the percentage an option is selected AND/OR • Indicate how long student engaged with option AND/OR • Hierarchy of preferences

21. 8. Summarize & make recommendations based on assessment • See example • Want to ensure that the language is parent and teacher friendly. • Make sure the purpose is expressed and the outcome is clearly described.

22. Quiz

23. Preference Assessment Work Time • 20 minutes of work time/break • Preference Assessment Simulation Due Next Class

24. Discussion Time! • Communication Bill of Rights • http://www.asha.org/uploadedFiles/NJC-Communication-Bill-Rights.pdf • Modules • Language & Communication • Functional Communication Training • Picture Exchange Communication System (PECS)

25. Pre-Requisites for Communication? • Competence in a symbolic and language system (e.g., spoken English, manual ASL)? • Formalized rules of word representation, production, & use? • Breathing is the only real pre-requisite (Mirenda, 1993)

26. Define Augmentative & Alternative Communication: • Augmentative and alternative communication (AAC) includes all forms of communication (other than oral speech) that are used to express thoughts, needs, wants, and ideas. -American Speech-Language-Hearing Association (asha.org)

27. Basic Conditions for Communication (Beukelman & Mirenda, 2005) • At least 2 people who understand each other • Form (i.e. a way to send the message) • Content (i.e., something to talk about) • Function: Reason/Purpose to communicate • Educational team members must ensure these are addressed

29. Two key parts of language… • Receptive Language: • Understanding what people mean when they speak to you. • Expressive Language • Being able to speak/communicate so that others understand you.

30. Significant Other Interview(s) • See Communication Style Assessment—handout • Interview questions for professionals---handout

31. Communication Ecological Inventory Worksheet Activity (Figure 8-10, p.249, Best, Heller, Bigge, 2005) 1. Ask: Where does the student spend time? (environment, sub-environment, activities) 2. Select Activity: (e.g., ordering food) 3. Observe: (for vocabulary used in activity) • List Expressive Vocabulary used in the activity • List Receptive Vocabulary used in the activity 4. Review listed words and determine which words & skills need to be taught to the student.

32. Ecological Inventory of Communication Skills

35. Newcomer & Lewis, 2004

36. Functional Communication Training (FCT; Carr & Durand, 1985) • FCT involves teaching specific communication skills that are functionally equivalent to problem behavior, based on a functional behavior assessment (FBA)

37. Functional Communication Training: Carr & Durand, 1985 Desired Behavior Typical Consequence Summary of Behavior Setting Event Antecedent Problem Behavior Maintaining Consequence Alternate Behavior

38. FBA processD.A.S.H. Define behavior in observable & measurable terms Ask about behavior by interviewing staff & student -specify routines where & when behaviors occur -summarize where, when, & why behaviors occur See the behavior -observe the behavior during routines specified -observe to verify summary from interviews Hypothesize: a final summary of where, when & why behaviors occur

43. Limitations of FBA

44. No experimental manipulation • We are relying on teacher report • Relying on informal ABC Observation • Usually with no formal manipulation of variables • RESULT = an hypothesis of the function of behavior • As opposed to functional analysis results which provide clear scientific evidence of the function of behavior

45. If you’re still struggling to ID Function of Behavior • Functional Analysis • Begin manipulating variables to alter function of behavior and monitor occurrence of behavior

46. Functional Analysis • Experimental methodology in which (ANTECEDENTS) and potential reinforcers (CONSEQUENCES) of a problem behavior are carefully arranged in a controlled manner to isolate the effects of potential sources of reinforcement that are often confounded through other observational methods • (Iwata, Kahng, Wallace, & Lindberg, 2000; Mace, Lalli, & Lalli, 1991). • Can lead to causal rather than correlational outcome data with respect to the relationships between environmental events and behavior (Cooper, Heron, & Heward, 2007)

47. Functional Analysis Uses experimental method to determine function of behavior Requires strict environmental control Used predominantly in research w/ application to classroom Functional Behavioral Assessment Relies heavily on indirect measures (interviews & observations) to ID function of behavior Written into Special Education law for use in schools Results in a hypothesis of the function of behavior Functional Analysis v. FBA

48. Challenges of Functional Analysis • Requires high level of training & expertise • Ethical concerns, because we are setting up students to misbehave • Time consuming • Requires experimental control, to with the classroom and school environment offer many challenges • Recreating an environment w/ same ABC, but at same time maintaining experimental control • Difficult if behavior is maintained by peer attention

49. Functional Analysis conditions are built on an initial understanding of student • Functional Behavioral Assessment information • Assessment of Task Difficulty & Preferences • If still have a question – still not sure if behavior is attention or escape maintained

50. Control Condition • The Control Condition is our comparison condition; we don’t want to see any behavior in our control condition • We will compare the results of our other conditions to our control condition • Big differences between conditions show clear results • Experimental Manipulation - only one variable should change at a time from our control condition • That way we can KNOW the specific variable contributing to the problem behavior