ASHA 2016 ABA for SLPs

November 19, 2016

Disclosures
Jo-Anne Matteo
Jill Waegenaere
Catherine Horton
Lori Frost

ABA for SLPs
Catherine Horton, MS, CCC-SLP, BCBA
Lori Frost, MS, CCC-SLP
Jo-Anne Matteo, MS, CCC-SLP
Jill Waegenaere, MA, CCC-SLP

Financial: Each receives compensation as an employee
of Pyramid Educational Consultants, Inc.
Non-financial: No relevant non-financial relationships todisclose

Pyramid Educational Consultants, Inc.
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Applied Behavior Analysis

2Key Concepts of ABA• Behavior is observable• Behavior is measurable• Behavior is related to the environment“The process of systematically applying

interventions based upon the principles oflearning theory to improve socially significant
behaviors to a meaningful degree and todemonstrate that the interventions
employed are responsible for theimprovement in behavior.”o Things that happen before (antecedents)o Things that happen after (consequences)(Baer, Wolf and Risley, 1968;
Sulzer-Azaroff & Mayer, 1991)

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ASHA 2016 ABA for SLPs

November 19, 2016

Our “Students”

What Are the Issues?

• To date, ABA-based strategies have the most
support as scientifically validated for ASD.
• The incidence of autism has risen
dramatically.
Virtually all learners with autism have deficits inthe areas of speech, language, andcommunication.
• SLPs must be knowledgeable of ABA terms
andconcepts in order to actively participate inteam discussions and planning
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5• Student Characteristics• Which do we talk about at the end ofthe day?
• Which ones do we address first?

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6The Pyramid Approach to Education

What does “to learn” mean?

Andy Bondy, PhD• Teaching involves manipulating the
Antecedent events and the Consequence
events in order to change behavior.
• Learning leads to a change in behavior:• A systematic approach to designingteaching programs• Based on a broad spectrum application ofApplied Behavior Analysis (ABA)• Blends motivational systems, functional
activities, and creative communication
training with the science of learningo After a successful lesson, the student can dosomething he couldn’t do before the lesson.
oGoal = ALL students will learn newskills

Copyright, 2016 Pyramid Educational Consultants*The Pyramid Approach to Education (Bondy, 2010)

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ASHA 2016 ABA for SLPs

November 19, 2016

The Pyramid Approach Model

Functional Activities• Why do we have schools?
o To teach skills to• Get a job• Live independentlyo Teach versus “take care of”

The “how”
of teaching• What do we teach?

Datao Skills necessary for independenceo “A functional skill… is an action that will
be performed by someone else if aperson with disabilities does not performit” Lou Brown, 1984

Functional Communication

The “why” of behavior:
The science of learning• What materials do we use?

Functional Activities
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9Communication Across the Day

Why is this important forSLPs?

ScheduleTimePicture8:30• If communication only occurs for 30-minutes
per day, twice a week it is simply anotheractivity scheduled into the day – notfunctional communication!
• Survey the day and assist the team tocapture or create opportunities forcommunication

Staff

ActivityMrs. YArrival. Learners enter room,
empty and hang book bags,
put home-school log in basket
on teacher’s desk. Mrs. Y has a
jar of snacks and small toys onher desk containing items thelearners like. Amy has trouble
unzipping her book bag.

8:35

8:36

8:41

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111) Hello!
2) I need help3) Can I have a sticker?

Transition to schedule (emptybag)

Mr. J

Bathroom. Amy uses the toilet,
washes hands—she isindependent at both tasks, so
today the soap is out of reach.

4) I want help with soap

Transition to schedule (Amyfinishes task sequence)

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Communication
Targets123

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ASHA 2016 ABA for SLPs

November 19, 2016

Pyramid Principles for Using
Powerful Reinforcers

Powerful Reinforcers
Two approaches togetting students toparticipate inactivities• Grandma’s Secret• Reinforcers are always
student defined – can besocial or tangible• Use a reinforcer-first strategy• No reinforcer, no lesson!

o “Make” themo Entice them

The Pyramid Approach involves
enticing with powerful reinforcers
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Why is this important forSLPs?

Let’s Make a Deal
What goes into a good deal?

• SLPs first need to build rapport with students– best accomplished by pairing self withreinforcers• To teach communication, start by having
students ask for their favorite items• Visual reinforcement systems can be used toincrease motivation for other targeted skills(ex: receptive tasks, such as nounidentification)• Who picks the type of reinforcer?
• Which comes first- R+ or demand?
• Workers expect a VISUAL contract including:o How much R+o How often do we getpaid?
o When do we get paid?
(When’s the next one?)o Can we re-negotiate thedeal?
o When do we get avacation (or break)?
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ASHA 2016 ABA for SLPs

November 19, 2016

Functional Communication

Functional Communication?

Functional communication involves
behavior (defined in form by thecommunity) directed to anotherperson who in turn provides related
direct or social rewards.
(Bondy & Frost, 2002)
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Nine Critical Communication
SkillsFunctional Communication• Not all behaviors arecommunicative• Must occur between twopeople• Two broad categories –requesting and commenting

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Expressive

Receptive

1. Request reinforcers

1. Respond to “wait”
or “no”
2. Respond todirections
3. Follow a schedule
4. Transition

2. Request assistance
3. Request a break
4. Accept
5. Reject

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ASHA 2016 ABA for SLPs

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Thinking Like a Behavior Analyst

John will learn the word “truck”
UnderstandUse

Deprivation or
Environmental
Event

Spontaneous/
Self‐Initiated

Question or
PromptResponsive

ModelImitative

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Contextually Inappropriate
Behavior

SocialDirect(request)(comment)

Imitative
EchoicMand

Imitative
Intraverbal Tact

Responsive Mand
Intraverbal

Responsive
Echoic Tact

Spontaneous
Pure Mand

Spontaneous
Pure Tact

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3 Functions of Behavior• To gain some type of R+• To escape/avoid• Elicited• Behavior that occurs in the wrongplace, at the wrong time, persists
too long, or is too weak or forceful• We are concerned with thefunction, not the form, of thebehavior
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Direct23

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CIBs and SLPs

Pyramid Principles forManaging CIBs

Potential FEABs
Function• Systematically teach acceptable
alternative behavior that serves
the same function

Gain Access toReinforcement
Avoid/Escape• FEAB- Functionally Equivalent
Alternative Behavior

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Elicited25

Why is this important forSLPs?

Request reinforcer
Indicate “yes”
Indicate “no”
Request break
Respond to “wait”
Follow schedule“Surprise”

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26Generalization• Students engage in challenging behavior
when they do not have the communication
skills to meet the same function• SLPs should assist the team in identifying thefunction of the CIB• SLPs should lead the team in teaching theFEAB, as many of these replacements arecommunication skills

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FEAB• Two approaches to generalizationo Train skill to mastery then generalizeo Teach generalization from the beginning• The Pyramid Approach involves
planning for generalization fromthe beginning
Two types of generalizationo Stimuluso Response

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ASHA 2016 ABA for SLPs

November 19, 2016

Why is this important forSLPs?

Effective Lessons• Discrete trial format• Emily Rubin (2016) states, “Students with autism
need access to communication and learning
supports in all settings to help them understandsocial expectations, what others think and how toengage successfully with peers”

o Short, repeatable behaviorso Repetition is not always helpful!
o Example: Articulation Drills• Sequential lesson format(http://leader.pubs.asha.org/article.aspx?articleid=2527044)

o Create task analysis: Determine steps that will
be performed in a specific ordero Backward chains vs. Forward chainso Example: Message Construction on SGD• SLPs must consider their service delivery model toteach students to communicate in a variety ofsettings, with a variety of people for many different
items/materials/activities

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PECS IV+Type Steps

3351
121

Wake device

2Open Sentence Starters

3I WANT

4Open Attributes

556BIG

7PURPLE

8Open Food

9GRAPES

10Get Communicative
Partner

11SPEAK

12CLEARCopyright, 2015 Pyramid Educational Consultants

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Effective Lessons• Teacher-led lessonso Can lead to prompt dependencyo Are standard in mainstream education• Student-initiatedo Foster independence and spontaneityo Necessary for success in “real world”

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ASHA 2016 ABA for SLPs

November 19, 2016

Why is this important forSLPs?

Teaching Strategies• SLPs should understand these terms, in orderto speak the same language as behavior
analysts• Teaching a new skill involves “helping” thestudent to perform the new behavior• The “help” we provide = prompt• SLPs should actively structure and guideteams to incorporate both teacher-led andstudent-initiated lessons• Prompt types include physical, verbal,
gestural, visual…
• #1 Rule of Prompting – If you put it in, youtake it out!

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Why is this important forSLPs?

Teaching without Prompting‐Shaping• Why?

• Prompt dependency is common
among learners with Complex
Communication Needs – we must
consider this issue when planning ourcommunication lessons• We can use shaping for articulation
training and other lessons!

o If you don’t use prompts, you don’t have toremove them (no risk of prompt dependency)• How?
o Change the criterion for success (reinforcement)o Small changes add up to big changes over timeo Guess at the size of the change and then see if itworks• Do not combine with prompting

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ASHA 2016 ABA for SLPs

November 19, 2016

Minimizing andCorrecting Errors

Discrete Lessons• Error correction strategies
o Correct it, don’t just FIX it!!
4-Step Error Correction Procedure• Within discrete lessonso Backstep Error Correction Procedure• Find error in sequence; re-establish
routine with prompt to prevent error

StepAppropriate
Stimulus Control?

1. Model correct
answerNo

Student merelyimitates

2. Practice theresponse byrepeating theoriginal stimulusNo

Student could be
repeating lastcorrect response

3. Switch to newtask
4. Repeat theoriginal stimulus

Analysis

Stimulus control is Student switches tochanged
something differentYES!!!

Student
independently
responds

The 4-Step Error Correction Procedure!
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Why is this important forSLPs?

Sequential Lessons• Teacher takes the student back in thesequence to last correct step and prompts thenext step

• Provides a consistent way to respondto errors – resulting in more rapid skill
acquisition!
• Avoids the probability of practicingerrors• Teacher differentially reinforces
The Backstep Correction Procedure!
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ASHA 2016 ABA for SLPs

November 19, 2016

Why is this important forSLPs?

Data Collection and Analysis• We must document that our students
are making progress.

• Purpose of data collectiono To determine if the lesson is effectiveo To determine what changes to make• Collect more data early and less later• Type of data should relate to goal
• Analyze and summarize for trends

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41Pyramid Analysis: Sequencing Cards• If no progress, use the Pyramid as yourproblem-solving tool42

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Bottom Element of Pyramid Analysis
Functional Activity

Reinforcement

Is this lesson meaningfulfrom the student’s
perspective?
What type and when?

Functional
Communication

What expressive or
receptive skills should also
be incorporated into thislesson?
Contextually Inappropriate Are there challenging
Behavior
behaviors that areinterfering? If so, what is
the function?
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ASHA 2016 ABA for SLPs

November 19, 2016

Top Element of the PyramidAnalysis

Generalization

Use variety of sequences,increase accuracy and fluency
Will the student actually performthe sequence?

Lesson Formats

Discrete or Sequential Lesson?
Both!

Teaching Strategy

Which prompt type? Prompt
elimination?

Error Correction

Discrete Error = 4-Step
Sequential Error = Backstep

Data Collection

Is the student making progress? If
not, what changes will be made?

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For more information,
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Educational Consultants
www.pecs.com

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