Functional Communication

Overview

Functional communication training (FCT) is a practice that came from the research on functional behavioral assessment (FBA). The purpose of FBA is to determine the purpose of a behavior that is interfering with a learner's growth and development, although this behavior may or may not be used to communicate (Doss & Reichle, 1989). These kinds of behaviors often are called "interfering behaviors" because they prevent the learner from learning key social, communication, and academic skills. Another name for interfering behavior is the target behavior.

For example, the FBA may determine that a seventh grader runs away from science class during group work to avoid the high noise level in the room. Once the FBA has determined the function of a single interfering behavior, or a group of behaviors that all serve the same function, FCT is used to teach a new, communicative behavior that replaces the interfering behavior (i.e., the communicative behavior serves the same purpose as the interfering/target behavior).

Using the previous example, the seventh grader may be taught to hand the teacher a card with a picture requesting that he work in the quiet library when the noise level becomes too much to handle. FCT typically involves teaching a new behavior while not providing reinforcement for the interfering behavior. Gradually, learners stop using the interfering behavior when they realize that it is no longer effective in getting them what they want.

Why Use FCT?

Functional communication training (FCT) is particularly useful with learners with ASD because of the communication problems associated with autism. Also, many learners with ASD engage in interfering behaviors, including those that are repetitive, stereotypical, and disruptive in nature. In fact, research suggests that there is a connection between communication difficulties and the resulting production of undesirable behaviors (Mancil, Conroy, Nakao, & Alter, 2006). That is, many learners with ASD engage in interfering behaviors because they do not have key social and communication skills that allow them to interact successfully with others.

Interfering behaviors often are problematic because of their effect on others (e.g., a learner with ASD who yells interferes with the learning of other students, a learner who bites may harm another student). Interfering behaviors also are problematic for learners with ASD because they slow their growth and development in other domains (e.g., adaptive, academic).

FCT is helpful for learners with ASD who are engaging in interfering behaviors and lack social-communication skills because they are systematically taught functional communicative acts that result in "marked reductions in the level of behavioral problems" (Carr & Kemp, 1989, p. 562). Furthermore, FCT facilitates functional and generalized communication skills that increase independence skills and improve the quality of life for individuals with ASD.

With FCT, learners are taught more developmentally appropriate forms of communication. For example, many learners with ASD engage in what is known as autistic leading, in which they take adults or peers by the hand and lead them to a desired object. FCT has been used successfully to replace autistic leading with more developmentally appropriate forms of communication, such as pointing (Carr & Kemp, 1989).

One advantage of FCT is that learners benefit from the reinforcement of a communicative partner's response, regardless of who that partner is. Some sophisticated behavioral programs, such as timeout, require that the communicative partner be trained in how to respond. However, simple requests for attention or assistance (like those taught in FCT) can be understood by many people in the community, and these partners are able to respond to the communication of people with disabilities (Durand & Merges, 2001, p. 115).

For example, a teenager on the bus may be able to point to a picture requesting "help," and the bus driver would be able to understand the message and help the teen count out his change. This scenario is far preferable to the same teen needing help but not being able to communicate that need and throwing his change at the driver!

Who Can Use FCT and Where Can It Be Used?

FCT can be used effectively with children and youth with ASD, regardless of cognitive level and/or expressive communicative abilities. For example, nonverbal, lower-functioning learners with ASD may learn to activate a speech-generating device (SGD) to request a break. Learners who are higher-functioning may be taught to say, "Please don't touch me," rather than hitting peers in line.

The evidence base shows that FCT is an effective practice that can be used with learners ranging from 3 to 15 years of age. Although FCT has been used with adults.

The studies that comprise this evidence base were conducted in clinical, school-based, and home environments. To promote generalization, it is important that FCT be implemented in multiple environments, such as school, vocational settings, group homes, and community sites (Durand & Merges, 2001). Home programs that involve training parents to implement FCT also have been shown to be successful (Mancil et al., 2006). Within these locations, training should take place anywhere the interfering behavior is exhibited.

For example, if a learner always uses autistic leading to request favorite books, FCT should not be limited to a therapy room, but should also take place in the classroom, in the library, and anywhere else the learner requests books.

To promote generalization of newly acquired skills, it is important to consider who will be helping provide the intervention. Although any adult with access to the learner may implement FCT, having the learner interact with multiple communicative partners helps the learner become skilled at communicating with different people, rather than becoming dependent on a specific partner.

Are Assessments Necessary Before Initiating an FCT Program?

A high-quality FBA should be completed prior to initiating FCT. Without an FBA, there is no way to identify a communicative behavior that serves the same purpose as the interfering behavior.

It is also important to know what methods of communication are easiest for the learner to use. For example, even though a learner is verbal, it may be difficult for him to use a verbal response in the heat of the moment. A verbal learner may find it easier to hand over a sentence strip saying, "I need a break," to the teacher when he becomes frustrated rather than speaking the same words.

Other communicative methods include signs, speech-generating devices (SGD), gestures, picture exchange, or picture pointing. Conversations with other professionals and family members who are close to the learner, as well as observations of the learner, are needed to obtain information regarding the most effective communicative method.

What Other Factors Should Be Considered Before Initiating an FCT Program?

Teachers/practitioners should talk with adults and peers who are potential communicative partners prior to their engagement with the learner, to teach them how to respond appropriately to the learner's use of the replacement behavior (Doss & Reichle, 1989). For example, communicative partners may be taught the meanings of signs, introduced to a speech-generating device (SGD), or taught the meaning of various pictures. Teachers/practitioners should explain to peers why it is important for them to respond to the communicative act in a certain way (e.g., "If Ben says, Leave me alone!' you must leave his space and find something else to do so that he learns to use these words instead of pushing."). Communicative partner training also must include directions on how to not reinforce the interfering behavior.

Certain environmental factors contribute to the success of FCT. For example, learners with ASD should be given opportunities to engage in choice-making, which provides them with some control of their day. Also, classes with heterogeneous populations, rather than classes full of learners with behavioral needs, may allow teachers to attend to the learner with ASD while other students are working independently. Finally, increased support in the classroom allows teachers and other adults to attend to the learner with ASD (Durand & Merges, 2001). For instance, additional staff may be needed when replacement behaviors are initially being taught. As learners become more independent with, and successful at, using new skills, any additional staff may be faded out of the environment.

Step-by-Step Instructions

The module authors have identified 13 steps to implement Functional Communication Training with fidelity. These include:

  • Identifying the Interfering Behaviors
  • Completing a Functional Behavioral Assessment
  • Identifying a Replacement Behavior as a Substitute for the Interfering Behavior
  • Designing and Implementing Data-Collection Procedures
  • Manipulating the Environment to Elicit the Interfering Behavior
  • Planning Opportunities for Generalization
  • Prompting Learners to Use Replacement Behavior
  • Not Reinforcing the Interfering Behavior
  • Providing Reinforcement
  • Shaping the Response
  • Fading the Use of Prompts
  • Increasing the Time Between the Replacement Behavior and Reinforcement, and
  • Monitoring Learner Progress

Step 1. Identifying the Interfering Behavior

Teachers/practitioners identify:

  • an inappropriate behavior (e.g., hitting, grunting, falling to the floor) that is serving some type of communicative function and that is being reinforced (perhaps unknowingly) so that it occurs on a regular basis; or
  • a subtle communicative attempt that can be replaced with a more socially accepted form of communication.

Teachers/practitioners (e.g., speech/language pathologist, paraprofessional) identify an interfering behavior or a subtle communicative form as the interfering behavior.

Potential interfering behaviors that individuals may use to communicate and are being reinforced (perhaps unknowingly) include:

  • interfering behaviors that may be repetitive, disruptive, and/or self-injurious; and
  • subtle forms of communications such as grunting, reaching, leading.

Step 2. Completing a Functional Behavioral Assessment (FBA)

Two parts of the FBA process are implemented by teachers or practitioners and serve as reminders to those who are experienced with the FBA process. Teachers/practitioners who are not familiar with FBA, are referred to the module on FBA (coming soon). A high-quality FBA consists of many discrete steps related to identifying the interfering behavior, collecting baseline data, developing a hypothesis statement, and testing the hypothesis. The information gathered and developed during these steps is helpful when implementing FCT.

Teachers/practitioners complete a high-quality FBA.

With FBA, teachers/practitioners use:

  • indirect assessment (e.g., interviews, record review, questionnaires); and
  • direct assessment (e.g., A-B-C observation) to create a hypothesis about the function of the interfering behavior and to determine what might be causing and reinforcing the behavior.

An FBA provides teachers/practitioners with a clear understanding of why learners engage in the interfering behavior.

Teachers/practitioners identify the function of the interfering behavior.

Data collection is a key part of a high-quality FBA and is essential for determining the function of the interfering behavior. The function of the interfering behavior may include one of the following:

  • gaining attention (e.g., a teenager screams to get attention from staff);
  • escape (e.g., a boy bites his hand so that he is removed from math class);
  • gaining access to tangible/edible items (e.g., a girl grabs cookies from her friend's hand); or
  • acquiring automatic sensory stimuli (e.g., a learner flaps his hands during language arts).

Data also provide baseline information that is critical for planning effective interventions. Considerations for planning interventions include identifying:

  • antecedents of the interfering behavior (i.e., what happens to precipitate the behavior) and consequences (i.e., what happens after the behavior that might be maintaining it);
  • environments where the interfering behavior occurs;
  • people involved with the learner when the interfering behavior occurs; and
  • frequency and intensity of the interfering behavior.

Step 3. Identifying a Replacement Behavior as a Substitute for the Interfering Behavior

Teachers/practitioners identify a replacement behavior that serves the same function as the interfering behavior and that will serve as a substitute.

In general, a replacement behavior should allow the learner to get what he wants just as easily, or more easily, than the interfering behavior. The learner has little incentive to use a replacement behavior if it is less efficient than the interfering behavior.

Teachers/practitioners select a form of communication (e.g., signing, verbalizations, pictures) that is appropriate for the learner.

Depending on the learner, the replacement behavior may be delivered through verbalizations (e.g., words), signs, gestures, pointing, the use of a picture exchange communication system (PECS), or a speech-generating device (SGD).

Teachers/practitioners choose a replacement behavior that is efficient.

The replacement behavior should be simple enough to:

  • be taught in a short amount of time; and
  • allow the learner to quickly acquire the behavior and gain access to the reinforcement.

If learners are asked to produce a complicated replacement behavior, they may revert back to the undesirable interfering behavior.

Teachers/practitioners identify a replacement behavior that is acceptable and appropriate for both the environment and the learner.

The replacement behavior should be appropriate for the learner's environment and be a task or activity that the learner can or will do. For example, teaching a seventh-grade student to hold up a large picture of a toilet to request a bathroom break is not acceptable in an inclusive middle school setting because it may invite unnecessary teasing from classmates. In this situation, it may be more appropriate to teach the student the manual sign for toilet.

Teachers/practitioners choose a replacement behavior that is recognized by multiple communicative partners.

If the replacement behavior is not recognizable to others, partners may not respond, and the interfering behavior may not occur less frequently. Teaching a learner with significant needs who is difficult to understand to say, "I need help with this," may not be an appropriate use of FCT. If the sentence is difficult to understand, partners may not provide the reinforcement (assistance) consistently. As a result, the interfering behavior will not decrease. However, if the same learner is taught to sign, "Help," communicative partners can more quickly recognize the communication and provide reinforcement.

It is worth noting that with sign language, it may be that the communicative act is recognizable to a limited group: either to people who understand sign language or, even more limiting, to a select group of people who have learned an individual learner's version of signed words. Other forms of communication, including pictures and speech-generating devices, may be easier to generalize to multiple environments.

Teachers/practitioners incorporate the learner's ability to get someone's attention into the replacement behavior if necessary.

Teachers/practitioners should recognize that learners using nonverbal communicative forms (e.g., signing, pointing to pictures) may need to gain the attention of the communicative partner prior to making requests. Gaining the attention of others before making a request is particularly relevant if initial practice of the instruction in FCT occurs where the learner already has the communicative partner's attention (e.g., traditional one-on-one therapy at a table). In other environments, the learner may be unable to use the replacement behavior successfully if the partner is not aware of the learner's desire to communicate.

For example, a learner may be signing, "Help," while his assistant is working to another student. The replacement behavior could be to first touch the communicative partner's shoulder and then produce the sign.

In summary, the replacement behavior should be one that is easily taught, is agreed to be appropriate by all team members (including classroom teachers, assistants, special education staff, parents, and, potentially, the learner), and is easily understood by communicative partners. Most important, the replacement behavior should result in the learner's ability to be rewarded by positively communicating their needs to partners.

Step 4. Designing and Implementing Data-Collection Procedures

Teachers/practitioners implement data-collection procedures that are functional, meaningful, and available to the team members who are responsible for data collection.

Teachers/practitioners design and then implement data-collection procedures that are functional, meaningful, and useful for the team. When designing data-collection procedures, teachers/practitioners collect data (in the same way they were collected during the FBA) to monitor learner progress, to determine the effectiveness of FCT, and to identify ways in which the intervention needs to be modified if the learner is still using the interfering behavior more often than the replacement behavior.

Data are collected:

  • before FCT is implemented (typically during the FBA process); and
  • during the implementation of FCT (e.g., weekly).

Baseline data are gathered during the FBA process. For more detailed information on collecting baseline data, please review the FBA Steps for Implementation, Step 3 (coming soon)

Data collected during the implementation of FCT will be used to monitor its effectiveness. Typically, data are collected on the same variables during the FBA, the preintervention phase (or baseline), and the intervention.

Data collection focuses on:

  • antecedents;
  • prompts required to produce the replacement behavior;
  • frequency of the replacement behaviors;
  • frequency of the target interfering behaviors; and
  • consequences of the behavior.

See example to the right.

Data collection allows teachers/practitioners to determine if the replacement behavior is decreasing the incidence of the interfering behavior. Data may also be compared to baseline data to determine overall progress and to provide information on the consistency or changing functions of behaviors. In addition, data allow team members to monitor the level of prompting required to use the replacement behavior.