State of the Science and Future Directions for Communication Interventions for People with ASD

This presentation highlights key practices in communication interventions that are supported by research. In particular, augmentative and alternative communication and the use of mobile technologies are discussed. The presenter is an experienced general and special education classroom teacher, consultant, college instructor, and applied researcher, and is a parent of an adolescent with disabilities. She provides an overview of the current state of the art in communication interventions, summarizing the research to date, with examples of more in depth research questions relevant to the use of mobile tech displays and choice in modes of communication technology, as well as a focus on addressing a range of communication skills and functions beyond requesting and implementation of communication interventions across natural contexts. Further, participants will learn about particular communication “interventions” that should be avoided due to poor or harmful outcomes. The presenter also provides information regarding the implications of current research and future needs, particularly related to understudied populations and strategies to increase the generalization of newly learned communication skills across varied contexts, communication partners, materials, and settings. Implications for stakeholders (e.g., parents, teachers, researchers, people with ASD) of the abovementioned material are discussed.Thompson Center for Autism and Neurodevelopmental Disorders, University of Missour

Communication Interventions for People with ASD: State of the Science and Recommendations for the Future

Presented at the Kristin Farmer Autism Center at the University of North Texas, Adventures in Autism Intervention and Research Conference (Denton, Texas; July 2015)

ASD Tech: Implementation of evidence‐based practices for people with autism spectrum disorder via mobile technology

Citation: Ganz, J. B., Gilliland, W., & Gerow, S. (2015). ASD Tech: Implementation of evidence‐based practices for people with autism spectrum disorder via mobile technology. Kansas City, MO: Presented at the Midwest Symposium for Leadership in Behavior Disorders. [Invited]

Speaking Volumes: Natural Opportunities to Promote the Use of Augmentative and Alternative Communication

Presented at the Kristin Farmer Autism Center at the University of North Texas, Adventures in Autism Intervention and Research Conference (Denton, Texas; July 2015)

Self-Paced and Video-Based Learning: Parent Training and Language Skills in Japanese Children with ASD

While no exact information on the prevalence exists, it is assumed that the overall incidence of children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) has risen every year in Japan. However, given the lack of resources and services for families of children with ASD in Japan, there is a dearth of practical guidance for the support for those families. This study examined the effects of an asynchronous training package (i.e., self-paced and video-based learning manual) to teach two Japanese mothers to implement incidental teaching. Effectiveness of the instruction was determined using a multiple-baseline design across mother–child dyads. Results indicated that the mother participants were able to implement the intervention with high fidelity over time. However, mixed effects of the mother-delivered intervention on target language behaviours were found across the child participants’ behaviours. This study adds an evidence to support that parents can be essential and efficient intervention agents for children with ASD

High-Tech Augmentative and Alternative Communication for Individuals with IDD and Complex Communication Needs: A Meta-Analysis (Variable Codes)

The attachment includes the operational definitions of the variable codes for the following article: The use of mobile technology is ubiquitous and is rapidly increasing in novel use. The use of mobile apps as augmentative and alternative communication (AAC) is rapidly expanding, both in the community and in the research literature. This article reports the social-communication outcome results of a meta-analysis of single-case experimental research on the use of high-tech AAC with individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities, including autism spectrum disorder. Following inclusion determination, including excluding studies with poor design quality, raw data from 24 publications were extracted and included 89 A-B phase contrasts. Tau-U nonparametric, non-overlap effect size was used to aggregate the results across all studies for an omnibus and moderator analyses. Kendall’s S was calculated for confidence intervals, p-values, and standard error. The omnibus analysis indicated overall low to moderate positive effects on social-communication outcomes for high-tech AAC with people with IDD.The contents of this manuscript were developed under the Preparation of Leaders in Autism Across the Lifespan grant awarded by the U.S. Department of Education, Office of Special Education Programs (Grant No. H325D110046)

High-Tech Augmentative and Alternative Communication for Individuals with IDD and Complex Communication Needs: A Meta-Analysis (Search Terms)

Search Terms used in this manuscriptSearch Terms attached for the following paper: The use of mobile technology is ubiquitous and is rapidly increasing in novel use. The use of mobile apps as augmentative and alternative communication (AAC) is rapidly expanding, both in the community and in the research literature. This article reports the social-communication outcome results of a meta-analysis of single-case experimental research on the use of high-tech AAC with individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities, including autism spectrum disorder. Following inclusion determination, including excluding studies with poor design quality, raw data from 24 publications were extracted and included 89 A-B phase contrasts. Tau-U nonparametric, non-overlap effect size was used to aggregate the results across all studies for an omnibus and moderator analyses. Kendall’s S was calculated for confidence intervals, p-values, and standard error. The omnibus analysis indicated overall low to moderate positive effects on social-communication outcomes for high-tech AAC with people with IDD.The contents of this manuscript were developed under the Preparation of Leaders in Autism Across the Lifespan grant awarded by the U.S. Department of Education, Office of Special Education Programs (Grant No. H325D110046)

Moderation of effects of AAC based on setting and types of aided AAC on outcome variables: An aggregate study of single-case research with individuals with ASD

Objective: The purpose of this meta-analysis was to evaluate the potential moderating effects of intervention setting and type of aided AAC on outcome variables for students with autism spectrum disorders. Methods: Improvement Rate Difference, an effect size measure, was used to calculate aggregate effects across 35 single case research studies. Results: Results indicated that the largest effects for aided AAC were observed in general education settings. With respect to communication outcomes, both speech generating devices and the Picture Exchange Communication System were associated with larger effects than other picture-based systems. With respect to challenging behaviour outcomes, SGDs produced larger effects than PECS. Conclusion: This aggregate study highlights the importance of considering intervention setting, choice of AAC system, and target outcomes when designing and planning an aided AAC intervention

Meta-analysis of PECS with individuals with ASD: Investigation of targeted versus non-targeted outcomes, participant characteristics, and implementation phase

The Picture Exchange Communication System (PECS) is a widely used picture/icon aided augmentative communication system designed for learners with autism and other developmental disorders. This meta-analysis analyzes the extant empirical literature for PECS relative to targeted (functional communication) and non-targeted concomitant outcomes (behavior, social skills, and speech) for learners with autism, learners with autism and intellectual disabilities and those with autism and multiple disabilities. Effect size analyses were done using the Improvement Rate Difference method, an advanced metric. Effect sizes were independently analyzed for targeted and non-targeted outcomes, student age, learner disability, and number of phases in the PECS protocol acquired by learners. Results supported the judgment that PECS is a promising intervention method. Analysis also revealed that functional communication outcomes associated with the PECS protocol were most impacted, that preschool children and those with autism generally showed the strongest training effects, and that in general students who advanced through the most PECS protocol phases had the best outcomes