OCALI and Autism Internet Modules

OCALI and Autism Internet Modules

Ohio Center for Autism and Low Incidence (OCALI) - ocali.org

The OCALI website contains up-to-date news on Autism Spectrum Disorders and resources for professionals to use or to share with parents. The website allows navigation by topic and media type. For example, at the top of the OCALI website, there are drop down menus that say “Find content about: Autism in: Webinars or Videos”.

AutismCenter:

The AutismCenter link on the website provides assessment resources for parents and professionals, whether they are looking for an initial assessment or are attempting to track and document progress.There are links listed under “Learn about Autism” that provide information on proposed causes, prevalence, characteristics, diagnosis information, and definitions of Autism, Asperger’s, PDD, etc. The AutismCenter makes it easy to stay up-to-date and find bits of information that may be shared with parents.

OCALIFamilyCenter:

This section includes resources that may be provided to families, such as guides and a Services and Support database. There is a Parent Guide that was written by Ohio parents and can be downloaded fully or by chapter. Some of the relevant chapters for parents of children with ASD receiving EI services include “Living with ASD,” “Interventions,” “References and Resources” (books, websites and organizations that provide help, support, and information for families supporting a child with ASD.)

The guide also contains an appendix on PDD and Useful Forms such as a developmental milestones sheet, parent record-keeping worksheet, and diagnostic assessments.

DisabilitiesCenter:

The DisabilitiesCenterincludes webinars, videos, articles and links involving disabilities and delays other than ASP, such as vision or hearing impairments, fetal alcohol spectrum disorders, and traumatic brain injury (TBI).

The OCALI website links to 2 other useful sites.

Center for Systems Change

This site provides up to date news about Autism in schools, politics, funding, insurance debates, views of autism by different groups, etc.

Assistive Technology Internet Modules

Signing up for this site is free, and there are only 2 current modules. There are 39 upcoming modules about the use of assistive technology in different age groups for individuals with autism, including early childhood self care, transitioning, functional life tasks, and play.

Autism Internet Modules:

“The Autism Internet Modules were developed with one aim in mind: to make comprehensive, up-to-date, and usable information on autism accessible and applicable to educators, other professionals, and families who support individuals with autism spectrum disorders (ASD). Written by experts from across the U.S., all online modules are free, and are designed to promote understanding of, respect for, and equality of persons with ASD.”

On the AIM website there are 37 current modules that can be accessed and 34 upcoming modules.The website provides information that can be used by professionals and parents about recognizing autism, providing support to individuals with ASD, and methods and strategies that have been proven through research to work with individuals with ASD.

To access the site you can go to:

Creating a log in is free and provides access to all of the currently completed modules. The modules are separated into 5 categories: “Recognizing Autism” “Autism at Home,” “Autism in the Classroom,” “Autism in the Workplace,” “Autism in the Community.”There are 29 modules listed under “Autism in the Home” that may be helpfulfor EI service providers.

Each module contains: An Introduction, and Pre-assessment, an Overview of the practice, Objectives, CEC Professional Standards, a definition of the practice, how and why it is to be implemented, step by step instructions for implementation, case study examples, the evidence-base, a summary, FAQ, citations and additional resources, and a post-assessment.

Within each section’s resources, there are documents that include printable implementation instructions, implementation checklists (for planning, intervention, and monitoring progress), and data collection sheets.

Each module will provide you with an estimated time frame for completion. These time frames range from 1 hour to about 2.5 hours. However, when a module is opened, you are able to access the different components out of sequence and will not need to complete the full module to obtain information or resources.

The National Professional Development Center on Autism Spectrum Disorders—one of AIM’s partners—promotes the use of Evidence Based Practices to benefit individuals with ASD. They have highlighted 9 of the modules in the “Autism at Home” category that are based on Evidence Based Practices that are proven to be most useful for individuals with ASD from ages 0-3. Both the NationalProfessionalDevelopmentCenteron Autism Spectrum Disorders website, and the AIM website, have information on the research design, data, and results of the peer-reviewed, published studies used to classify these techniques as Evidence Based Practices.

Discrete trial training (DTT)

Discrete Trial Training is a behavioral technique based on the principles of ABA and used to teach new skills.DTT can be used with children who are having difficulty with communication, participating in adult-led activities or behavior, or with play and social interaction skills. DTT encourages learning by breaking target skills down into small steps that can be isolated and repeated. The individual is rewarded upon completion and mastery of these smaller steps. Each trial should begin with a prompt or antecedent, which encourages a response that should be the target skill, and is followed by a reward or reinforcer that is referred to as a “consequence”. Reinforcers can include concrete rewards or praise from important adults. Antecendents and consequences should be implemented carefully and consistently to reinforce the desired behavior or skill.

Naturalistic Intervention

Naturalistic intervention is a collection of different practices, which include environmental arrangement, interaction strategies, and other techniques based on the principles of ABA. The main goal of Naturalistic Intervention is to use the individual’s interests, which are naturally reinforcing, to build more complex and appropriate skills to be used in communication and social settings. Naturalistic intervention is implemented in any setting or interaction that is part of the child’s existing daily routine.

Parent Implemented Intervention

Parent-Implemented Intervention is an evidence based practice used to increase communication skills and reduce “interfering behaviors.” This practice encourages parents to think about, create, and directly implement customized intervention strategies that are based on their child’s strengths and limitations. Parents can use these interventions in the home or in the community to improve their child’s performance on a particular task and reduce any behaviors that may impede learning.

Picture Exchange Communication Systems (PECS)

Picture Exchange Communication Systems can be used to manage the communication deficits that are often present in individuals with ASD that can often cause or exaggerate behavioral difficulties. PECS is commonly used to encourage communication with others to express wants and needs and to interact socially. PECSmay also increase verbal communication and reduce behavior problems. PECS can be used across home and community settings with various different people.

Pivotal Response

The ultimate goal of pivotal response is to provide individuals with ASD with educational and social/communication skillsto have rich, meaningful, and satisfying experiences, especially in integrated settings. Pivotal response can also be used by peers and siblings to encourage increased communication and social interaction during play activities. It can be used in all home and community settings and should utilize the objects and activities that interest and motivate the child. This method builds on motivation and responses to multiple cues to teach and encourage self-management and social initiations.

Prompting

Prompting includes any action that assists children in using a specific skill. Prompts are most often given by an adult (parent or professional) or peer before or during a new activity or the use of a new skill. Prompting can be used to teach children how to seek information, point to objects, identify objects, and remain focused. Prompting is used to increase the chances and amount of times that an individual with ASD will use target skills appropriately.With prompting, professionals and parents will systematically use and remove prompts so that children will begin to perform skills on their own.

Reinforcement

Reinforcement increases the likelihood that a child will use a particular behavior. The ultimate goal of reinforcement when used with individuals with ASD is to teach new skills and encourage their continued use/mastery over time in a variety of home and community settings with many different individuals. This is accomplished through the systematic use of reinforcement schedules. As children begin to master the target skills, reinforcement is gradually reduced. When used successfully, reinforcement of behaviors usually results in mastery of the skill that is consistent across various settings and situations.

Structured Work Systems

Structured teaching is a visually based approach to creating structured environments for individuals with ASD in different home and community settings. Structured teaching encourages independence by using strategies designed according to the individuals strengths and needs. Structured teaching combines visual schedules, routines, work systems, and task organization. These work systems can be used consistently in all settings and at any age.

Time Delay

Time delay can be used to teach individuals with ASD skills related to language/communication, play, school readiness, and social interactions. With time delay, parents and professionals use learning trials in which an initial cue or stimulus is used, followed by a prompt, to teach new skills. As children begin to master new skills, professionals increase the time interval between the initial cue and the prompts by using either constant or progressive time delay.