This document provides information on supporting individuals with autism spectrum disorders and significant disabilities. It begins by outlining the goals of the training which are for participants to know, understand, and do. It then discusses characteristics of autism spectrum disorders including development rates, cognition, communication, sensory processing, social participation, and activities. It also provides facts about autism such as prevalence, age of onset, and lifetime costs. The document discusses evidence-based practices and supports including visual supports, structure, routines, and modifying the physical environment. It focuses on promoting social competence and interaction skills for individuals with autism.

1. +
Providing Support for Individuals with Autism Spectrum
Disorders and Significant Disabilities
Angela Johnston
Suzanne Holmes-Bunde
Wendy Acri

2. +
By the end of this training, all
participants will:
 Know
 Understand
 Do

3. +
Characteristics:
Autism Spectrum
Disorders

4. Autistic Disorder
Asperger’s
Syndrome
Pervasive
Developmental Disorder
Not Otherwise Specified
(PDD-NOS)
Rett’sSyndrome
Children’s Disintegrative
Disorder

5. +

6. Developmental Rate and Sequences:
+
Implications
• May have unusual or peak skills
• Uneven skill development
• Skill development may not follow normal developmental
patterns

7. +
Cognition:
Implications
• Inconsistent intellectual
responses
• May function nearly
normally in one or more
intellectual areas
• Difficulties with imitation
• Low cognitive skills

8. +
Communication: Implications
• Lacks understanding of body language, gestures,
facial expressions and hand signals
• Difficulties with conversational turn-taking
• May use immediate or delayed echolalia; repeats
questions
• Unusual language structure
• Unusual intonation, tone, pitch, rate and/or rhythm
• Speech can be literal or concrete (doesn’t
understand metaphors, jokes, idioms, sarcasm or
humor)
• Deficits in expressive/receptive language; skills
range from no communication to adequate speech
with idiosyncrasies

9. • +
Appears to be hearing impaired;
unpredictable response to sounds
• Difficulty filtering out extraneous
sensory information
• Tactile defensiveness
• Sensitivity to smells, tastes, and
textures; licks, chews, mouths,
smells objects
• Avoids looking at people; views
things at unusual angles
• Stares through people/space;
strange responses to mirrors/lights
Sensory Processing:
Implications

10. +
Social Participation: Implications
• Difficulty understanding
another person’s perspective
• Difficulty establishing or
maintaining relationships
• Difficulties with imagination
• Inappropriate/odd play
• Lacks understanding of
reciprocity (turn taking)
• Lack of eye gaze
• Prefers solitary play or work

11. +
Repertoire of Activities: Implications
 Difficulty with change/transitions
 Need for routine and sameness, may have
rituals
 May use toys in inappropriate or odd ways.
 Repetitive, non-functional movements that
serve no purpose (body rocking, finger and
hand posturing, spinning)
 Displays behaviors characterized as self-
stimulatory (paper flapping)
 Stereotypical patterns of behavior; strong
attachment to particular objects

12. +
Facts About ASD  Developmental disability that
life long
is
 Occurs in approximately 1/88 births
 Ratio of males to females is 4:1
 Occurs on a continuum from mild to
severe
 Some children appear to be
developing normally until they are
about 18 months of age
 Many parents report that they knew
something was different about their
child as an infant
 Lifetime costs associates with ASD
are high – reduce costs by choosing
effective treatments

13. 1. Antecedent Package
+
2. Behavioral Package
Evidence-Based Practice and Autism in the
3. Comprehensive Behavioral Treatment
for Young Children
4. Joint Attention Intervention
Schools: NAC Report (2009)
5. Modeling
6. Naturalistic Teaching Strategies
7. Peer Training Package
8. Pivotal Response Treatment
9. Schedules
10. Self-management:
11. Story-based Intervention Package

14. +
Research from the University of Chicago
– warning signs
 no eye contact at 3 to 4 month
 no babbling, pointing, or gesturing
by age 12 months
 no single words spoken by age 16
months
 no two-word spontaneous (non-
echolalic, or not merely repeating
the sounds of others) expressions
by age 24 months
 loss of any language or social skills
at any age

15. +
By a child’s first
birthday she/he
should:
•Turn to look at you when you call
their name?
•Seem bothered by loud sounds?
•Should look at a familiar face for
comfort in a new or unfamiliar
situation?
•Becontent to play alone for an
hour or more at a time?

16. +
Infant Brain Imaging-
EmergingLongitudinal Study
Differences
evident in
communication
pathways
between parts of
the brain

17. +
SUPPORTS AND
STRUCTURE

18. +
Basic Assumptions
 A cookbook approach DOES NOT work
 Ifuniversal interventions and targeted group interventions
are not successful, a student with ASD may require
individualized interventions.
 Current literature suggests need for VISUAL SUPPORTS
for student with autism.
 Research has demonstrated that students with ASD
tended to perform better in a STRUCTURED teaching
situation compared to unstructured environments.
 Changing the environment is easier than changing the
person.

19. Elements of the
+
Environment
 Physical Environment
 Routines and Procedures
 Activities and Schedules
 Visually-Cued Instruction

20. EVIDENCE-BASE: Antecedent
Strategies
National Autism Center Standards Report (2009): Antecedent Package (Established
Practice)
+
“These interventions involve the modification of situational events that typically
precede the occurrence of a target behavior. These alterations are made to
increase the likelihood of success or reduce the likelihood of problems occurring.
Treatments falling into this category reflect research representing the fields of applied
behavior analysis (ABA), behavioral psychology, and positive behavior
supports. ” (NAC, page 44)

21. +  The physical structure of an area
establishes the basic foundation for the
learning space and can have
tremendous influence on student
behavior, thus it is an ANTECEDENT.
Physical
Environment

22. +

23. +
How do you know if you need to modify
the physical environment?
 Child may be wandering
 Child may spend a lot of
time self-stimulating
 Leaving the area or room
 Distractibility
 Lack of engagement
 Unaware of spatial
boundaries

24. +
Setting up the Environment
to meet Your Child’s Needs
Things needed to meet your child’s needs:
Visual Cues
Predictability
Structure

25. +
Visual Cuesassist in providingPredictability
and Structure
*People with autism learn by seeing
They help your child know:
 What to do
 When to do it
 Where to do it
 How to do it
 What will happen when it is
done

28. +
Packaging Groceries

30. +
 THINK OF YOUR
CURRENT ROOM
ARRANGEMENT:
 Does it pass the stranger
Stranger Test test?
 If a stranger walked in, is
it visually clear where
different activities occur?

31. +
How do we know that a person may
need support while working?
 Not starting or completing work
 Not moving on to the next activity
 Work is done incorrectly
 Adult prompt dependent
 Stereotypy/self-stim
 Disorganized, can’t find materials

32. +
Considerations
 Level of functioning and age of person
 Prompts needed
 Reinforcers that support independent work
 Life skills
 Need to match work content to student’s
ability level

33. Promoting Social Competence and
Interaction Skills for People with
Autism Spectrum Disorder
+

34. +
Common Difficulties
 Nonverbal communication
 Social initiation
 Reciprocity and terminating interactions
 Social cognition
 Behaviors associated with perspective taking and
self-awareness
 Social anxiety and social withdrawal
Bellini, Building Social Relationships, 2006

35. People with
Autism Spectrum Disorders
Social dysfunction is
the single most defining
feature of autism and
arguably its most
handicapping as well.

36. +

37. +
Social Skills are Learned Behaviors
Related to Getting Along in Everyday
Life.

38. Life Implications
How can we help people with Autism
Spectrum Disorder increase meaningful
social interactions and social
competence?

39. +Social Skills
5 Step Model in Assessing/Intervening
1. Assess Social Functioning
2. Distinguish Between Skill Acquisition and Performance
Deficits
3. Select Intervention Strategies
• Strategies That Promote Skill Acquisition
• Strategies That Enhance Performance
4. Implement Intervention
5. Evaluate and Monitor Progress
Scott Bellini, Building Social Relationships

40. +
Strategies to Enhance Socialization
and Social Competence
“Students with Autism
Spectrum Disorder may
lack the prerequisite skills
imitation, play, and
attending/engagement,
which facilitate the
development of appropriate
social skills. These
students need direct
instruction to remediate
these skill deficits.”
( National research council, 2001;Wolery and Garfinkle,2002)

41. +
Social Skill Differences
Areas to Consider When Assessing
Social Interaction and Competence
Play/Leisure
functional toy play to
cooperative play
Social Reciprocity
“give and take of social
interactions”
Imitation
“Doing what I do, following peers”
Joint Attention
Attending in Unison to an Object with another Person

42. + Areas to Consider When Assessing
Play or
Leisure
Skills
Social
Reciprocity
Imitation
Joint Attention
Acquisition Performance / Fluency
Can They Do Will They Do It?
It?

43. Three Areas of Social Skills Deficits
Acquisition – “Can’t Do”
Performance – “Won’t Do”
Fluency – “Might Do”

44. +
I Know the Difficulties, Now What?

45. + Matching Intervention to Problem

46. +
Acquisition Deficits
Results from lack of knowledge about
social skills.
Teach skill using effective instruction
guidelines.
Reinforcement of skill.
Generalization – practice in multiple
settings.

47. Effective Instruction for Acquisition
Deficits
Review and check
Present new content or skill (I do
it)
Provide guided student practice
(We do it)
Provide feedback and correction
Independent practice (You Do it)
Frequent review

48. Teaching Social Skills
Acquisition Deficits
Social Skills should be taught explicitly
(Good Direct Instruction Strategies)!

49. Acquisition Deficits: Instructional Strategies
Direct teaching of social skills
I Do, We Do, You Do
Feedback/Correction
Frequent Review/Opportunities to Practice
Facilitating expected behavior
Methods to supplement direct instruction
Social stories
Video Modeling
Comic strip conversations
Concept mastery
Social autopsies
Cost/payoff

50. +

51. +
Performance Deficits
Occurs when student has been taught a
behavior, but does not consistently use the
behavior.
The problem behavior is more effective
than the appropriate social skill in getting
the student’s needs met.

52. Effective Instruction for
Performance Deficits – 4 steps
1. Provide guided practice
• “We do it”
2. Provide feedback and
correction
• reinforcement of appropriate
behavior
• withholding of reinforcement for
displays of inappropriate behavior
3. Independent practice
 “You do it”
4. Frequent review

53. Priming Performance Deficits
Focus on Enhancing Performance of Existing Skills
*Remove barriers that impede performance

54. Performance Deficits:
Instructional Strategies
Facilitate Expected Behavior
Peer Training
Methods to supplement Direct
Instruction
Social Narratives (social stories, scripts and action
Cards”
Video Modeling
Comic strip conversations
Cognitive Mapping
Social autopsies
Cost/payoff
Visual Supports (cues, “Action Cards”)

55. +
Fluency Deficits
Know the correct response,
have exhibited the correct
response in the past, but have
not practiced to the point of
mastery.
Practice of skills in multiple
settings
Reinforcement of skills

56. Effective Instruction for Fluency
Deficits – 3 steps
1. Provide feedback and
correction
 reinforcement of
appropriate behavior
 withholding of
reinforcement for
displays of
inappropriate behavior
2. Independent
practice
3. Frequent review

57. + Generalizing Social Skills-an example
From “Using key instructional elements to systematically promote social skill generalization for students with challenging behavior” by S. W. Smith and D. L.
Gilles, 2003, Intervention in School and Clinic, 39, pp. 30-37. Copyright (2003) by PRO-ED, Inc. Reprinted with permission.

58. +
Social Stories
Presents information visually
Describes expected behavior
Helps student see social situations from
another person’s perspective
Proactive strategy
Designed to reduce future social dilemmas
Developed by Carol Gray

59. + Social Stories – type of sentences
Descriptive sentences- describes the situation
Directive sentences-explains the expected
behavior
Perspective sentences-what people might be
thinking, feeling, or believing
Affirmative sentences- helps identify
important concepts
Cooperative sentences-a description of roles
others play in a situation
Control sentences-written by student to assist
in recall

61. +
Social Scripts
Provide pre-taught language for specific situations
based around social interactions.
 When I go to a fast food
restaurant I stand in line
until it is my time to order.
The person taking the
order will say something
like, “Hi, what would you
like to order?” I will say, “I
want a cheeseburger, a
small order of fries and a
small coke.” If he asks me
if I want anything else, I
will say “No.” I will then
hand him a five dollar bill
and will be given some
change. I will say, “Thank
you,” when I get my food.

62. +

63. +
Video Modeling
 Involvesthe
presentation and
observation of a
videotaped episode of
target behaviors being
completed by a model
or by the student
themselves (Video
Self-Modeling)

64. Comic Strip Conversations
Allows the person to see
the invisible thoughts and
reactions of others.
Adult encourages and
prompts student to
consider situational
features of a specific
conversation.

65. +

66. +
Peer Training
Teaching others
without disabilities
strategies (initiation
and peer training) for
facilitating leisure
and social
interactions with
people on the autism
spectrum.

67. +
Behavior

68. +
Activity: What is challenging behavior?
 What words come to mind
when you think of challenging
behavior?
 Tantrums
 Stress
 Fighting
 Ignoring directions
 Others????

69. +
Challenging Behavior Defined
 “Any repeated pattern
of behavior that
interferes with or is at
risk of interfering with
optimal learning or
engagement in pro-
social interactions with
peers and adults.”
 Smith & Fox (2003)

70. +
Behaviorsare actions we can see
and they have purpose….

71. + Prove
it’s
Existence
Behavior is Observable
See It
Hear it
Touch it

72. +
Behavior is Measurable
If a behavior is measurable you can
determine:
How many (frequency)
How long (duration)
How severe/forceful (intensity)
How long between (latency)
How accurate

73. +
Behavior Examples
Examples: Non-examples:
 Hitting  Angry
 Crying  Depression
 Throwing  Autism
 Not following  Sad
directions
 Running away

74. +
Challenging Behavior Communicates a
Message
Behavior = communication
 Used instead of
language when people
have limited
communication skills,
social skills, or has
learned that behavior
will result in meeting
his/her needs

75. +
Challenging Behavior Works
 People engage in behavior because it “works” for them
 Challenging behaviors result in the person “gaining” or
“escaping” something or someone
 Challenging behavior is functional

76. +
Basic Three-Term Contingency
A (antecedent) ->B (behavior) ->C (consequence)
 The Three-Term Contingency is used to:
 Teach new behaviors/skills in any domain
 Understand and decrease problem behaviors
 Antecedent-Behavior-Consequence (ABC) Relationship
 Antecedent = environment and what happens before a target
behavior
 Behavior = the observable actions an individual displays
 Consequence = responses to the target behavior that
determine whether or not the behavior will occur in the future
(reinforcement) or not (punishment)

77. +
How Do We Learn?
Antecedent
(Stimulus)
Consequence Behavior
(Reinforcement) (Response)

78. + How Do We Learn?
I want “it”!!
Antecedent/S
timulus
“It’s
available!”
It worked!! Behavior/Resp
Consequence/ onse
Reinforcement
I cry or take
I get it it

79. + How Do We Learn?
I don’t know how to
do it.
Antecedent/S
timulus
Clean the
kitchen
Consequence/
It worked!! Reinforcement Behavior/Resp
onse
You help me
I cry, hit
or don’t
myself or
make me do hide
it

80. + How Do We Learn?
Antecedent/S
timulus
I don’t want
to work”
It worked!! Behavior/Resp
Consequence/
onse
Reinforcement
I cry , run
“I stay in my
away or hit
room” myself

81. +
Information for an FBA
Antecedents
Behavior
Consequences
Data

82. Behavior Problem
Underlying Purpose
(Function)
(usually Escape from… or
Gain access to…)
Skill deficits, neurological differences,
and learning history combine to lead to
problem behavior.

83. +
GAIN: ESCAPE/AVOID:
Activity, Toy or Item Unwanted Attention
Parent’s Attention Non-Preferred
or Activities, Items or
Family Member’s Objects, Difficult
attention Tasks
AUTOMATIC:
While multiple factors contribute to the
development of these behaviors,
understanding their purpose or function is
the key to addressing the problem.

84. +
Functions of Challenging Behavior
 Gain  Escape
 Things (money, food,  Things (unwanted
toys, etc.) tasks, something
scary, etc.)
 Attention (smiles,
conversations,  Attention
(reprimands,
reprimands, etc.) conversation, hugs,
etc.)
Function = Purpose

85. Escape :
Negative
reinforcement
70-75%
Gain:
Positive
Reinforcement
20-25%
Automatic:
Automatic
Reinforcement
Less than 2%

86. +
Process for Behavior Support
Step 1: Gathering information (Functional Behavior Assessment)
Step 2: Develop a hypothesis (best guess)
Step 3: Design a Behavior Intervention Plan
Step 4: Implement, monitor, evaluate outcomes
Step 5: Revise plan, generalize plan into other environments

87. +
What is a Functional Behavior
Assessment (FBA)?
 “Identify the function(s) of an individual student’s behavior and
provide information leading to effective interventions and
needed supports” (State Special Education Manual)
 A process for developing an understanding of challenging
behavior and how the behavior is governed by environmental
events.
 Results in the identification of the “purpose” or “function” of the
challenging behavior.

88. +
Step 1: Gathering Information
 Review records
 Interview those who interact with the child
 Observe the child in target routines and settings
 Collect data on challenging behavior
 Situations/settings that likely result in the behavior occurring
(triggers)
 Situations/settings that are linked with appropriate behavior
occurring
 What changes to the environment immediately occur as a result of
the behavior occurring

89. +
 Define behavior (describe what you see)
 Behavior measurement (frequency, intensity, duration, etc.)
 Identify predictors (triggers)
 Identify immediate environmental changes due to behavior
 Identify current communicative functions
 Identify how fast the behavior “works”
 Identify previous efforts for intervention
 Identify possible reinforcers

90. +
Step 2: Develop a Hypothesis
 Putting ALL the information together
 A hypothesis includes:
 Antecedents: Triggers of the challenging behavior
 Consequences: Responses that maintain the challenging behavior
(why behavior increases or decreases)
 Function: Purpose of the behavior

91. +
 Possible antecedents/triggers:  Possible
 Type of work/direction consequences/responses:
 Difficulty of work  Adult or peer gives attention
 Quality of attention  Adult or peer gives help
 Communication skills  Toys or items are provided
 Availability of preferred items  Work/direction is removed or
temporarily delayed
 NOTE: consequences do
NOT always equate to
punishment

92. +
Example: Ethan
 Ethan is playing with Legos. He tries to attach a block to his
stack of 3. He can’t quite get the blocks to connect. He looks up
at the adult and begins fussing. He holds the stack of blocks
up, looks at the blocks, and looks at the adult. The adult helps
him put the blocks together.

93. +
The “ABC’s”
Consequence/Resp
onse
Antecedent/Trigger Behavior
Playing alone, can’t Looks at adult and Adult provides
get blocks to work starts fussing assistance
Function: gain
adult
attention/assistanc
e

94. +
Example: Claire
 Claire is playing in her room. Her mom says, “Come on Claire.
Time to go to brush your teeth.” Her mom pulls on her arm to
try to get Claire to stand and go to the bathroom. Claire yells,
screams, and begins throwing her toys. Her father says, “All
right, 5 more minutes. But then we have to brush teeth.”
Claire’s dad walks away, and Claire continues playing with her
toys.

95. +
The “ABC’s”
Consequence/Resp
onse
Antecedent/Trigger Behavior
Playing with toys Yelling, screaming, Dad gives 5 more
and Dad gives throwing toys minutes to play,
direction to “brush Function: escape delays brushing
teeth” direction, gain teeth
access to toys

96. +
Let’s Practice: ABC Data Collection

97. +
Step 3: Develop a Behavior Intervention
Plan
 Prevention Strategies
 New skills
 New responses to
challenging behavior

98. +
EVIDENCE-BASE: Antecedent
Strategies
 National Autism Center Standards Report (2009): Antecedent
Package (Established Practice)
 “These interventions involve the modification of situational
events that typically precede the occurrence of a target
behavior. These alterations are made to increase the likelihood
of success or reduce the likelihood of problems occurring.
Treatments falling into this category reflect research
representing the fields of applied behavior analysis (ABA),
behavioral psychology, and positive behavior supports.” (NAC,
page 44)

99. +
EVIDENCE-BASE: Consequence
Strategies
 National Autism Center Standards Report (2009): Behavioral
Package (Established Practice)
 “These interventions are designed to reduce problem behavior
and teach functional alternative behaviors or skills through the
application of basic principles of behavior change. Treatments
falling into this category reflect research representing the fields
of applied behavior analysis, behavioral psychology, and
positive behavior supports. Treatments involving a complex
combination of behavioral procedures that may be listed
elsewhere in this document are also included in the behavioral
package category..” (NAC, page 45)

100. +
Prevention Strategies
 Ways to make events and interactions that trigger
challenging behavior easier for the person to
manage
 How can the environment be changed to reduce the
likelihood that challenging behavior will occur?
 What can be done to make challenging behavior
irrelevant?
 What procedures can I select that fit in the natural
routines and structure of the home or family?
 How can I build on what works?
 What can be done to help the person not respond to
the trigger or change the trigger so it does not cause
challenging behavior?

101. +
Sample Prevention Strategies
 Modify instruction, materials, or activities
 “Catch them being good”
 Remind of rules/expectations prior to behavior occurring
 Use visual supports: schedules, timers, first/then, etc.
 Provide choices

102. +
New Skills
 New skills to teach
throughout the day to
replace the challenging
behavior
 Replacement skills must
be efficient and effective
(i.e., work quickly for the
child).
 Consider skills that the
person already has
 Make sure the response
for appropriate behavior
is consistent

103. +
Does it feed the function?
 Identify an acceptable way
that the person can deliver
the same message.
 Make sure that the new
response is socially
appropriate and will access
the person’s desired
outcome.
 Teach the person a skill that
honors that function of the
behavior (e.g., if the person
wants out of activity, teach
child to gesture “finished”).

104. +
Sample Replacement Behavior
 Gain  Escape
 Request leisure items  Request a break
 Request more time  Say “all done”
 Ask for help/attention  Request “a minute”
 Ask for a turn  Say “no” or protest
 Raise hand

105. +
Response Strategies
 What adults will do when the
challenging behavior occurs
to ensure that the
challenging behavior is not
maintained and the new skill
is learned
 Respond in a way that will
make challenging
behavior ineffective.
 Make sure responses for
appropriate behavior are
equal to or exceed
responses for challenging
behavior.

106. +
Sample Response Strategies
 Gain  Escape
 Planned ignoring  Avoid removing the demand
 Restrict access to the  Redirect to use replacement
preferred item behavior that allows for
 Redirect to use replacement escape
behavior that allows gain  Break activity down into
 Use “wait time” smaller steps
 Avoid using time-out

107. Ethan’s Behavior Intervention
+ Trigger Behavior Maintaining Consequence
• Playing alone: can’t get Looking at adult, fussing • Adults provided assistance
toys to work
Function:
gain attention
Preventions New Skills New Responses
• Adult remains • Request adult help when • Ignore fussing but
within close he is unable to work a toy prompt to request help
proximity during
play (individualized dependent • Provide immediate
on current verbal skills attention for appropriate
• Prior to play review
new skill such as sign, picture card, help request
• Provide toys that gesture, etc.)
he is more likely
successful with

108. Claire’s Behavior Intervention
+ Trigger Behavior Maintaining Consequence
• Playing with toys: Dad Screams, yells, throws toys • Dad gives 5 more minutes
gives direction to brush • Temporarily delays
teeth Function: brushing teeth
gain access to
toys, delay
direction
Preventions New Skills New Responses
• Use visual cues of • Request more time with • Restrict access to toys
timer; provide toys (i.e., one more during challenging
transition warning
minutes) behavior
• Have her clean up • Request to take a toy with • Continue to provide the
prior to giving the
direction to brush her to brush teeth direction to brush teeth
teeth • Prompt to use new
• First/then: first skill(s)
brush teeth, then • Immediately honor
play with toys appropriate use of new
again skill

109. +
Step 4:
 Identify outcomes valued by the team
 “KIS
it” (Keep It Simple) Create simple, user-friendly
forms to monitor outcomes (e.g., rating scales,
check sheets)
 Schedule dates for check-ins

110. +
If Challenging Behavior Returns:
 First,
 Review plan and make
sure it is being
implemented as
planned.
 Review evaluation data
to determine if the
pattern is an extinction
burst (worse before it
gets better).
 Examine events to see
if there are new triggers
for behavior.

111. +
If Challenging Behavior Returns
(cont.)
Then,
 Restore support plan
and implement with
fidelity
 Continue plan through
extinction burst
 Add components to plan
to address new triggers
 Conduct a new
functional assessment
and develop new
support strategies.

112. +
Step 5: Revise plan, generalize plan
into other environments
 Teach student to wait
 Reduce supports
 Increase expectations
 Practice in new settings
 Gradually decrease levels of reinforcement
**NOTE: These changes should be made utilizing a planful team
decision making process

113. How to Intervene with
Escape/Avoid Behaviors
+ Teach an alternative acceptable way to
escape/avoid:
•Ask for break or ALL DONE
• This is too difficult
• I need HELP

114. +
How to Intervene with Escape/Avoid
Behaviors
 Provide break from nonpreferred following
appropriate request or appropriate behavior.
 Proactively decrease or eliminate the
demand and gradually increase demand
once successful (shaping).
 Break an activity down into smaller steps.
 Teacher should avoid removing demand
(e.g., assignment) immediately following

115. How to Intervene with Attention-
Maintained Behaviors
Teach an alternative
acceptable way to gain
attention: +
•Ask for ADULT attention
• Request to talk
• I need HELP
• I want to play

116. +
References
 Cooper, J. O., Heron, T. E., & Heward, W., L. (2007). Applied
behavior analysis 2nd edition. Upper Saddle River, New Jersey:
Pearson Education, Inc.
 Dooley, P., Wilczenski, F. L., & Torem, C. (2001). Using an activity
schedule to smooth school transitions. Journal of Positive Behavior
Interventions, 3(1), 57-61.
 Heflin, L.J. & Alaimo, D.F. (2007). Students with autism spectrum
disorders: Effective instructional practices. Upper Saddle River, NJ:
Pearson Education, Inc.
 Hume, K. & Odom, S. (2007). Effects of an individual work system
on the independent functioning of students with autism. Journal of
Autism and Developmental Disorders, 37, 1166-1180.

117. + References
Kanner, 1943
Bellini,S (2006), Building Social Relationships, Autism Asperger Publishing Co.
Peterson and Haralick, 1977;Mundy et al., 1987;Wetherby and Prutting,
1984;Corona et al., 1988
Dawson, Meltzoff, Osterling, Rinaldi, and Brown, 1998
National research council, 2001;Wolery and Garfinkle, 2002
Terpstera et al., 2002
Gray,
Bulgren and Lenz,1996
Winner
Utley and Mortweet, 1997

118. +
References
 Lequia, J., Machalicek, W., & Rispoli, M. J. (2012). Effects of
activity schedules on challenging behavior exhibited in children
with autism spectrum disorders: A systematic review. Research in
Autism Spectrum Disorders, 6, 480-492.
 MacDuff, G., Krantz, P., & McClannahan, L. (1993). Teaching
children with autism to use pictographic activity schedules:
Maintenance and generalization of complex response chains.
Journal of Applied Behavior Analysis, 26, 89-97.
 Mayer, G. R., Sulzer-Azaroff, B., Wallace. M. (2012). Behavior
analysis for lasting change (2nd Ed.) Cornwall-on-Hudson, NY:
Sloan Publishing.
 National Autism Center (2009). National standards report. The
national standards project: Addressing the need for evidence-
based practice guidelines for autism spectrum disorders.
Randolph, MA: National Autism Center.

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References
 O’Reilly, M., Sigafoos, J., Lancioni, G., Edrisinha, C., & Andrews,
A. (2005). An examination of the effects of a classroom activity
schedule on levels of self-injury and engagement for a child with
severe autism. Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders,
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References
 National Research Council (2002) Educating Children with Autism.
Committee on Education Interventions for Children with Autism. Catherine
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