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Executive Summary

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Models and Classroom Instruction

Case Study

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Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

Definitions

Events

Definitions

Applied Behavioral Analysis (ABA): A treatment model that seeks to use empirically validated behavior change procedures for assisting individuals in developing skills of social value. The term "ABA" is frequently used interchangeably with "Intensive Behavioral Intervention"

Autism: A developmental disability significantly affecting verbal and nonverbal communication and social interaction, generally evident before age 3, that adversely affects a child’s educational performance. People with autism typically exhibit stereotyped behaviors, interests, and activities

Basic Exchange: Phase 1 of the Picture Exchange Communication System, during which a child learns to make a spontaneous request by using a picture symbol

Chaining: Establishes complex behaviors by linking a series of simpler tasks

Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM –IV): A manual published by the American Psychiatric Association that provides standard criteria for the diagnosis of mental disorders

Discrimination Training: A behavioral technique that teaches the learner the appropriate response to a given stimulus

Distance and Persistence: Phase 2 of the Picture Exchange Communication System, during which a child learns to make a request in various environments, including different rooms and settings

Division TEACCH: The Division for the Treatment and Education of Autistic and Related Communication Handicapped Children is an organization that was established in North Carolina in 1972 to create the first statewide, comprehensive, community-based program dedicated to improving the understanding and services for children with autism

Effective Strategies: Teaching strategies that have been assessed in relation to initial benchmark data and evaluated for their "transferability" to various settings

Four-core assessment: A thorough, multidisciplinary assessment of a child, including educational, language, socio-cultural, and psychological considerations

Functional Behavioral Assessment (FBA): A systematic process for identifying the environmental factors and surrounding events associated with problem behavior

Individuals with Disabilities Education Act Amendments of 1997 (IDEA, 1997): Federal regulations that call for improved educational opportunities for children with disabilities. The IDEA ‘97 establishes high expectations for children with disabilities to achieve educational results.

Operant Conditioning: Behavioral model that emphasizing reinforcement and punishment as means of modifying behavior

Pervasive Developmental Disorder (PDD): A broad category of disorders, characterized by severe and pervasive impairments in several areas of development, including reciprocal social interaction skills, communication skills, or the presence of stereotyped behavior, interests, and activities. Autism is one of several disorders grouped under the general heading PDD.

Promising Strategies: Teaching strategies recommended by "reputable researchers" that have been "evaluated for face validity" in a single setting

Responding to "What do you want?": Phase 5 of the Picture Exchange Communication System, during which the child learns to respond to the question: "What do you want?" by using picture symbols on sentence strips

Sentence Building: Phase 4 of the Picture Exchange Communication System, during which a child learns to create simple sentences by using a sequence of pictures on a sentence strip

Shaping: Reinforcing behavior through a series of successive approximations

Spectrum Disorder: A condition that manifests its symptoms along a wide complex range. Autistic behavior can vary from simple repetitious communication to extremely self-injurious behavior. In addition, autism has a variety of subtypes and related syndromes that can fluctuate in severity and symptom presentation. These subtypes and related syndromes include the following:

Angelman syndrome -Prader-Willi syndrome

Asperger’s syndrome -Rett syndrome

Fragile X syndrome -Williams syndrome

Spontaneous and Responsive Commenting: The final phase of the Picture Exchange Communication System, during which the child learns to make comments by using picture icons, such as "I have" or "I see"

Structured Learning Environment: A term used by Division TEACCH to describe a carefully modified classroom that takes into account the sensory and special learning needs of students with autism. Teachers can establish a structured learning environment by altering the physical organization of their classroom and by providing visual schedules and cues for their students

Twenty-Second Annual Report to Congress: The annual report to Congress on the implementation of the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act, provided by the U.S. Department of Education, Office of Special Education Programs (OSEP)

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