The document summarizes the Philadelphia AIMS (Autism Instructional Methods Study) program and its extended school year program. The study aims to implement evidence-based autism interventions in K-2 grade classrooms and compare the effectiveness of the STAR (Strategies for Teaching based on Autism Research) program versus a structured teaching approach. It provides details on the intervention conditions, classroom and student characteristics, an overview of the STAR program methodology including pivotal response training, and next steps to sustain and expand the program.

1. Philadelphia AIMS:
Autism Instructional Methods Study
+
Extended School Year
Ayan Hussein
University of Georgia
Mentored by David Mandell, ScD
Penn Medicine, Dept. of Psychiatry
The Children's Hospital of Philadelphia Center for Autism Research
1

2. Background
 What is the Extended School Year
Program?
 What is Philly AIMS?
2

3. Background
 What is Autism? A complex developmental
disorder
 Prevalence of Autism:
◦ 1 in 110 children
◦ growing at a rate of 10-17 percent per year
◦ boy:girl 4:1
 Exhibit impairments in communication,
social interaction, repetitive patterns of
behavior, unusual responses to sensory
experiences and resistance to change
3

4. Aim of Philly AIMS
 Implement evidence-based autism
interventions
 Year 1:Structured Teaching vs. Strategies for Teaching based on
Autism Research (STAR) Program
 Year 2: practice effects?
 Year 03: Sustainable?
 How? Work with existing K-2 grade
autism support classrooms
4

5. Intervention Conditions
STAR Structured Teaching
 3 teaching strategies  Visual instructions +
◦ Discrete trial training verbal directions
◦ Functional routines  Specific classroom
◦ Pivotal response training setup
 Paired with curriculum
content in 6 areas  Task have clear
◦ Receptive language beginnings and ends,
◦ Expressive language and instructions on
◦ Spontaneous language
how to transition to
◦ Functional routines
the next activity
◦ Pre-academic skills  Reliance on physical
◦ Play & social concepts prompts, which are
gradually removed
5

6. Example of Structured Teaching
 Visual Schedule
Bathroom
Spelling
Recess
Reading
Math CCC Lab
6

7. Classroom Characteristics (n=33)
STAR ST p
Teacher Characteristics N=18 N=15
Years of autism teaching experience (%)
≤3 years 61.1 60.0 .948
>3 years 38.9 40.0
Program fidelity by end of the observation period 57% 48%
Low 0.12-0.49 0.17-0.42
Moderate 0.5-0.68 0.43-0.54 .003
High 0.69-0.92 0.55-0.71
Hours of training/support (hours)
Low 15-44 0-11
Moderate 45-62 12-23 .001
High 63-72 23.25-27
Student Characteristics (n = 121) N=62 N=59
Male (%) 82.3 89.8 .231
Race/Ethnicity (%)
Black 70.9 35.6
Hispanic 1.6 15.3
White 19.4 32.2 .001
Other 8.1 16.9
Student age in years (mean, SD) 6.2 (.43) 6.3 (.77) .738
DAS score at Time 1 (mean, SD)
ADOS algorithm severity score at Time 1 (mean, SD) 6.7 (1.11) 6.7 (.95) .454
7

8. Change in DAS verbal by group
8

9. Overview of STAR Program
 Utilizes Applied Behavioral Analysis (ABA)
instructional methods such as:
◦ Discrete Trials (DT)
◦ Functional Routines (FR)
◦ Pivotal Response Training (PRT)
 Areas of focus include receptive language,
expressive language, spontaneous language,
functional routines, academic, play and social
skills
9

10. Pivotal Response Training
 A naturalistic intervention that uses the child’s
interests to teach skills such as language and
play.
 Benefits: increase language and play skills,
improve academic performance and reduce
disruptive behavior in children with autism
10

11. Example of PRT Sequence
Cue Response Consequence Pause
Child reaches Child says “car” Teacher lets the Child plays with
for a toy car child hold the the car for 5-10
held by the car seconds
teacher
Teacher
Teacher holds observes level
the car and says of play to
“car” prepare for
(attempting a next trial.
verbal
imitation)
**Language Trial
11

12. Example of PRT Sequence
Cue Response Consequence Pause
Child reaches Child imitates Teacher lets Child continues
for car on the the teacher’s child hold the to play with car,
track, child action and car and spin the while teacher
wants to spin pushes the car wheels as a observes and
the wheels. reward for prepares for
responding next cue.
Teacher holds
the car and says
“Do this.”
**Play trial
12

13. PRT Throughout the Day
Example Snack
Student Reaches for the pretzels in the middle of the snack
table
Teacher Blocks student access to the pretzels and waits for
spontaneous response
Student Says “eat please”
Teacher Allows the child to take a pretzel
13

14. When presenting toys…
 Be mindful of the child’s level
◦ Level I: Non-verbal or bubbling
 Bubbles, balloons, music producing toys, squishy balls
◦ Level II: Single words to simple phrases
 Include train sets, farm sets, car with garage
◦ Level III: More complex language
 Items from Level I & II plus building sets, dress up, kitchen
sets with pretend foods
14

15. My Role…
Lets Play!!!
And collect
data
15

16. WHAT’S NEXT FOR
PHILLY AIMS?
Continue to implement peer-reviewed
interventions in the Great Philadelphia Area
Search for best ways to create partnership with
the Philadelphia School District
Find ways to sustain the program
Aim of Year 3 of Philly AIMS
16

17. Thank you!
17