ABA-International Conference 2009 blog: "The Use of Technology to Promote Independence and Social Acceptance in Adolescences with Autism"

After a good, but admittedly tiring, five days at the Association for Behavior Analysis International annual convention, it was enjoyable to finish out with a very interesting session looking at use of modern, and commonly used electronic technology to assist with teaching or supporting students on the autism spectrum in community skills, while simultaneously reducing the intrusiveness of a prompting instructor in close proximity.

Some useful ideas were directly suggested by the presentations, and the session also provided inspiration in taking advantage of affordable, readily available general market technologies to not only provide some instructional advantages to in situ instruction, but possibly also be normative and "cool".

While the presentations themselves will be posted at the Mission for Educating Children with Autism (MECAAutism) website in the coming week, some presented video clips showed the impact of adding technology to community instruction:

A student who previously needed direct prompting to initiate, participate and transition between fitness activities at a fitness club, not only being successul in the target skills, but also showed observable enthusiasm when favorite music from an IPod was included in the activities, and improved successful transitioning between machines when a verbal cue was included in the breaks between songs,
Two students making purchases in a convenience store without close shadowing through Bluetooth prompting, and,
A student who previously had difficulty initiating and completing toothbrushing, completing the sequence chain when given support of a DVD player providing video modelling..

Some observations worth noting, from the discussant, Peter Gerhardt--when doing community based instruction,

"the community is your classroom",
that if it may take a thousand trials to teach an academic skill, why is that the number of learning opportunities in community-based instruction is often limited to 1X per week, limiting intensity of practice required to make efficient progress for the student?,
to consider that even though the lore is that non-verbal prompting is considered superior to verbal prompting, in the real everyday world of the general population--it is verbal prompting that is the "coin of the realm", and
appreciatively noting that the studies included some measurement of the affect of the participants in the studies.

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#559 International Symposium
5/26/2009
12:00 p.m. - 1:20 p.m.
North 125
AUT/EDC; Applied Behavior Analysis
The Use of Technology to Promote Independence and Social Acceptance in Adolescences with Autism
Chair: Gloria M. Satriale (PAAL)
Discussant: Peter F. Gerhardt (Organization for Autism Research)

Abstract:

A variety of technological devices are commonly utilized in the natural environment to improve our productivity and organization. However, there are limited number of studies conducted to assess the effectiveness of such technology for people with autism, particularly for adolescents and adults with autism and especially targeted to promote greater independent functioning within the community. This session is designed to introduce three studies in which authors plan to examine the effects of assistive technology in order to promote independence and increase social acceptance in the community of adolescents with autism. Participants will be adolescents with moderate to severe autism between the ages of 15 to 21. All three studies will use multiple baseline treatment designs across students, across environments, and/ or across behaviors. The data will be collected 3 to 5 times per week over 2-months periods. The authors hope to demonstrate the effective use of assistive technology for adolescents with autism and to promote the widespread use of technology for people with autism and other disabilities.

Use of Bluetooth Technology to Promote Independent Responding in the Community: Reducing Stigma of Prompting.
Gloria M. Satriale (PAAL), AVI GLICKMAN (PAAL), Kaori Nepo (PAAL), Emily E. Genter (Teacher - PAAL), George Jennings (PAAL)

Abstract:

The use of technology is one of great ways to improve our productivity and organization. Although there are not many studies available about the use of technology, especially in the community, it is hypothesized that people with developmental disabilities can benefit from current technology. The proposed study is designed to replicate the study by Satriale, Nepo, & Chance (2007) to evaluate the effects of technology to promote independence and social acceptance in the community for adolescents with autism. Participants in this study will be two male students diagnosed with moderate to severe autism between the ages of 15-21. Verbal prompts to complete tasks will be delivered through Bluetooth Technology and a remote cell phone. Multiple baseline treatment designs across behaviors/ environments will be used. The data will be collected 3-5 times per week over 2 month period. Social validity data will be also collected to assess the use of technology being perceived as less stigmatizing. Authors hope to demonstrate the positive effects of Bluetooth technology on reducing stigma, increasing social acceptance, thereby improving independence.

Use of Visual and Auditory Prompts via Watchminder and IPod to Promote Independent Engagement in Leisure/Exercise Routines.
EMILY E. GENTER (Teacher - PAAL), Gloria M. Satriale (PAAL), Kaori Nepo (PAAL), Avi Glickman (PAAL), Lisa Boccio (PAAL)

Abstract:

Advancement of technology has made implementation of assistive technology across environments easier, especially in the community due to the improved portability. The visual schedule can be programmed in the portable watch-like device (Watchminder) and the auditory prompts with music can be recorded on MP3 players such as IPods. The present study is designed to examine the effective use of technology (Watchminder and IPod) to promote independent functioning of adolescents with autism in the community. Two students diagnosed with moderate to severe autism between the ages of 15 to 21 will participate in the present study. Students will receive visual prompts through Watch Minder and/or auditory prompts through IPod to follow their exercise routines at the local fitness center. The data will be collected 3-5 times per week over 2 months period. Authors plan to demonstrate the effects of the use of current technology to promote independence and social acceptance of adolescents with autism by delivering visual prompts via a Watchminder and auditory prompts via IPod.

The Use of Video Modeling to Promote Independence in Self Caring Skills of Adolescents with Autism.
KAORI NEPO (PAAL), Gloria M. Satriale (PAAL), Emily E. Genter (Teacher - PAAL), Avi Glickman (PAAL), Jess Zawacki (PAAL)

Abstract:

The video modeling has been used as an effective teaching method to teach various skills including academic skills and social skills for children with autism. Despite the proven effectiveness, there are limited number of studies have been conducted for adolescents with autism. Now, more modes of technology are available to implement video modeling across environments including portable DVD players and digital picture frames. This study was designed to assess the effects of a video modeling via digital picture frames and water proof portable DVD players to enhance independence of adolescents with autism during showering and hygiene routines. The multiple baseline treatment design will be used across students diagnosed with moderate to severe autism. The data will be collected 3 to 5 times per week over 2 months. Authors hope to demonstrate the effectiveness of video modeling via digital picture frames and water proof DVD players to enhance independent functioning of students with autism and to increase social acceptance in the community.