1. Garden Academy Written by: Lori Jeane Moody (Director of Development, Garden Academy)
2. The Asperger’s College Program at the Douglass Developmental Disabilities Center By David Fischer
3. The Home-based Program at The New England Center for Children (NECC) By Bill Holcomb
4. Behavioral Directions By Jane Barbin, Ph.D.
5. The New Jersey Center for Outreach and Services for the Autism Community (COSAC) By Suzanne Buchanan, Psy.D., BCBA
6. Autism & Aspergers Consulting and Treatment Now (AACT Now) Nassau Suffolk Services for Autism:  The Martin C. Barell School
7. Reaching Potentials
8. Opportunities Taken: The Center for Autism and Applied Behavior Analysis at Caldwell College By Kenneth F. Reeve, PhD, BCBA-D
9. The Neurobehavioral Unit, Kennedy Krieger Institute, Baltimore, MD

1. Garden Academy

Garden Academy is a private school located in Maplewood, New Jersey.  Our program provides special education to individuals with autism ages 3-21 using the principles of Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA).  Garden Academy uses scientific, data-based, and accountable interventions to provide an individualized education to students with autism so that they may lead lives of the greatest possible independence.  Ours is a full-day (6 hours), full-year program. The model requires a 1:1 staff to student ratio in order to achieve an effective educational program for each student.

We are committed to ensuring that our students develop the skills necessary to realize their full potential and to become integral and functional members of their families and communities.   We accomplish these goals through:

• a highly structured, intensive, outcome-oriented educational program;
• extensive family support and training so that skills learned in school can be generalized to the home and community;
• continuing, intensive professional development of all staff; and
• transitional services for students moving into less restrictive environments, when appropriate.

Garden Academy’s educational programs are individualized to address specific deficits in the areas of communication, socialization and adaptive behaviors. Emphasis is placed on language acquisition, social interaction, self-help skills, pre-academic and academic skills, play skills and on the decrease of maladaptive behaviors.

All aspects of the program at Garden Academy are derived from the science of Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA). Pedagogical technologies employed include, but are not limited to, discrete trials, incidental teaching, video and audio modeling, shaping, scripting and script fading procedures and peer modeling. Generalization procedures are implemented as part of the program to ensure maintenance of skills across people and environments.  Garden Academy also recognizes the need for students to be in the least restrictive environment in which they can learn. When appropriate, we provide transitional support to our students throughout their educational careers.

To meet the rising demand for qualified professionals in the field of autism education, Garden Academy also provides hands-on, clinical training.  Notably, a trainer is assigned to each classroom and works with the teaching staff each day, providing ongoing training and supervision.  Garden Academy’s staff develops new curricula to educate those with autism and conducts and publishes research on the efficacy of interventions.

Garden Academy also promotes increased community awareness and understanding of autism, pervasive developmental disorders, and appropriate interventions through its events, website, marketing communications and public workshops.

2.  Description of the Asperger’s College Program at the Douglass 
Developmental Disabilities Center
By: David Fischer

The Asperger’s College Program of the Douglass Developmental Disabilities Center (DDDC) provides support services to college students diagnosed with Asperger’s Syndrome (AS). The DDDC is a unit of the Graduate School of Applied and Professional Psychology at Rutgers, the State University of New Jersey. The program was initiated in the fall of 2008. Currently, the program only provides services to students enrolled at Rutgers.
As coordinator of the program’s clinical services, I frequently speak with parents asking about how the program supports its students. Answering this question is more complicated than it might appear on the surface, as the nature of the program’s support is individualized for each student. However, there are some means of assistance that most students receive. For example, shortly before a student’s first semester, I will give him or her (and usually their parents) an individualized orientation of the campus. We will travel from their dorm to each specific classroom on their schedule for the coming semester. Most of the travel is on foot; however, most students have at least one class for which they will need to take a campus bus. We will also identify where the student can eat, how to get to and from my office, and other places of relevance. Once the semester begins, I will meet with each student weekly, and check in with them by phone or email to find out how they are managing. Subsequently, the schedule of visits will vary based on need. All students in the program can contact me at any time if necessary.
Most students in the program receive assistance in four domains: social, daily life, academic, and other. Social concerns are often the most significant challenge for college students with AS. Our students often report feelings of isolation on campus, and to help combat those feeling we will assist the students in identifying a group on campus that is involved with the student’s interests (e.g. video games, chess, or an academic club). Then we will help the student connect with that group. The independence of college life is a mixed blessing for most college students, as with new freedom comes new responsibility.

Unfortunately, our students have more trouble than most meeting all of the new responsibilities. For example, there is no predetermined “lunch time.” If you don’t make time to eat, then you will not eat. The program can help students determine when they can eat each day and what food to keep in their room. Our program can also help with organizing a student’s dorm room. Students have a difficult time figuring out a system that works for them, and our program can help them identify strategies that will give them a level of organization that meets their needs. For most of our students, academics are not a primary area of support. However, the program can support students should the need arise. For example, if a student is un-sure how to approach a professor about a particular concern, then we will review options and prepare to discuss the issue with the professor. I have found that the students in our program are perhaps most appreciative of our assis¬tance with the “other” domain. Unexpected problems occur frequently. I have received phone calls from students telling me that they have left their keys on the bus, that their glasses broke and they do not have an extra pair, and they just got into an argument with a friend and do not think they can go to their next class. I can help the students in our program navigate the unpredictable troubles of life. I also can function as a go-to person for any need a stu¬dent might have. If I am not the person who can help with a given issue, then I can connect the student with the person who will most likely be able to help him or her. Help of this kind is often needed at a university as large as Rutgers.
Looking towards the future, we are working to provide additional supports for our students. Examples of these ideas include creating a group that will allow the students in our program to connect with one another and summer workshops that will focus on building specific social skills.

3. Description of the Asperger’s College Program at the Douglass 
Developmental Disabilities Center
The Ivymount School Asperger Program: An Interview with Katie Alexander, M.S., Director

By: Jane Barbin, Ph.D., BCBA

1. JB: With the increased need for quality school programs serving students with autism spectrum disorders, can you describe the developments which led to creation of this school based Asperger Program, which I understand opened its doors in August, 2006?

KA: The Asperger Program’s genesis rests with a group of innovative, regional parents who recognized a striking disparity between the needs of this population and the availability of effective, comprehensive educational programming. Across several months, this group organized their efforts to include investigation of other programs in the country, research into possible local schools to develop the program, and contacts with local professionals who would support the campaign. This group initially approached Ivymount School to develop the program. Ivymount reviewed the results of this group’s work and determined that students with Asperger’s Disorder represent a population in great need and one that Ivymount could serve well.

2.Was this program based on similar educational models in regards to philosophy and student population served? Likewise, are there unique features to the program that set it apart?

While other programs do specialize in serving this population, to my knowledge, there was not a model program that we could mirror in the development of our Asperger Program. However, we have adopted educational practices that are commonly found in programs that target this population. These include a formalized social skills curriculum and a challenging academic curriculum. Features that are unique to our program include our emphasis on the development of a replicable, model program; data-based decision making; social skills programming integrated
throughout the day; related services, including speech/language pathology, occupational therapy, and counseling integrated into the program; and adherence to evidence-based practice. In terms of demographics, we have students 7-12 years of age and in grades 3-6. Some of our students are privately funded and some are funded by local school districts. Students in our program have diagnoses that include: Asperger’s Disorder, “high functioning” autism, and Pervasive Developmental Disorder/ Not Otherwise Specified.

3.Since the program is focused on meeting the educational, social and emotional needs of students with an Asperger’s diagnosis, can you describe the program’s mission, staffing, and a typical daily schedule for students?

The needs of students with Asperger’s Disorder require that we provide a program that fosters each student’s ability to demonstrate optimal and independent participation in self-directed activities, social relationships, educational futures, and occupations. This is the mission of our program. Each of our two classrooms of 8 students is staffed with one head teacher and two assistant teachers. Additionally, we offer one day each of occupational therapy, speech
therapy, and counseling that is integrated into the classroom by utilizing a consultative model. A typical school day for a student in the Asperger Program looks similar to a typical mainstream education day. Each of the core subject areas (i.e. math and language arts) is addressed daily, and we have arranged the schedule so that there is as much consistency across days as possible. In addition, the students have a social skills class every day. Students also participate in enriched curriculum classes, including drama, music, art, adaptive physical education, and technology. The Asperger Program also offers a technology enhanced classroom in which we integrate technology across curricula domains, and each student has a laptop computer.

4.You mentioned that a social skills class is held daily for students in the program and that sounds like a truly unique component for this program. Can you elaborate on the content and delivery of this component? What is involved and who delivers the service?

The content of the social skills class includes conversation skills, emotional regulation, self monitoring, group/team participation, problem solving, and other skills that we identify through observation of the students. One of the purposes of this class is to be responsive to the needs of the students. The social skills class typically involves a short lesson that we teach to the group and an activity that we create to make the lesson more salient. From there, the classroom team ensures that we integrate that social skill into the context of the school day. Any member of the educational team can be involved in the social skills class, including the psychologist, speech/language pathologist, occupational therapist, and/or head teacher.

5. I understand that the program seeks to use empirical research to develop educational and therapeutic practices. Can you describe how this will or has worked so far?

Unfortunately, there exists a paucity of intervention studies that examine the effectiveness of educational and therapeutic practices for this population. For every aspect of our educational programming, we have first explored the scientific literature to determine if specific techniques or academic approaches have been researched. When research does exist, we always use the results of that research to guide our decision making. Once we implement a technique or approach with a student, we collect individual performance data to evaluate intervention effectiveness. When research study data do not exist, we create a plan to examine the effectiveness of that technique or approach to help guide our decision making.

6. It is nice to see research in practice, as the program seeks to also contribute to the limited research available at this point. How do you see the program measuring success for students enrolled in the program, given the complex needs often associated with an Asperger’s diagnosis?

There are significant complexities in meeting the needs of students with Asperger’s Disorder. The program’s success is best measured by the progress demonstrated by the students we serve. We believe that it is essential to measure success at several levels. The first level at which we measure success is data that reflect whether a student has mastered a skill in the Ivymount school setting, which is highly structured and controlled. It is then critical to obtain data that reflect whether a student generalizes a skill to other settings (e.g. home, community). We plan to facilitate and measure generalization in two ways: within the context of the school day and by working with parents/caregivers. Within the program, we plan to create generalization opportunities by developing partnerships with other schools in order to introduce opportunities with other, typically developing peers. We also plan several field trips that will introduce a variety of mainstream contexts that enhance our academic curriculum while affording our students the opportunity to engage with other peers. We are currently finalizing the development of our home support program. Currently, our plan is to offer a variety of parent seminars and develop partnerships through which parents help us better support generalization and understand the performance of our students in their home settings. We believe that both parent and student report offer further evidence of whether or not skill mastery is perceived from the individual or caregiver perspective. We consider both self-report or caregiver report related to performance and satisfaction. Ultimately, the success of our program will be measured by the ability of our former students to demonstrate meaningful and independent participation in self-directed activities, social relationships, educational futures, and occupations.

7. Those are such practically relevant and meaningful outcomes you are seeking. Can you elaborate further on what is meant by participation in selfdirected activities, social relationships, educational futures and occupations? Are we talking about gainful employment, close interpersonal relationships, and the like? Will this be measured in a longitudinal fashion, with long term outcomes as the ultimate goal?

By self-directed, we mean that each individual has the right to choose what becomes a part of his/her life. The right to choose is a complex issue because it is not enough to simply say to a person, “These are your choices.” It is critical that an individual be able to make an informed choice. In order to make an informed choice, an individual needs to be able to identify potential consequences (both short and long term) as well as how each option aligns with his/her personal values and beliefs. If a person has difficulty predicting possible consequences, then he/she should learn the important questions to ask. By self-directed activities, we mean that we want each graduate of our program to be able to select the activities that occupy his/her day, including leisure skills, group affiliations, and daily routines. By self-determined relationships, we want each graduate of our program to be able to include the types of relationships and the people he/ she desires in his/her life, including romantic relationships, friendships of different levels (e.g. acquaintance, close friend), and work relationships. By self-determined educational futures, we intend for each graduate of our program to be able to pursue an educational program at a college or university and to also select an educational degree. Finally, we desire for each of our graduates to participate in a career that he/she finds rewarding and in which he/she finds success and the means to support living in the community. These are long term objectives that we intend to measure through follow-up with our graduates. In summary, a success for our program would
be a graduate who went on to self-select and independently live in the community, engage in a career, obtain the requisite education for that career, participate in meaningful relationships, and fill his/her free time with meaningful activities. This scenario represents a self-directed and
meaningful life, which is our intent for every graduate.

8. Though the program is quite new and this may be a bit premature, do you have ideas or plans for where you would like to see the program grow in the future?

We plan to continue developing a program that can be responsive to the needs of our community. We continue to evaluate the demographic information of those who investigate our program as a possible placement. We further plan to develop the program in a way that avoids compromising the integrity of our educational programming. We also plan to contribute to the research base by reporting on the efficacy of our educational and therapeutic practices. Eventually, we plan to have a model program that can be replicated and shared with others seeking to serve this population of students.

9. Katie, it sounds like your focus on evidence-based practice and meeting the needs of individuals with Asperger’s Disorder is at the crux of the program’s mission. I am sure that as a group we can agree that establishing and maintaining program integrity is a difficulty yet worthwhile endeavor. Best of luck as your program develops and evolves. Thank you for sharing information on the Ivymount School Asperger Program with the Autism SIG. At some point in the future, we would like to hear how your program is developing and the kind of outcome data you are obtaining.

3. Description of the Home-based Program at The New England Center for Children (NECC)

By: Bill Holcomb

The New England Center for Children (NECC) is a private autism center dedicated to bringing out human potential and creating productive lives. Located 20 miles west of Boston in Southborough, Massachusetts, NECC currently serves more than 200 students with autism and other related disabilities, from 6 states and 2 foreign countries. Since 1975 NECC has provided state-of-the-art education and individualized
treatment for children diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder, pervasive developmental disorder (PDD), and Asperger’s Syndrome. Our faculty of over 600 includes master’s and doctoral-level clinicians and teachers with expertise in the field of autism, applied behavior analysis, speech pathology, special education, nursing, physical therapy, and occupational therapy.

Intensive Home-based Program
For children as young as 14 months, our intensive home -based program provides 16-30 hours a week of one-on-one instruction from a NECC teacher to the child in his/her own home. To ensure close supervision and consistency in each child’s program, our Board Certified Behavior Analysts (BCBA) Supervisors regularly observe the child and the teacher in the home, and meet with the parents monthly at the central school building. Guided by the principles of applied behavior analysis (ABA), teachers help young children acquire the skills they need in order to learn naturally from their environments, as typical children do.

Curriculum and Approach
Communication, pre -academic, social, play and self-help skills are the main focus of the intensive training.  The NECC curriculum follows a developmental progression and is taught using a combination of table-top discrete trials and structured play opportunities. Parental involvement in the instruction process is required and is an integral part of the program. With the support of teachers, parents will learn the skills they need to help further their child’s development through generalization of the child’s response to others in the family and across different settings. As with all of our intensive programs, the goal is to prepare the child for his/her next step, whether it is NECC’s preschool program or a public school setting.

Placement Factors
The home-based Program provides year-round service, primarily to children within 40 to 50 minutes of NECC’s Southborough campus. Children aged 14 months to 3 years are placed in the program by referrals from their local Early Intervention Program. NECC is approved by the DPH as a Specialty Service Provider and works closely w ith Early Intervention Programs to coordinate services. Children ages 3 to 6 in NECC’s home-based program are funded by their local school system. While initially services are provided only in the family’s home, as the child acquires appropriate skills, NECC investigates opportunities for the child to participate in a local preschool accompanied by a NECC teacher.

4. Behavioral Directions
7945 MacArthur Blvd, Ste 204
Cabin John, MD 20818

By Jane Barbin, Ph.D.

General Information

Behavioral Directions is a private consulting firm providing services to individuals with autism spectrum disorders and related developmental disabilities.  Family services are provided through parent training, advocacy, support groups, and set-up /monitoring of home-based ABA programs.  Behavioral Directions was founded by Jane Barbin, Ph.D., the founding director of the Ivymount Autism Program in Rockville, Maryland, a centerbased education and treatment program serving children and adolescents with autism utilizing behavioral intervention. Given the vast array of available treatments to address autism spectrum disorders (few of which are based in science), Behavioral Directions was created to promote utilization of strategies with known scientific effectiveness to promote appropriate educational programming, address symptoms of autism (i.e., social and communication deficits) and reduced challenging behaviors that often accompany these disorders. Applied behavior analysis (ABA) methodology is employed for increase and decrease of selected behaviors.

Behavioral observations and treatment in natural settings (e.g., home, school, and community) are used to enhance  effectiveness. Collaboration with related professionals is also conducted as needed. Selection and monitoring of educational and skill acquisition programming is offered in school and home settings, functional assessment/analysis is used to identify functions of difficult behaviors and to provide for function-based treatments.  Parent and staff training on designed plans and data-based monitoring and
follow-up are also offered. External program evaluations and needs assessments are offered to schools and program evaluations and needs assessments are offered to schools and agencies to assist in program development. Agencies to assist in program development.

Advocacy
Family advocacy is provided through attendance at school and agency meetings and collaboration with other professionals in support of effective education and treatment strategies to benefit individuals with autism. Consultation with other colleagues may sometimes take the form of providing educational information to promote a fuller understanding of the client’s disability. Expert legal testimony is available when a client has been fully evaluated.

Family Support
Family support is offered through providing referrals and sharing information on local resources in the family’s area (e.g., local support groups, legal counsel, neuropsychological testing, related service providers using behavioral strategies, etc.). Professional presentations are done to disseminate science-based assessment and treatment information. Ongoing monitoring of progress, review and analysis of treatment data, and parent training are offered through home and office visits to ensure successful implementation of designed programs. Training of school staff and other personnel also working with the client is offered and is an important component to supporting the family and providing for consistency across settings. A parent support group was offered in 2002 consisting of a series of topics chosen by members along with sharing and problem-solving between group members.

Home-Based Behavioral Programming
Families who desire to begin home-based behavioral instruction for their child are provided with consultation on what can be expected in the process in regards to family involvement and commitment and potential benefits for their child in comparison with other available education and treatment options. If the family decides to undertake a home-based program, initial evaluation of their child’s abilities and prioritized areas for skill acquisition and, as needed, reduction of challenging behaviors are done.  Staff members working in the home are trained in applied behavior analysis (ABA) strategies (i.e., chaining, discrete trial, incidental teaching, prompting, shaping, reinforcement, stimulus
control, etc.) to carry out a systematic program across the day.  Staff members are taught how to conduct data collection and to graphically represent data to allow for data-based decisions to be made. Following initial program selection and training, the program is monitored frequently with on-site visits and data review to make needed adjustments. Collaboration and consultation with local education agencies is provided to guide the family, assist in I.E.P. development, and aid the transition of the student to a school setting when appropriate.

Clinical Training and Experience
In regards to training and experience, Dr. Jane Barbin holds a doctoral degree in Clinical Psychology and is licensed in Virginia and Maryland. The clientele generally served is from the Washington D.C. metropolitan area; however consultation is available in other locations. Dr. Barbin completed an internship in Behavioral Psychology at the Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine and Kennedy Krieger Institute. She currently serves on the Virginia Statewide Autism Council and is president-elect of the Maryland Association for Behavior Analysis (MABA). Dr. Barbin has often been an invited speaker at autism advocacy meetings and professional conferences.

5.  The New Jersey Center for Outreach and Services for the Autism Community (COSAC)

By: Suzanne Buchanan, Psy.D., BCBA

COSAC is a non-profit agency that provides information, education, and advocacy for parents and professionals. The New Jersey State Division of Developmental Disabilities, individual and agency memberships, and private and corporate donations fund the agency, enabling COSAC to provide free services to parents.

Information
Given the importance of accurate information about the diagnosis, the clinical course, and the varying prognoses for individuals with autism, COSAC provides a wide variety of resources and referral lists to parents. These topics include basic information, interventions, a list of books, journals, and curricula, schools in New Jersey and across the country, residential services, special education attorneys, pediatricians, family issues, reading list for children, and more. Parents in New Jersey can access this information by calling a toll-free number. (For out-of-state callers, please see the contact information below.) COSAC also publishes UpDate, a bimonthly newsletter to report news, workshops, and research findings; and OutReach, a semi-annual magazine to provide greater depth on topics such as sexuality, social skills, and how to be a careful consumer. More specifically, COSAC’s Position Statement on Educational Treatment Recommendations provides rationales for relying on science-based interventions and resources to make effective decisions when comparing treatment options and service providers. This
document and others are available in downloadable formats on the agency’s website. The website also provides news, events, and links to other autism sites. In order to increase awareness of autism, COSAC provides a comprehensive package of suggestions to inform and inspire the general public to learn more about individuals with autism. Autism Ambassadors from around the world receive this information prior to Autism Awareness Month in April of every year.
Advocacy
How do I find the appropriate program for my child? How do I obtain an extended school year program? What does the law say about inclusion? Do I need to pursue due process? These are a few of the questions that parents may have. COSAC provides accurate and comprehensive information to educate parents about the law, regulations, and their children's educational and disability rights. Doing so enhances their advocacy skills to improve future exchanges with case managers, school district personnel, and service providers. COSAC staff reviews Individualized Education Programs (IEPs) for specificity and the presence of required components as specified in the New Jersey Administrative Code. COSAC also provides a mechanism for families to become involved in state-level advocacy efforts. The Action Advocates Program is a network of more than 150 people who advocate with government officials for systems change through legislation, enforcement of regulation, and task forces convened by state departments.
Short-Term Emergency Care
Most individuals with autism require a lifetime of specialized services ranging from occasional to continuous supervision. Many families who have an individual (child or adult) with autism living at home will need short-term emergency care services. An emergency situation may involve a parent or guardian’s absence from the home due to illness, a death in the immediate family, or other circumstances. COSAC arranges the provision of this service by trained personnel from regional autism schools and agencies.

Support Groups
As one parent stated, “The support groups are one of the greatest resources, providing so many opportunities to find solutions from the
real experts, the parents who have been there.” Support groups set the occasion for parents to learn more about other individuals with autism, to access information about services and treatments, and to offer and receive support. Most groups meet once per month and some
feature guest speakers. COSAC staff supervises professional facilitators who ensure a positive and productive experience for all who attend.
COSAC sponsors ten family support groups throughout New Jersey.

Sibling Pen Pal Program
Given the many demands placed on families of children with autism, it is important to offer services that the family is capable of accessing
and utilizing. The Sibling Pen Pal Program is a time-efficient and simple way for siblings of all ages to connect with each other. Siblings
have reported that they enjoy corresponding with other siblings and benefit from sharing experiences.

The Parent Series on Behavioral Teaching
Parents and other family members can be the best teachers a child with autism will ever have. The two main goals of the Parent Series are 1) to increase parents’ comprehension of behavioral and research terminology and 2) to teach them how to implement basic assessment and intervention techniques in home and community settings. The classes cover how behaviors are learned, how to define and analyze behavior, the components of successful teaching, and safely reducing inappropriate behaviors. COSAC staff presents the Parent Series using a combination of lecture, videotape, and group participation activities. The Parent Series is held four times per year in various geographic locations.

Home-based Consultation
Following the Parent Series, some families are eligible to receive Home-based Consultation Services from a Behavioral Consultant who is supervised by COSAC. †This service is short-term (8 hours) and is designed to assist parents increase their problem-solving skills and apply the information learned during the Parent Series to their child. Families complete a thorough assessment of their child's skills and the family’s priorities. This information is used to ensure goodness of fit between the intervention and the family’s resources and lifestyle.
COSAC staff monitors progress and provides assistance to the consultant when necessary. If the requested services are beyond COSAC's areas of expertise, COSAC furnishes appropriate referrals to the family and helps them prepare for subsequent consultation experiences.

Workshops
COSAC provides lectures on topics related to autism such as practical strategies for handling stress in the family, addressing challenging behaviors at home, teaching social skills to children and adolescents, sibling issues, educational rights, advocacy, and estate planning. COSAC's annual Issues in Autism Conference is one of the largest autism-related conferences in the nation. More than 1,300 people attend over a two-day period. With 50 workshops, 40 exhibitors, a Poster Session, an Awards Presentation & Reception, and more, Issues
in Autism provides educational opportunities for parents and professionals alike. This event is held each spring at the Atlantic City Convention Center.

In summary, COSAC provides a variety of family services designed to empower parents and improve services for individuals with autism. COSAC holds a unique place in New Jersey’s autism community as a clearinghouse of accurate information and indirect support services so often needed by families. For further information, please contact us.
COSAC, 1450 Parkside Avenue, Suite 22, Ewing, NJ 08638
(800) 4-AUTISM in New Jersey; (609) 883-8100 outside
New Jersey
This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it
www.njcosac.org

6.  Autism & Aspergers Consulting and Treatment Now (AACT Now)

An Integrated Solutions Approach

Autism & Aspergers Consulting and Treatment Now (AACT Now) specializes in designing in-home therapy programs and providing continued consultation services for special needs children. We began working with children diagnosed with Autism, Pervasive Developmental Disorders, and Asperger’s and have expanded our services to include those with Downs Syndrome, cerebral palsy and other developmental disorders.

While the core of our programming is derived from the research of Dr. Ivar Lovaas and Verbal Behavior theories, we recognize that each child is an individual. Because we believe each child faces unique challenges, we have augmented our approach with the most current techniques from a variety of disciplines that work with developmental disorders to provide a truly integrated and personalized resource for our clients.

Mr. James Deehr began working with children with Autism in July, 1995, through the Wisconsin Lovaas study replication site. He completed an intensive training based on the UCLA program established by Dr. Ivar O. Lovaas, under the direction of WEAP (Wisconsin Early Autism Project). In his nine years of involvement with children with autism, Mr. Deehr has worked with more than 250 children diagnosed with
a variety of Pervasive Developmental Disorders. He has also assisted in conducting the Wisconsin replication study of Dr. Lovaas’ 1987 research. Mr. Deehr edited and compiled the curriculum (affectionately known as the flowchart and big book) currently used by WEAP and the other Young Autism Project replication sites.

AACT Now currently offers services for families in Illinois, Kansas, Missouri, New Mexico, Texas, Wisconsin and Mexico with more states to come. Quality and affordability are important to our mission.  Many of our service areas have local consultants which allow us to keep travel expenses to a minimum, but all families are supervised by a senior staff member. Many families’ only contact with an organization is their consultant. This is not the case with AACT Now, as children receive supervision from a variety of sources within our organization. AACT Now offers programs in sign-language, English, and Spanish. Please visit our website www.aactnow.com or contact us for more information.

For Texas/New Mexico and Mexico call 1-915-587-0929

7. Nassau Suffolk Services for Autism
The Martin C. Barell School

Overview
Nassau Suffolk Services for Autism (NSSA) is a private, nonprofit agency providing services to children with autism and their families. NSSA’s Martin C. Barell School provides full day 12 month educational and behavior intervention for preschool and school age children ranging in age from 3-21 years. The Martin C. Barell School provides individualized programming suited to the unique learning needs of children and adolescents with autism. The primary goals of these services is to enable the learner with autism to more fully participate in family life, to prepare them for the transition to increasing less restrictive educational environments, to develop the skills necessary for future  employment, and to develop the skills that facilitate full participation in community living.

Program Characteristics
Learners with autism require a wide range of individualized educational and treatment programs to address each individual’s specific needs. There are several unique characteristics of the education program at the Martin C. Barell School that promote effective education for learners with autism. These include:

1.  A 1 to 1.5 teacher to student ratio. The learning challenges presented by learners with autism are complex and diverse. With the high teacher to student ratio, the educational program at the Martin C. Barell School is able to provide a high level of student engagement, an increased number of learning opportunities, a highly individualized curriculum, and comprehensive behavioral supports.

2. The program enrolls a maximum of 25 children. The small size is considered integral to achieving optimal results for each learner by promoting a significant degree of individualization and educational a clinical oversight.

3. The highly structure, skill oriented instructional program is based upon the research validated science of applied behavior analysis (ABA). Interventions that have not been subjected to rigorous scientific validation are not used.

4.  Individual learner goals are data-based and operationally defined. Data-based program permit objective evaluations of individual progress and provide the opportunity to modify instructional programs as necessary to enhance learning. In order to best accomplish this, individual learners may be provided with a student specific “decision tree” for the assessment of individual progress. A sample decision tree for one student is attached.

5.  Ongoing assessment of each learner’s reinforcement preferences leads to the development of highly individualized motivational
systems for all students. Ultimately, self monitoring, or the ability to deliver one’s own reinforcement in the absence of teacher supervision, is the goal of each system.

6.  NSSA provides related services in the form of speech and language \services from ABA trained, Masters level speech and language pathologists. Based upon individual needs, learners may receive individual, one on one speech sessions or may be provided with a more consultative model of speech to address social and pragmatic concerns.

7.  Activity schedules are used to promote learner independence. Each learner moves within different levels of an activity schedule and is involved with as many as 3-5 teachers a day. This is designed to promote skill generalization on the part of the learner while also ensuring that a majority of classroom personnel are familiar with an individual’s educational and behavioral programmatics.

8.  A home programming component provides parents with extensive in-school and at-home training in how to utilize ABA at home to better support the transfer of skill gains to home and to more effectively address family specific instructional or behavioral challenges. Families of younger children receive far more direct instruction than do families of older children who may chose to use their home programming hours solely on an “as needed” basis to address specific challenges (e.g. sleep disorders, aggression at home, etc.) In addition, family support needs are addressed through NSSA sponsored parent and sibling support groups, an  open door visitation policy, and a twice weekly after school program.

9. Utilizing the behavioral maxim, “Teach where the behavior is most likely to be displayed,” NSSA provides the opportunity for extensive community-based instruction for our students In addition, as individuals reach the age of 16 years they are provided with a comprehensive transition program that includes community based job sampling.

10.  As individuals with autism may engage in problematic or challenging behavior, NSSA maintains active Peer Review and Human Rights Committees. Consisting of the NSSA clinical staff along with up to four, non-affiliated professionals with expertise in autism and ABA, the Peer Review Committee reviews programs for clinical competence in terms of behavioral assessment and its relationship to the proposed intervention and current, published research.  The Human Rights Committee, chaired by a NSSA parent, ensures the proposed behavior intervention programs do not violate individual human rights.

11.  Staff receive ongoing training and regular supervisory evaluation. Our evaluation tools are designed to identify both areas of strength and areas in need of attention.

Admissions
The Martin C. Barell School provides services to learners with autism from Nassau and Suffolk Counties. In order to be considered for admission, an individual must have a primary autism spectrum diagnosis. Documentation from a neurologist, psychologist or other licensed professional is required as part of the admissions package. The total treatment needs of learners with autism are best met by a comprehensive educational/behavioral model implemented at both home and school. Due to the importance of the homeprogramming
component to the individual learners overall success, parent participation is mandatory. Admissions will not be refused on the base of race, religion, ethnic orientation or gender.

Future Services
Early Intervention Services: Beginning in October, 2002 NSSA will begin providing behaviorally based early intervention services to young learners with an autism spectrum diagnosis in Nassau County. We anticipate being able to provide services to up to 10 families at any given time.

Adult Employment Services: As our students move toward ageing out of the Barell School, NSSA is working with NY State OMRDD to provide post-21 adult day and employment services. It is anticipated that such services will be in place by September, 2003.

Residential Services: Given the lack of appropriate and accessible residential options for adolescent and adults with autism on Long Island, NSSA is actively pursuing the development of group homes and similar residential supports and services. It is anticipated that such services will be in place by September 2005.

7. Reaching Potentials

Reaching Potentials, Inc. is a private nonprofit organization serving children with autism and their families.  We partner with parents and the professional community to provide research-based services. Since our inception in 1995, Reaching Potentials has proudly promoted lifelong access and opportunity for all individuals within the autism spectrum and their families, so that they may be fully participating, included members of their community.

Recognizing and respecting the diverse range of opinions, needs and desires of this group, Reaching Potentials empowers individuals with autism, their parents and caregivers by utilizing the principals of Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA).  At the very core of this philosophy is the understanding that while no single program or treatment will benefit all individuals with autism, ABA is an empirically proven method of intervention that supports our commitment to evidence-based practice which addresses the unique needs of each child and his/her family.

With treatment centers located in Boca Raton, Florida and Fredericksburg, Virginia, we now serve an increasing population of individuals and families affected by autism.  Our primary services include:

Day Program - An early intervention center based day treatment program, providing one-on-one individualized instruction for children age 14 months to 6 years. (Older children are considered on a case-by-case basis.) Utilizing programming based on the principals of Applied Behavior Analysis, instruction targets a variety of areas including communication, academics, adaptive/daily living skills, play skills and social interaction;

Tutoring - In addition to our center based day program, we offer after school tutoring and support for elementary and middle school age children.  This program is appropriate for children who need extra help with academics, homework and/or social skills;

Home Based Programs – For families who decide to implement programs at home, we offer program development, support and supervision for home based ABA programs;

Training – A core piece of our efforts has always included parent and professional training classes.  Beginning, intermediate and advanced training topics in Applied Behavior Analysis and Autism Intervention are offered for family members and professionals involved in the education, care, treatment, and support of individuals with autism spectrum disorders;

Internships – Reaching Potentials has long recognized the need to increase the availability of trained personnel to support individuals with autism spectrum disorders.  To help provide support in this area, we provide student internships and supervision of fieldwork for professionals pursuing certification;

Outreach Services – For families outside of our local geographic area, we offer distance supervision for home based programs (achieved through travel to the home supplemented with phone, email and video observation.)

Consultation Services - Behavior analytic consultation services are available to assist with a variety of other needs such as Functional Behavior Assessments, School Based Observation and Consultation Services, IEP Consultation, Skills Assessment, Supported Inclusion;

Community Education and Autism Awareness – Promoting awareness and support in the community is achieved through community presentations and workshops, special events and collaborative campaigns.

FLORIDA OFFICE:

500 NE Spanish River Blvd., Suites 11 & 12, Boca Raton, FL 33431    Phone: 561-391-1004   Fax: 561-391-1008

VIRGINIA OFFICE:

1602 William St., Upper Floor, Fredericksburg, VA 22401    Phone: 540-368-8087   Fax: 540-368-8059

WEBSITE:

www.reachingpotentials.org

8. Opportunities Taken: The Center for Autism and Applied Behavior Analysis at Caldwell College

Kenneth F. Reeve, Ph.D., BCBA-D

In late 2010, Caldwell College was proud to announce the opening of its new Center for Autism and Applied Behavior Analysis at Caldwell College. Walk into the space and you are immediately struck by the opportunities it provides. “Our goal is to graduate professionals to educate people with autism and to conduct cutting-edge research on science-based intervention strategies,” said Sharon A. Reeve, Ph.D., BCBA-D, Executive Director of the Center, and Chair of the Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA) department. “It is also a place where families will find hope for themselves and their children with autism.” Opening the Center was a natural step for the college, which has become a leader in training behavior analysts and autism education professionals, since beginning New Jersey’s first Master of Art’s in ABA program in 2005 and the state’s first Ph.D. program in 2009.

Along with ABA faculty members Dr. Tina Sidener, BCBA-D, and Dr. Ruth DeBar, BCBA-D, Reeve traveled the country and studied the most respected autism intervention centers prior to designing the 6,000 square-foot state-of-the-art facility at Caldwell College. The Center features intervention rooms, a medical/dental examination room, research space, faculty and graduate student offices, and a modern videoconferencing classroom that allows Caldwell to share its research and expertise around the globe. “In a way, we combined all of the best aspects of the top-notch centers into the Caldwell College Center for Autism and ABA,” said Sidener, Director of Training at the Center.

Under the guidance of the faculty, Master and doctoral students work hands-on with learners ranging in age from infancy to adulthood, and teach them basic and advanced social, communication, academic, and adaptive skills, through the principles of ABA. When individuals come to the Center for services, they are assessed by an ABA faculty member. Then, a plan of intervention tailored to the specific needs of each individual is developed in collaboration between faculty and graduate students. The Center staff also provides home and school consultation, developmental assessments, and support services. Elena Garcia-Albea, a doctoral student who has been teaching children with disabilities in both private and public schools, is eager for the chance to collaborate with the Caldwell professors. “Their mentorship and guidance will help me become a better behavior analyst.” In collaboration with the Caldwell College graduate programs in ABA, the Center helps to meet the shortage of qualified professionals to teach children with autism and to design effective programs for them.

In addition to serving as a training space for master’s and doctoral students, the Center also serves as a hub for research. “What helps our work at the Center advance the fields of ABA and autism intervention is that able to uncover better teaching procedures through empirical studies, apply those procedures to our learners, and then disseminate them to professional colleagues through peer-reviewed research journals,” Reeve explained. State-of-the-art videoconferencing equipment in the Center will allow the professionals to communicate remotely with families affected by autism and reach out to colleagues across the country and around the world to share research. ABA faculty members have even been approached by professionals in Europe who are interested in offering degree programs through the use of videoconferencing. “We are one of only a handful of doctoral programs in ABA in the U.S., and many other countries have even fewer programs,” said DeBar, Director of Outreach at the Center. “Educators in these countries are looking for ways to gain access to the training provided by quality ABA programs, and we have the equipment to connect with them.”

Normal 0 false false false EN-US JA X-NONE

The Neurobehavioral Unit at Kennedy Krieger Institute in Baltimore, MD

The Neurobehavioral Unit (NBU) is a 16-bed inpatient unit dedicated to the assessment and treatment of severe problem behavior displayed by individuals with autism and intellectual disabilities (ID). This is a unique program that specializes in the treatment of severe and highly treatment resistant problems, provides intensive behavioral assessment and treatment services, offers integrated and targeted application of behavioral and pharmacological interventions (Hagopian & Caruso-Anderson, 2010). In addition to providing specialized treatment services, the NBU offers advanced training in applied behavior analysis through its APA-approved predoctoral internship and postdoctoral fellowship.

The program has been in existence since the early 1980's, and has served patients from 31 states and several countries. Individuals aged 2-19 years admitted to the NBU present with a variety of severe and sometimes life-threatening behavioral problems, as well as complex medical issues. Criteria for admission are that behavior is of such severity and/or intensity that the individual is a danger to him or herself and is at risk for long-term residential placement. Admission length typically varies from three to six months.

Treatment Approach

Individuals admitted to the NBU inpatient service receive behavioral, psychiatric, educational, developmental, and social assessments and interventions. Behavioral assessment and treatment strategies are derived from an applied behavior analysis model. Interventions are developed based on the results of systematic behavioral assessments, including functional behavioral assessments (e.g., functional analysis), analysis of parent-child interactions, and reinforcer assessments. The interventions are individually designed to decrease problem behavior, while increasing more appropriate and adaptive responses. Furthermore, concomitant psychiatric disorders (e.g., mood disorders, ADHD) are also systematically evaluated and treated. Treatment effectiveness is systematically evaluated using reliable objective measures (i.e., direct observation) and single-case designs. Behavioral and psychiatric interventions are developed and applied in an integrated manner to achieve the goal of formulating the safest, least restrictive and most effective treatment regimen for each patient. Outcome data indicate that the primary treatment goal of reducing problem behavior by at least 80 percent is achieved for more than 80 percent of patients.

A critical component of the program is to train caregivers (e.g., parents and teachers) to implement prescribed behavioral treatments. When possible, pre-admission home and school visits are conducted to assess both child and caregiver behavior. These assessments continue while the child is an inpatient. Once an effective treatment has been developed during the hospitalization, caregivers are trained to implement the intervention at mastery level (90 percent accuracy). Caregivers practice implementation of the treatment in a variety of naturalistic settings under the supervision of a behavior therapist to promote maintenance of treatment gains. Intensive outpatient services are initiated at the time of discharge by the NBU outpatient department to help ensure a smooth transition from the hospital to the client's home. Thereafter, the intensity of outpatient services varies depending on the needs of the patient and family.

Solutions for Individuals with Autism and Related Conditions

The NBU has a long history of developing new and innovative procedures for the assessment and treatment of severe behavior disorders. In fact, NBU faculty have published numerous articles (including some seminal papers) related to behavioral assessments, communication training, behavior analysis, reinforcer identification, treatment development, pharmacological interventions, and behavioral medicine. For NBU patients with an autism spectrum disorder (ASD), treatments have focused on addressing issues such as increasing tolerance to change, improving communication and social skills, and decreasing repetitive, stereotypic behavior. Below is a summary of intervention approaches as they relate to each of these diagnostic concerns.

Learning to Tolerate Change.  Individuals with ASD often have difficulties tolerating change, interruption, or being denied access to preferred activities.  While it is reasonable and appropriate to engineer the environment to minimize change and interruption, excessive accommodations can be detrimental and not sustainable in the long run. For a sizable minority of individuals with ASD and problem behavior, being interrupted from engaging in stereotypic behavior or interrupted from engaging in an activity when being transitioned to the next activity may be highly aversive because it involves both a loss of reinforcement and is unpredictable (Flannery & Horner, 1994; McCord, Thomson,  & Iwata, 2001).  When children react to this situation with frustration and the display of severe problem behavior, adults may terminate their attempts to transition the child, or generally avoid interruptions. Over the course of repeated exposure to this situation, these behavior patterns are strengthened and these children come to respond to most adult interactions and prompts with great agitation.  Research has shown how problem behavior can be occasioned when individuals with ASD are interrupted, and how this maladaptive pattern can be changed through the use of signaling procedures, redirection, and gradually increasing tolerance to interruption by pairing compliance with interruptions with alternative reinforcement (Adelinis & Hagopian, 1999; Fisher, Adelinis, Thompson, Worsdell, & Zarcone, 1998; Hagopian & Adelinis, 2001; Hagopian, Bruzek, Bowman, & Jennett, 2007).  This research illustrates how targeting a core deficit of autism, namely insistence on sameness and rigid stereotyped patterns of behavior is possible and can be critical in addressing problem behavior.

Increasing Communication Skills.  Deficits in expressive and receptive communication may place individuals with ASD at increased risk for problem behavior because their needs cannot be effectively communicated. There is an abundance of research demonstrating that problem behavior (self-injury, aggression, etc) that sometimes co-occurs with ASD is often maintained by social consequences such as adult attention, access to toys, or escape from tasks (identified via functional behavioral assessment).  Functional Communication Training (FCT) is an intervention for problem behavior that involves teaching the individual an appropriate communication response as a means of accessing reinforcement in lieu of problem behavior.  Research on FCT has demonstrated its efficacy for the treatment of severe behavior displayed by children with ASD and ID, and has examined the mechanisms by which it may exert its effects (Fisher, Thompson, Bowman, Hagopian, & Krug, 2000; Hagopian, Fisher, Sullivan, Acquisto, & LeBlanc, 1998; Hagopian, Wilson, & Wilder, 2001; Hagopian, Kuhn, Long, & Rush, 2005; Tiger, Hanley, & Bruzek, 2008).  Once problem behaviors are reduced and a functional communication response is taught, it is important to teach individuals to discriminate times when requests can and cannot be honored, such as when adults are busy (Kuhn, Chigrin, & Zelenka, 2010).  An additional goal is to increase individuals’ tolerance to being denied immediate access to preferred activities and other reinforcers (an unavoidable event for everyone) as a means of enhancing the long-term sustainability of FCT interventions and ensuring the resilience of newly acquired communication responses (e.g., Hagopian et al., 2005).

Social Skills Training.  For individuals with ASD, social skills deficits may impair day-to-day social interactions, and also result in missed opportunities to learn since much of learning occurs incidentally though social interactions and observation of others.  Research has shown that individuals with ASD can be taught how to appropriately request social interaction, how to interact with others more appropriately (Hagopian, Kuhn, & Strother, 2009; Krantz & McClannahan, 1998; LeBlanc, Coates, Daneshvar, Charlop-Christy, Morris, & Lancaster, 2003), and to appropriately request that social interaction be terminated when it is unwanted (Hagopian, Wilson, & Wilder, 2001).  As is the case with training communication skills, establishing effective social interaction skills can be helpful in both reducing problem behavior as well as broadening adaptive skills that can improve the individual’s quality of life.

Addressing Repetitive or Stereotyped Behavior.  Repetitive or stereotyped behavior can pose problems in children with ASD, because the behavior can result in injury, can be highly disruptive, or it interferes with the establishment of appropriate behavior. A variation of the preference assessment, the competing stimulus assessment, is designed to identify items that produce stimulation that is more reinforcing than stimulation produced by self-stimulatory and some types of self-injurious behavior (Fisher, DeLeon, Rodriquez-Catter, & Keeney, 2004; Hagopian, Rush, Lewin, & Long, 2001; Hagopian, Kuhn, Long, & Rush, 2005; Jennett, Jann, & Hagopian, in press; Piazza, Fisher, Hanley, Hilker, & Derby, 1996; Piazza, Adelinis, Hanley, Goh, & Delia, 2000; Shore, Iwata, DeLeon, Kahng, & Smith, 1997).  These procedures go beyond simply identifying reinforcement maintaining problem behavior and seek to identify reinforcers that compete with or are superior to those maintaining reinforcers. Problems with excessive stereotypic/self-stimulatory behavior and leisure skills deficits have been addressed by targeting toy play skills directly (Kuhn, Hagopian, & Kuhn, 2007).  This approach involves using supplemental reinforcers to establish appropriate toy contact and toy engagement.  Once the individual contacts the reinforcing properties of toy engagement itself, the supplemental reinforcers are removed.

This approach of targeting the core deficits associated with ASD is both helpful in reducing stereotypic and problem behavior, and in building a broader repertoire of adaptive skills. By providing intensive training in behavioral program implementation to all family members, caregivers, school and/or residential staff prior to discharge from the NBU, treatment gains have a high likelihood of generalizing to the individuals’ home and community environment.

References

Adelinis, J.D. & Hagopian, L.P. (1999). The use of symmetrical ‘do’ and ‘don’t’ requests to interrupt ongoing activities. Journal of Applied Behavior Analysis, 32(4), 519-523.

Fisher, W.W., Adelinis, J.D., Thompson, R.H., Worsdell, A.S., & Zarcone, J.R. (1998). Functional analysis and treatment of destructive behavior maintained by termination of ‘don’t’ (and symmetrical ‘do’) requests. Journal of Applied Behavior Analysis, 31(3), 339-356.

Fisher, W.W., DeLeon, I.G., Rodriguez-Catter, V., & Keeney, K.M. (2004). Enhancing the effects of extinction on attention-maintained behavior through noncontingent delivery of attention or stimuli identified via a competing stimulus assessment. Journal of Applied Behavior Analysis, 37(2), 171-184.

Fisher, W.W., Thompson, R.H., Hagopian, L.P., Bowman, L.G., & Krug, A. (2000). Facilitating tolerance of delayed reinforcement during functional communication training. Behavior Modification, 24(1), 3-29.

Flannery, B.K. & Horner, R.H. (1994). The relationship between predictability and problem behavior for students with severe disabilities. Journal of Behavioral Education, 4(2), 157-176.

Hagopian, L.P. & Adelinis, J.D. (2001). Response blocking with and without redirection for the treatment of pica. Journal of Applied Behavior Analysis, 34(4), 527-530.

Hagopian, L.P., Bruzek, J.L., Bowman, L.G., & Jennett, H.K. (2007). Assessment and treatment of problem behavior occasioned by interruption of free-operant behavior. Journal of Applied Behavior Analysis, 40(1), 89-103.

Hagopian, L.P. & Caruso-Anderson, M.E. (2010). Integrating behavioral and pharmacological interventions for severe problem behavior displayed by children with neurogenetic and developmental disorders. In B.K. Shapiro & J. Pasquale (Eds.), Neurogenetic syndromes: Behavioral issues and their treatment (pp. 217-239). Baltimore, MD US: Paul H. Brookes Publishing.

Hagopian, L.P., Fisher, W.W., Sullivan, M., Acquisto, J., & LeBlanc, L.A. (1998). Effectiveness of functional communication training with and without extinction and punishment: A summary of 21 inpatient cases. Journal of Applied Behavior Analysis, 31(2), 211-235.

Hagopian, L.P., Kuhn, S.A.C., Long, E.S., & Rush, K.S. (2005). Schedule thinning following communication training: Using competing stimuli to enhance tolerance to decrements in reinforce density. Journal of Applied Behavior Analysis, 38(2), 177-193.

Hagopian, L.P., Kuhn, D.E., & Strother, G.E. (2009). Targeting social skills deficits in an adolescent with pervasive developmental disorder. Journal of Applied Behavior Analysis, 42(4), 907-911.

Hagopian, L.P., Rush, K.S., Lewin, A.B., & Long, E.S. (2001). Evaluating the predictive validity of a single stimulus engagement preference assessment. Journal of Applied Behavior Analysis, 34(4), 475-485.

Hagopian, L.P., Wilson, D.M., & Wilder, D.A. (2001). Assessment and treatment of problem behavior maintained by escape from attention and access to tangible items. Journal of Applied Behavior Analysis, 34(2), 229-232.

Jennett, H.K., Jann, K., & Hagopian, L.P. (in press). A further refinement of competing stimulus assessments: Inclusion of response blocking and representation. Journal of Applied Behavior Analysis.

Krantz, P.J. & McClannahan, L.E. (1998). Social interaction skills for children with autism: A script-fading procedure for beginning readers. Journal of Applied Behavior Analysis, 31(2), 191-202.

Kuhn, D.E., Chirighin, A.E., & Zelenka, K. (2010). Discriminated functional communication: A procedural extension of functional communication training. Journal of Applied Behavior Analysis, 43(2), 249-264.

Kuhn, D.E., Hagopian, L.P., & Kuhn, S.A.C. (2007). The effects of increasing appropriate play skills on preference for toys. In J.E. Ringdahl (Chair) Symposium presented at the 33rd Annual Meeting of the Association for Behavior Analysis International. San Diego, CA.

LeBlanc, L.A., Coates, A.M., Daneshvar, S., Charlop-Christy, M.H., Morris, C., & Lancaster, B.M. (2003). Using video modeling and reinforcement to teach perspective-taking skills to children with autism. Journal of Applied Behavior Analysis, 36(2), 253-257.

McCord, B.E., Thomson, R.J., & Iwata, B.A. (2001). Functional analysis and treatment of self-injury associated with transitions. Journal of Applied Behavior Analysis, 34(2), 195-210.

Piazza, C.C., Adelinis, J.D., Hanley, G.P., Goh, H., & Delia, M.D. (2000). An evaluation of the effects of matched stimuli on behaviors maintained by automatic reinforcement. Journal of Applied Behavior Analysis, 33(1), 13-27.

Piazza, C.C., Fisher, W.W., Hanley, G.P., Hilker, K., & Derby, K.M. (1996). A preliminary procedure for predicting the positive and negative effects of reinforcer-based procedures. Journal of Applied Behavior Analysis, 29(2), 137-152.

Shore, B.A., Iwata, B.A., DeLeon, I.G., Kahng, S., & Smith, R.G. (1997). An analysis of reinforce substitutability using object manipulation and self-injury as competing responses. Journal of Applied Behavior Analysis, 30(1), 21-40.

Tiger, J.H., Hanley, G.P., & Bruzek, J. (2008). Functional communication training: A review and practical guide. Behavior Analysis in Practice, 1(1), 16-23.