The document provides information on effective program writing for an individual named Sheldon. It includes a summary of Sheldon's client meeting where he discussed likes, dislikes, and goals. A functional assessment was also conducted to identify functions and teach alternatives to problematic behaviors. Baseline data was collected on Sheldon's ability to remain calm and share his thoughts when faced with changes. The data showed he needed improvement in these areas. Suggestions are provided to use skill acquisition and fading methods over the next two weeks. Effective teaching strategies like chaining, fading, shaping, modeling, and generalization are also explained.

1. ef-fec-tive adjective ih-fek-tiv : adequate to accomplish a
purpose; producing the intended or expected result:

2. In the Person Centered Process 3 things need to occur before an
effective program can be written
Client meeting
Functional Assessment
Running Baseline Data

3. The Client meeting
 My name is Sheldon. I live in an apartment with my room mate Leonard. I work at
Cal Tech a day program that provides vocational training.
 The thing I like best about my life is my room mate. We have a good relationship
and he respects my boundaries.
 What I don’t like at home is how my roommate’s girlfriend is always there.
 My girlfriend lives on the other side of town. We get to go out together sometimes,
but I would like to see her more. I don’t need supervision to visit her, but I can’t get
transportation to visit her more than once a week or so. I can’t walk that far, I don’t
know how to take the bus, and even if I did, I don’t like being around strangers.
 I like my staff at work, but I get bored sometimes. I don’t make much money and
can’t afford to go on a decent vacation trip.

4. The Functional Assessment
Identify Functions & Teach Alternatives
Use the A,B,C’s to identify the function of behavior
Teach & Reinforce Positive Alternative (Replacement) Behaviors that provide the
desired function, are effective, & practical for the person
Problem
Behavior
To Get
Internal
Stimulation
Social Event
Attention
Activity or
Thing
To Avoid
Internal
Stimulation
Social Event
Attention
Activity or
Thing

5. Running Baseline Data
Identify Functions & Teach Alternatives
Baseline data helps us to identify if our goals and objectives have the correct number of
prompts and supports. We learn where to start in order to have the program successfully
completed in one year.
What adjustments would you make based on the baseline data above? (What is done well?
What needs to improve? What steps should be added?)

6. Running Baseline Data
Identify Functions & Teach Alternatives
# Add the steps you plan to teach 11/1 11/2 11/3 11/4 11/5 11/6 11/7
1 Figure out what exactly is changing I I I I I I I
2 Ask questions for clarification. A I I P I A I
3 Remain calm and relaxed. A 4P 3P 3P A 2P 2P
4 Calmly share what you think. P 2P 3P 3P P 3P A
5 Figure out how you can live with the change 2P 2P 3P P 2P 3P A
Week One
Week Two

7. Running Baseline Data
Identify Functions & Teach Alternatives
Sheldon showed difficulty remaining calm and calmly sharing his thoughts. He did well
with figuring out what was changing and asking clarification questions. He had difficulty
trying to figure out how to live without the change. There were a maximum of 5 prompts
so that it didn’t appear we were badgering Sheldon.
We believe using a skill acquisition method and will also add fading within the next two
weeks may be effective since he has practiced the new skill
# Add the steps you plan to teach 11/1 11/2 11/3 11/4 11/5 11/6 11/7
1 Figure out what exactly is changing I I I I I I I
2 Ask questions for clarification. A I I P I A I
3 Remain calm and relaxed. A 4P 3P 3P A 2P 2P
4 Calmly share what you think. P 2P 3P 3P P 3P A
5 Figure out how you can live with the change 2P 2P 3P P 2P 3P A
Week Two

8. Teaching Strategies
Chaining
Fading
Shaping
Modeling
Generalization

9. 9
Teaching One Step at a Time
• Works for:
• Behaviors that occur at set times, with steps that always happen
the same way
• Behaviors that the person is not able to do all the steps
Chaining

10. Chaining Example

11. Teaching Strategies: Fading
11
• Gradually Reducing Assistance or Cues so that the behavior is
done more independently
• Use on tasks a person can do with assistance
• Three ways to reduce assistance
• Number of Prompts
• Type/ Level of Assistance
• Duration of Assistance
• Criteria for Reinforcement
• Baseline- determine current level
• Use the 50% rule
• Make small decreases in assistance

12. Fading Example
Demonstrates 5 targeted behaviors in taking directions from staff or other authority
figures with 5 prompts or less from staff during role plays for 10 consecutive days
Demonstrates 5 targeted behaviors in taking directions from staff or other authority
figures with 4 prompts or less from staff during role plays for 10 consecutive days
Demonstrates 5 targeted behaviors in taking directions from staff or other authority
figures with 3 prompts or less from staff during role plays for 10 consecutive days
Demonstrates 5 targeted behaviors in taking directions from staff or other authority
figures with 2 steps or less from staff during role plays for 10 consecutive days
Demonstrates 5 targeted behaviors in taking directions from staff or other authority
figures with 1 prompt or less from staff during role plays for 10 consecutive days

13. Fading & Skill Acquisition Example
Describes reasons for improving direction taking skills with prompting, 3/3
reasons for 5 consecutive opportunities
Describes 5 targeted behaviors for taking directions, using picture cue cards, 5/5
descriptions for 5 consecutive opportunities
Describes 5 targeted behaviors for taking directions, without cue cards or
prompts, 5/5 descriptions for 5 consecutive opportunities
Demonstrates 5 targeted behaviors in taking directions from staff or other
authority figures with modeling and verbal prompts from staff during role plays
for 10 consecutive days
Demonstrates 5 targeted behaviors in taking directions from staff or other
authority figures without prompts during role plays for 10 consecutive days

14. Teaching Strategies: Shaping
14
• Reinforcing small approximations/ improvements
toward the desired performance level
• Used with complex behaviors that do not have steps that
consistently occur in the same order
• Most social behaviors are good targets for shaping, e.g.
conversation skills, eating manners
• Baseline to determine what the critical elements of the
behavior
• Need a strong reinforcer
• Start by reinforcing any improvement or target specific small
improvements
• Increase expectations following the 50% rule for
reinforcement

15. Shaping Example
Demonstrates 1 or more targeted behaviors associated with taking directions
without prompts for 10 consecutive days
Demonstrates 2 or more targeted behavior associated with taking directions
without prompts for 10 consecutive days
Demonstrates 3 or more targeted behavior associated with taking directions
without prompts for 10 consecutive days
Demonstrates 4 or more targeted behavior associated with taking directions
without prompts for 10 consecutive days
Demonstrates 5 or more targeted behavior associated with taking directions
without prompts for 30 consecutive days

16. Teaching Strategies: Modeling
16
• Demonstrating a behavior and reinforcing it being
repeated correctly
• Use with simple behaviors- usually one –three steps
• Decide best method for the behavior
• Get the individual’s attention
• Demonstrate the behavior clearly
• Reinforce immediately after the behavior is repeated
• Various techniques can be used including
• Behavior Rehearsal
• Role Playing
• Set- Up Situations

17. Teaching Strategies: Encouraging
Generalization
 We should teach so the person learns to use the skill in each situation
it is needed. This is known as “generalization across situations”
 The more situations in which we teach a skill, the easier it will be for the
individual to then generalize & use the skill in new situations.
 Functional or meaningful skills should provide opportunities to teach in many
different situations

18. Modeling To Increase Generalization
Demonstrates 5 targeted behaviors in taking directions from staff without
prompts during role play situations for 10 consecutive days
Demonstrates 5 targeted behaviors in taking directions from staff without
prompts during real life situations at home for 10 consecutive days
Demonstrates 5 targeted behaviors in taking directions from staff or other
authority figures during real life situations in the community without prompts for
10 consecutive opportunities
Demonstrates 5 targeted behaviors in taking directions from staff or other
authority figures during real life situations in the community or at home without
prompts for 30 consecutive days

19. Teaching Strategies: Encouraging
Generalization
 Increasing generalization can be a function of the conditions in
Program Goals & Objectives
 Two ways to encourage generalization include:
1.Include different teachers, materials, & locations during all of the teaching
process – May work best overall, but makes learning the skill harder at first.
2.A second way to teach an individual to generalize a skill is to include different
situations toward the end of the teaching process.

20. Ineffective Program Writing Issues
Program goals not challenging
• Sheldon will express his difficulty with closure
Sheldon does this already clearly. He recognized the annoyance, expressed it and
worked to get closure by trying to find out the end of the TV show.
Behaviors targeted were not specific, observable, measurable, or
achievable within one-year
• Sheldon will express his difficulty with closure
How will Sheldon express this feeling? Verbally, Written, Puppet Theatre
Are there steps to a program for Sheldon to use? How many steps?
What criteria will he need to achieve?

21. Ineffective Program Writing Issues
Program contain too many behavioral outcomes
 Sheldon will express his difficulty with closure, talk to his therapist and journal
his emotions.
Sheldon has three behavioral outcomes in this program. What is the thing you
want Sheldon to actually do? This one behavior should address the hypothesis
from your functional assessment.
Program objectives are not developmentally sequenced
 Sheldon will express his difficulty with closure with Assistance
 Sheldon will express his difficulty with closure with no assistance
 Sheldon will express his difficulty with closure with 1 prompt or less.

22. Programs are how we provide support
Programs should address priority needs
Individual priorities expressed by the individual
I want to save money so I can take a vacation
Health & safety related needs
I want to lose weight
Needs related to restrictions of rights
I want to eat healthy so I can keep my own food
Needs related to use of psychoactive medications
I want to get over my anger so I don’t have to take medication
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23. The goal of teaching is to support individuals with disabilities to live
independently & with as much enjoyment as possible
• The more we are able to teach an individual, generally the more control that
person has over their life
• Learning new skills & behaviors tends to increase the value the individual &
others see in the individual’s life
The Learning Process
• Skill acquisition (learning new skill)
• Fluency (practicing until easily used)
• Generalization (using the skill in other situations/ activities.)
• Maintenance (individual uses the skill independently)
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24. 3 Most common difficulties in learning
The task or skill is too complex the way it is presented
• Use a task analysis to break it down (as done in chaining)
• Use effective prompts to make it clear before fading them
out (as done in fading)
• Start with expectations that are within reach (as done in
shaping)
There is not adequate practice
There is not adequate reinforcement
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