Applying Behavior Analysis Across the Autism Spectrum

Sulzer-Azaroff & Associates, Applying Behavior Analysis Across the Autism Spectrum: A Field Guide for Practitioners

Form 1.1

Page 1 of 2

Field Participant Information

Your Name ______Date ______

Contact information (email/postal address &/or phone) ______

______

Program at which you are receiving (have received) your formal training in ABA:

______

The stated purpose of your field assignment:

General goal(s)

______

Specific objectives (if articulated):

______

______

______

______

Number of hours expected to participate on-site per week ____ Number of weeks ______

Your academic mentor’s name and contact information ______

Tell us something about your general background.

______

______

______

What attracted you to the field of applied behavior analysis in the field of autism?

______

______

What would you like to learn about the clientele in this setting?

______

______

______

What would you be interested in knowing about your field supervisor(s)?

______

______

______

Say what you would be interested in learning about this organization and its other staff ?

(Or family and its members?) ______

______

______

______

Form 1.1, page 2 of 2

Your Name ______

What would you be interested in knowing about fellow students on field assignment at this or other locations? ______

______

______

______

Pose your questions in a group setting or privately with your field supervisor. Summarize and comment on your findings. ______

______

______

______

______

______

______

Search, discover and summarize the answers to your questions by asking your field supervisor and others at the setting. ______

______

______

a) Ask you field supervisor to review his or her expectations of your performance at this field site.

b) List these here or attach a “contract”

______

______

______

______

______

______

After being briefed by your field supervisor as to his/her expectations of you, what further questions do you have? ______

______

On request, submit copies of this completed form to your training program supervisor, and/or field supervisor. Save a copy for yourself in a folder dedicated for this purpose.

Form 1.2

(Please share this completed form with your academic supervisor and with your field supervisor)

Your Name______Date ______

Your own contact information (address, email and/or phone) ______

______

Your academic supervisor’s contact information (name, email and/or phone) ______

______

Name and mailing address of field placement ______

______

______

Name and contact information for your field supervisor ______

______

Please add any questions and/or concerns below:

______

______

______

______

______

______

Table 1.1 Summary of Roles and Functions of Participants

Role / Person / Function
Field Practicum Student/trainee / You, the student enrolled in this course or in-service training program. / Having previously mastered a broad range of applied behavior analytic (ABA) concepts, you will complete the activities contained in this field practicum guide at levels acceptable to your instructor.
Field Practicum Instructor[1] / A qualified individual with expertise in teaching and/or in-service training of personnel in behavioral interventions in autism. / Selects curriculum, guides, serves as a distance or on-site instructor, resource person and evaluator of your performance and products. May also act as an on-site or distance Supervisor.
Field Practicum supervisor / A person with expertise in serving clients on the autism spectrum and skill in supervising students and/or on-site personnel. / Observes practicum student’s performance either directly on-site or electronically from a distance, coaches and supplies performance feedback. May also serve as Instructor.
Field Facilitator / An individual, who may or may not have expertise in ABA, but is involved directly with students with autism at the site: a lead teacher, program manager, care provider, parent or other. / In the absence of an on-site behavior analyst to supervise the student, supports and enables the behavior analysis student to fulfill practicum requirements. Cooperates with Instructor, if student enrolled in a course, and assesses the behavior analysis student’s professional conduct.
Student or Field Practicum Student / The child or adult client with a diagnosis of autism spectrum disorder or related condition. / Learns and progresses as a function of the supervised actions of the practicum student.

Table 1.2. Unit-by-Unit Pre-programmed Activities and Assignments PART 1

Suggested Schedule of Activities

Indicate your Unit by Unit Assignments. Also budget at least 1 hour per unit for discussions; from 1-4 hours for tutorials.

Activity # / Abbreviated Title of Activity / Form / Abbreviated Title of Form / Time Estimate (In hours)
1.1 / Pacing Adjustment (optional) / 1.1 / Individual Contract / 0–1
2.1 / Finalizing Arrangements / 2.1 / Contact information / 0–10
2.2 / Acquainted; Agreements / 2.2,.3, 4 / Field Facilitator, Instructor Agreements / 0–10
2.3 / Description Field or Home Setting / 2.5, .6 / Description: Setting / 2
2.4 / Recording and submitting DVD / 2.7, 2.8, 2.9 / Parent, Admin. DVD consents, Cover Sheet / 2–4
3.1 / Observe use of preference assessment / 3.1 / Guided Observation 1: Preference / 1
3.2 / Assisting Teachers / 3.2
3.3 / Preference Assessment Checklist / 3.3, 3.4 / Preference Assessment Checklist, Preference Scoring Form / 2–4
4.1 / Social Responsiveness checklist / 4.1, 4.2 / Social Responsiveness Data Form, Social Responsiveness Checklist / 1–3
4.2 / Observe discrete trial training and prompting / 4.2 / Guided Observation 2: DTI and Prompt / 1–3
5.1 / Collect student response data / 5.1 / Collecting student response data / 2
5.2 / Discrete trial training checklist / 5.2 / Discrete trial checklist / 1–2
5.3 / Observing prompts across the day / 5.3 / Prompts Across Day / 1–2
6.1 / Most-to-Least Prompting Checklist / 6.1 / Most-to-Least Prompting Checklist / 1–3
6.2 / Most-to-Least Prompting Data / 6.2 / Most-to-Least Prompting Data Form / 1–3
7.1 / Graduated Guidance Checklist / 7.1 / Graduated Guidance Checklist / 1–3
8.1 / Least-to-Most Prompting Checklist / 8.1, 8.2 / Hand Washing Task Analysis, Least-to-Most Prompting Checklist / 1–3
8.2 / Least-to-Most Prompting Data Collection / 8.3 / Least-to-Most Prompting Data Collection Form / 1–3
8.3 / Field Facilitator Assessment / 8.3 / Field Assessment / 1/4
9 / TAKE A BREAK
10.1 / Time Delay Checklist / 10.1 / Time Delay Checklist / 1–2
10.2 / Observe shadowing / 10.2 / Guided Observation Shadowing / 1–2
11.1 / Identify shadow opportunities / 11.1 / Identify Shadow opportunities / 1–2
11.2 / Shadowing Checklist / 11.2 / Shadowing Checklist / 1–2
12.1 / Preferred Activity and Choice Checklist / 12.1 / Preferred Activity and Choice Checklist / 1–2
13.1 / Incidental Teaching / 13.1 / Incidental Teaching Checklist / 1–2
14.1 / Setting up the Environment / 14.1 / Getting ready to run a program / 1–2
14.2 / Collecting and calculating data / 14.2 / Collecting and calculating data / 1–2
14.3 / Running a Program Checklist / 14.3 / Running a Program Checklist / 1–2
15.1 / Final Field Facilitator Assessment / 15.1 / Field Facilitator Evaluation / 1/2
15.2 / Student Evaluation of Experience / < 1 hr

Alternate Table 1.2. Optional Pacing Adjustments. (Estimated time 0–1 hours)

Indicate your Week-by-Week Assignments. Also budget at least 1 hour per week for discussions; from
1–4 hours for tutorials.

Activity # / Abbreviated Title of Activity / Form / Abbreviated Title of Form / Time Estimate (In hours

Form 1.3 Individual Student Contract

Individual Student Contract

Your name: ______Date: ______

Your instructor’s or supervisor’s name ______

College/University ______Department ______

Course registration #______Number of registered credit hours ______

Adjusted Schedule

Original Schedule / Proposed Schedule / Reason(s) for Modifying the Suggested Schedule
Week / Week
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
14
15

Additional comments (including ways of amending the contract).

From you ______

______

From your instructor or supervisor ______

______

______

Student signature Instructor’s signature Witness’s signature

______

Date Date Date

Table 1.4. Progress Chart for Completion of Standard Weekly Assignments PART 1

Directions: Put an X in the box next to each assignment and above the date when completed. Allow enough time to read/study tutorials, and for discussions (record across bottom row).

Form / Item
15.2 / Evaluation of Experience
15.1 / Field Facilitator Evaluation
14.3 / Running a Program Checklist
14.2 / Collecting and Calculating Data
14.1 / Getting Ready to Run a Program
13.1 / Incidental Teaching Checklist
12.1 / Preferred Activity and Choice Checklist
11.2 / Shadowing Checklist
11.1 / Identify Shadow Opportunities
10.2 / Observe Shadowing
10.1 / Time Delay Checklist
8.4 / Field Facilitator Assessment
8.3 / Data Collection Form
8.2 / Task Analysis
8.1 / Least-to-Most Prompting Checklist
7.1 / Graduated Guidance Checklist
6.2 / Most-to-Least Prompting Data
6.1 / Most-to-Least Prompting Checklist
5.3 / Prompts Across the Day
5.2 / Discrete Trial Checklist
5.1 / Collecting Student Response Data
4.3 / Guided Observation
4.2 / Social Responsiveness Checklist
4.1 / Social Responsiveness Data Form
3.3-4 / Pref. Assessment Checklist and Scoring
3.2 / Assisting Teachers
3.1 / Guided Observation Preference
2.7-9 / Film consents and sheet
2.5, .6 / Description Setting
2.2- 4 / Agreements
2.1 / Contact information
1.1 / Individual Contract (optional)
Unit Discussions
WEEK / 1 / 2 / 3 / 4 / 5 / 6 / 7 / 8 / 9 / 10 / 11 / 12 / 13 / 14 / 15

Table 1.5. Skills Covered in the Professional Skills Assessment

Field Practicum Student’s Professional Skills
Is friendly (regularly looks directly at, smiles, greets people individually) and reinforcing (follows others’ actions with positive social consequences)
Listens respectfully (waits while they talk; responds to the point)
Clarifies confusions about roles and practices right away
Gives and responds with positive and constructive feedback
Is flexible (adjusts to new conditions)
Is helpful in the program and does more than is expected
States plans and expectations clearly
Undertakes responsibilities and plans time carefully
Meets responsibilities s/he has undertaken
Schedules time realistically
Completes responsibilities on schedule
Is prepared in advance of instructional sessions
Strives for excellence in written and oral communication
Is patient with his or her student(s)
Works productively with his or her student(s)
Makes a point of thanking people who go out of their way to help

Table 1.6 Suggested Grading Policy

PART 1

Activity / How many? / How graded / Relative weight
Competency-Based Checklists / 11 / Meets mastery standards set by instructor or revises to acceptable level, or excused from assignment / 60%
Field Assignments / 15 / Standards for mastery achieved, using feedback on draft report for revisions / 20%
Discussions / 14 § / Contribute and respond / 15%
Professionalism / 2 reports / Field facilitator ratings / 5%

PART 2

Activity / How many? / How graded / Relative weight
Field assignments / 42 / Meets mastery standards set by instructor or revises to acceptable level, or excused from assignment / 60%
Final project / 1 / Standards for mastery achieved, using feedback on draft report for revisions / 20%
Discussions / 14 § / Contribute and respond / 15%
Professionalism / 2 reports / Field facilitator ratings / 5%

§ Does not include vacation week

Figure 2.1

A Sample Letter to Send to the Administrator of the Organization

Your address

Date

Dear (Senior Administrator),

Allow me to tell you of an exciting opportunity we may find mutually beneficial—to your program as well as to me. I am enrolled as a student at ______in a course entitled “Field Practicum in Behavioral Analysis.” The course is designed to enable students to gain proficiency in the practice of applied behavior analysis (ABA) among clients with autism spectrum disorder. As you probably know, scientific studies have demonstrated these methods to be especially effective with this population.

Although my fellow students and I have solid knowledge of many important ABA concepts, now we need to begin to put that knowledge into practice. Consequently, we have been asked to locate a program serving a clientele with autism spectrum disorder, and to volunteer to participate in specific ways. Under the supervision of our ABA instructor, a person with advanced training and considerable experience in this field, and a volunteer local supervisor, identified by yourself, we are asked to spend a minimum of six§ hours a week at the site for purposes of:

1.  identifying one or more students

2.  practicing applying behavioral instruction by implementing a pre-selected set of discrete-
trial training programs

3.  after gaining fluency in implementing discrete-trial instruction, analyzing the need for and
selecting novel constructive instructional goals or objectives suited to each student and
approved by his or her primary educator (and/or parent)

4.  using an all positive approach to design and teach the student(s) to progress toward
those objectives

5.  Choosing or designing behavioral measures of the behavior of interest

6.  collecting performance data to track the students’ progress and as a basis for

7.  making sound revisions in the process

8.  incorporating indicated data-based revisions in the plan

9.  preparing a report summarizing the project

10.  submitting the report to our instructor

11.  assisting in other ways, as mutually determined

The program asks little of you and your staff, other than for your assistance in helping us identify a child with whom to work and an adult (i.e., a “field facilitator”) to handle local arrangements related to our weekly assignments. While, as I’m sure you know, we cannot guarantee success with a student, we do promise to make our best efforts.

I shall follow up this letter with a telephone call during the next few days.

Sincerely yours,

§ Number of hours may vary, depending on the number of credits for which you are registered.

Form 2.1 Contact Information

Note: All identifying information contained in this agreement will be distributed only to the named key parties and kept confidential, unless otherwise agreed to in writing by all of the individuals involved.

(Please print or type)

Name of Field Practicum Student / Address
Phone number / Best times to call
Email address / Fax number
Name of Course Instructor / Email address of Course Instructor
Phone number / Best times to call
Name of field setting (with permission of senior administrator) / Field setting address
Phone number / Best times to call
Email address / Fax number
Name of Senior Administrator / Name of Field Facilitator
Types of DVD recording or transmitting devices you have available / Other important information

Form 2.2