Autism Outreach

In my continued effort to bridge the gap between research and therapy, I had a great discussion with Dr. Elizabeth Biggs, assistant professor of special education. We discuss the power of Literacy in human connection. Even for children with complex communication needs, the need for literacy starts at birth (cue the baby shower gifts of everyone's favorite books), and it never stops! In a study tracking around 40 families through the pandemic school year (20-21), Dr. Biggs and other researchers checked in on their journey of supporting their children's literacy and language learning. While many families expressed aspirations for their child's communication progress, a significant portion didn't prioritize literacy, perceiving their children as not ready or simply not giving it much thought. Their research found that confidence in literacy acquisition varied greatly, often depending on the support from providers and teachers. They also looked at concerns regarding literacy, especially concerning the acquisition and utilization of Augmentative and Alternative Communication (AAC) systems, with only a single family reporting a positive experience. Literacy is reading, writing, speaking, listening, and expressing—each learned in intertwined manner and contributing to meaningful human connections. Dr. Biggs encourages a family-centered approach in your therapy whenever you can, emphasizing the need to equip and support families in nurturing literacy skills in their children. Ultimately, as Dr. Biggs states in our conversation, “Literacy is for ALL kids, not just some kids”. Do you like episodes like this? Do you want to hear more about recent research and how you can implement it in your therapy room? Leave a review and let me know! #autism #speechtherapy What’s Inside: Mentioned In This Episode: Join the ABA SPEECH Connection Membership

As I continue to bridge the gap in research to the therapy room, I also see deficits in pre-service training that can make therapy a better experience for both providers and families. Jessica Rohrer, BCBA-D, joins me to discuss her work with soft skills, using tools to measure and build compassion skills in the therapy room. Her research uses the Jefferson Scale of Physician Empathy, a tool primarily used to check compassion in the medical field, as a pre and post measurement on the impact of compassionate skills training. Dr. Rohrer developed the Compassionate Collaboration Tool as a checklist for provider self-reflection and a helpful next step to incorporating compassion skills in their therapy. The tool focuses on three skill sets in providers. Basic interview skills: introductions, note taking, nodding, and back channeling. Interest skills: asking and reflecting positivity on client interests and asking and reflecting caregiver priorities. Joining with the family: empathy statements, normalizing skills, and partnering skills. It can be easy to forget the emotional time our clients and their families may be experiencing when entering therapy, which is why it is crucial to focus on empathy and compassion in our basic skills for a positive experience. New clinicians may particularly experience more difficulty. If you’re looking for next steps to include compassion in your therapy, Dr. Rohrer reminds you to self-monitor and reflect, consider group behavior skills training, and remember that every client and every family will have varying needs for compassion. #autism #speectherapy What’s Inside: Mentioned In This Episode: Soft Skills: The Case for Compassionate Approaches or How Behavior Analysis Keeps Finding Its Heart (PDF) Teaching Compassion Skills to Students of Behavior Analysis: A Preliminary Investigation Join the ABA SPEECH Connection Membership

The title of Joe Veneziano and Dr. Shannon Shea’s research article, They Have a Voice, Are We Listening?, caught my eye and I had to read it. These two BCBAs met at a Journal Club and connected over the need to shed light on the history and nuance of ABA and Behavior Analysis. With the field growing and opinions of professionals being so diverse, educating incoming BCBAs on the history of behavior analysis is crucial. Their paper examines “indistinguishability” and its implications by defining “indistinguishable” in behavior analytic terms. They write about well known studies, such as the Lovaas seminal paper (1987). There are many critiques of ABA in the field and in the in the media today. Is it evil or bad? Is it perfect? Neither is true, but the field and practice of behavior analysis rely on the lens of the research you undertake. Together, we discuss the importance of evaluating research critically and understanding the difference between pseudoscience and robust research. We also highlight the need for an emphasis on the underrepresented voices of autism, including queer individuals, POCs, and women. Research and an open mind are crucial to the success of ABA and the impact it will have on individuals receiving it. As quoted in their article, “Go forward with empathy and cultural humility.” #autism #speectherapy What’s Inside: Mentioned In This Episode: They have a Voice; are we Listening? - PMC Join the ABA SPEECH Connection Membership

After 2 decades of working in a clinical long term care setting as an SLP, Susan Browning was looking for something different amidst the pandemic. This change led her to her role in pediatric SLP in an ABA setting. We discuss one of my favorite topics, collaboration. Susan, bursting with positive energy for the field, talks about how she worked to find her niche to collaborate and complement the work of the other providers and BCBAs in the clinic. With the large scope that SLP spans in the field, it is such a nuanced science. Susan explains some of her interesting presentations coming up to show this large scope, and she draws comparisons from her long term care patients to her pediatric patients with the importance of blending cognition and language. Enjoy this really positive conversation and check out the link to a special ABA Speech Connection CEU, SLP in an ABA Setting. #autism #speectherapy What’s Inside: Mentioned In This Episode: CEU Library - ABA Speech Join the ABA SPEECH Connection Membership

Maura Weis is the mother of two, a son and a daughter. The Weis family’s autism journey began when their youngest, Hannah, experienced early life difficulties, and then concerns with delays started occurring at 18 months. Maura shares about their early experiences and her pediatrician visits. Even more concerns grew after a move due to her husband’s coaching career. As they worked through tests and possibilities, Hannah began school with an ABA program and received several diagnoses. Maura wrote Miles From The Sideline: A Mother's Journey With Her Special Needs Daughter when her daughter was 8 years old as a resource for family members of families with special needs children. She also created the Hannah and Friends Family Foundation with her retired NFL and college football coach husband, Charlie Weis. Hannah, turning 29, now lives on the Hannah and Friends property in Indiana. There are 13 residents who have Daily Programs, Summer Camps, and After school activities. It’s a wide, open space to create a life. Among her experiences and family's journey, Maura shares an important sentiment for families to embrace all experiences, even the difficult ones, because they are important learning opportunities for their children. You can find out more about Maura Weis and her foundation by reading her book, visiting the Hannah and Friends website, or on Facebook. #autism #speectherapy What’s Inside: Mentioned In This Episode: Miles From The Sideline: A Mother's Journey With Her Special Needs Daughter Hannah and Friends Hannah and Friends Join the ABA SPEECH Connection Membership

If you walk away with anything from today’s episode, let it be: It will get better. My guest, Kelley Coleman, is a mother of 2 and wrote the book she desperately needed when it came to navigating the extensive list of diagnoses for her youngest son. We discuss her book, Everything No One Tells You About Parenting a Disabled Child: Your Guide To the Essential Systems, Services, and Supports and the daunting overwhelm that comes with a disability diagnosis. Being a parent or caregiver is difficult enough, but throw in a medical diagnosis, nuerodivergence, and, in Kelley’s case, many comorbidities and more questions than answers and you’ve got a recipe for distress. Kelley talks about how a big win for her family was the support and openness of their pediatrician, but not every provider is this way, and for many families, it can feel like no one is in your corner. If that's you, you will find so many resources and support in this book. As we bring our talk to a close, Kelley ties up her multitude of knowledge and advice into this tip; Get started with something that will bring an easy victory! It is reassuring to see the fruit of your labor. Do the one thing, get the win and keep that system going. Everything No One Tells You About Parenting a Disabled Child: Your Guide To the Essential Systems, Services, and Supports launched on March 12th. You can find it anywhere you buy books and ask your libraries to carry it too so that this amazing advice can reach as many families as possible. #autism #speectherapy What’s Inside: Mentioned In This Episode: Kelley Coleman Join the ABA SPEECH Connection Membership

In the age of smartphones and tablets, video modeling is more accessible than it ever has been before. Dr. Teresa Cardon dives into the research on how effective video modeling is and how to move based on perceived barriers. Video modeling research shows that learners respond faster than with live modeling and you can use it to teach a variety of skills including self help, play, and imitation. Dr. Cardon explains that most barriers providers find for video modeling, time or training, are based on a perception that video modeling is difficult or needs perfection. Studies show that the model in the video can be anyone as long as the desired skill is being modeled correctly, the age or connection to the client has no bearing on the success of the video model. To get started, decide on your target skills or actions to be modeled. Pre-film the action (although Dr. Cardon mentions quick perception filming of your own hands works too), play for the client, provide the necessary items for the action, and the hardest part…keep quiet. Dr. Cardon mentions you can do as many as 5-10 video models per session with videos that are 20 to 40 seconds long. Dr. Cardon’s advice for listeners is to just do the video model! Don’t let perceived barriers stop you from using this super effective evidence based practice. #autism #speechtherapy What’s Inside: Mentioned In This Episode: teresa.cardon@unt.edu Dr. Teresa Cardon on LinkedIn Teresa CARDON | Speech & Hearing Science; Board Certified Behavior Analyst | Chicago School of Professional Psychology | Ph.D. Program in Applied Behavior Analysis | Research profile Video Modeling Imitation Training Manual.pdf Join the ABA SPEECH Connection Membership

Whether you’re a keynote speaker or you’re attending a small group team meeting, front of the room speaking opportunities are abundant in the autism healthcare field. And they are mutually beneficial. Dr. Breanne Hartley is BCBA-D who is passionate about public speaking. These opportunities create an environment of learning, collaboration, and sharing ideas and thoughts. Public Speaking Strategies for SLPs, BCBAs, and anyone with a front of the room opportunity: Along with these great tips, we also discuss Dr. Hartley’s work as the Chief Clinical Officer at UNIFI Autism Care. UNIFI is on a mission to level up autism care and create a unified experience between providers and clinicians for the benefit of the patient. #autism #speechtherapy What’s Inside: Mentioned In This Episode: ABA SPEECH Connection Membership C.A.R.E. Autism Breanne Hartley, PhD, BCBA-D, LBA - Chief Clinical Officer - UNIFI Autism Care | LinkedIn Join the bootcamp here

Do you hear the word parent advocate and immediately anticipate a contentious IEP meeting with an US vs THEM mentality? It doesn’t have to be that way. April Rehrig is an advocate with over 20 years of experience as a school psychologist, teacher, and parent in the public school system. In our conversations, April explains how her philosophy is about reaching across the table to work together and resolve concerns. She is a virtual advocate working with clients across the country and offering an embedded coaching model with on-demand online courses, letter templates, and parent training. This model goes beyond advocacy and helps parents learn and understand how they can themselves advocate for their child. Not everyone can afford an advocate, April affirms, which is one reason she provides coaching and training to empower parents for future IEP meetings. Most advocates are fee-based, but you can also find low-cost and sliding-scale options too. She shares some great insight when it comes to looking for an advocate, like understanding the difference between advocates, attorneys, and coaches. It’s important to know what you need and want with this support. April provides examples of questions to be sure to ask when finding the right fit. There is a lot of value for parents and families as well as provider teams when it comes to providing advocacy support, especially when the goal for all is positivity and collaboration. If you like this episode and want to see more of this type of content, be sure to rate and review on Apple Podcasts. #autism #speechtherapy What’s Inside: Mentioned In This Episode: ABA SPEECH Connection Membership Rise Educational Advocacy Join the bootcamp here

When it comes to teaching comprehension to autistic learners, it can be difficult to know where to get started. This is an important skill leading to independent communication, and it’s crucial to have a robust system for teaching the skills. I’m going over some of the foundational skills leading to comprehension. Labeling is a progressional skill that should start with the preferred terms of the learner, then onto more functional beyond the therapy room for their day to day life. Intraverbals and (to keep things simple) filling in the blanks are another skill that is a cornerstone of conversation and a foundation of comprehension learning. Don’t forget to check out Dr. Sundberg’s supplement that I discuss in this episode. WH questions are a specific target to get started with in comprehension. You can get very specific with criteria and data when creating learning targets and IEP goals for this skill. You can teach this skill with visuals (I share a resource for this today too!) and very importantly, you can use WH questions to teach and generalize personal safety questions: What is your name? What is your guardian's name? What is your phone number? Etc. There are great links and resources for you to check out today, so don’t miss those! And if you found this episode helpful, don’t forget to leave a review or reach out to me at ABAspeech.org with any questions. #autism #speectherapy What’s Inside: Mentioned In This Episode: Dr. Sundberg Intraverbal Supplement: Intraverbal Subtest V.6.0 ABA SPEECH Intraverbal Printable: Speech Therapy Activity: Focus on Comprehension & Expressive Language Boom Cards for Comprehension Join the ABA SPEECH Connection Membership - Membership ABA Speech Join the bootcamp here: Dynamic Content Joint Attention Bootcamp

*Alexa play Get Along by Kenny Chesney* Rachel Stotts wrote the article, Accepting Different Opinions About Autism in the Nov/Dec issue of ASHA Leader. It is bright positive energy in a space that really needs it. She is an SLP and a mother of 4. Rachel’s passion for autism is so important professionally and personally, as she has her adult autistic son at home. Rachel shares her thoughts on the controversy surrounding the autism puzzle piece. For her, autism is a puzzle—figuring out all the right support, services, and needs. When it comes to different opinions and information, she reminds us to listen, stay informed, and evaluate based on our values and knowledge. One person, one therapy, one anything—it just doesn't work in the autism population. There is always someone offended, a trending opinion, or a hot button topic. So how do we navigate all of the information and opinions online and on social media? -Remember who you are in this industry for: It’s not about likes and validation; it's about making a difference in the child’s life. -Be cautious about the content you’re consuming. -Find community away from negative online spaces. Unfortunately, not everyone is going to see eye to eye on interventions, but as long as we support people and the people supporting the people, we can find positivity and make a difference! #autism #speechtherapy What’s Inside: Mentioned In This Episode: ABA SPEECH Connection Membership Join the bootcamp here: https://aba-speech-llc.ck.page/38b4953816

Today we’re featuring more accessible research! We’re talking about a topic I am really passionate about; Modified Leisure with play, social skills, and joint attention all mixed in. Dr. Erin Barton explains the research involved in her study, Teaching Board Game Play to Young Children With Disabilities. Her work focused on expanding play research from pretend play to play with peers, with an emphasis on the least amount of adult intervention. Dr. Barton makes an important note that every child deserves a 100% chance that they will have at least 1 chance for a positive interaction with their peers. Board game play is a naturally occurring chance for small group play with functionality that applies beyond the therapy room. The children involved in the study had limited speech, developmental delays and required no peer aversions, specific motor skills related to game play, and the ability to follow one-step directions. They generalized board game play with visual cues and step by step guides among an array of games that were picked daily by rotating student choice. In the study, they found that after between 5 and 10 sessions, children were able to generalize and maintain the skill. Dr. Barton also shares some tips that everyday clinicians can use today in the therapy room. Did you like this episode? Let me know if you’d like more like this, and I'll keep bridging the gap between research and practice! #autism #speechtherapy What’s Inside: Mentioned In This Episode: ABA SPEECH Connection Membership

“We have to see learners as a part of their community.” Brittany Schmidt, BCBA-SLP, explains a major point of the AAC Trial process, having the device be effective across all of the learners' environments and communication partners. It’s hard to stay up to date and fully understand AAC when you’re not working with it on a regular basis. In this episode, Brittany shares some specific points and ideas when it comes to finding the right AAC device for a learner and avoiding device abandonment. Over the years, there has been an incredible evolution of access. There is more affordability and availability of devices and applications with unique features that can be programmed for diverse learners. Ease and functionality, response and consequence changing, power words, and realistic goal setting are among some of the great points Brittany and I discuss. You can find out more about Brittany through Thrive Clinical Solutions or reach out to her via email. Be on the lookout for her talk and CEUs on AAC through ABA Speech Connection. #autism #speectherapy What’s Inside: Mentioned In This Episode: Thrive Clinical Solutions schmidt@thriveclinicalsolutions.com ABA SPEECH Connection Membership

As a fellow busy SLP-BCBA, I know it's hard to keep up to date with research. That's why I’ve been combing through articles and inviting these researchers in our field on the podcast! I am on a mission to bridge the gap between research and practice. Stephanie Gonzalez is a BCBA doctoral candidate at the University of Florida and the author of the article, Teaching Children to Respond to Questions About the Past: A Preliminary Analysis. While her research into this topic is ongoing, Stephanie and I had a great conversation about recall skills and how some may not see them as an available skill for their learners. The work she has done shows how this skill can be worked on alongside other important targets. What did you do at school today? What did you do this weekend? What movie did you see? What toy did you play with? These are all valuable questions that recall the past and unlock conversations, especially for parents who want to know what their child is up to. Using probe fading, Stephanie gradually builds a delay in recall, using differential reinforcements every time a learner correctly recalls. In fact, with the learners she's worked with, she has surprisingly built the 30 minute recall very quickly. Stephanie explains the base skills her learners have and how others may build this into their treatment package. Be sure to read Stephanie’s article and stay tuned for more important research made accessible! #autism #speechtherapy What’s Inside: Mentioned In This Episode: Autism Outreach: #107 The Importance of Comprehension Skills with Dr. Merrill Winston Teaching Children to Respond to Questions About the Past: A Preliminary Analysis ABA SPEECH Connection Membership

While schools in the past have focused on a consultative model when it comes to BCBAs, it has become a growing trend in the field for schools to hire a district wide BCBA of their own. When you move from a consultant to an actual school employee this opens up a lot of room for dialogue. BCBA, Dr. Bruce Tinor joins me to chime in with this conversation. Dr. Tinor agrees that hiring BCBAs is the right step but just one is not enough. There are certain roles in a school where 1 overseer is enough, but being an effective BCBA requires a lot of hands-on work and direct contact. If you do find yourself in the daunting task of being your district's only BCBA, Dr. Tinor has some great tips to systematically attack and support your school. Even if you are the only BCBA employee of the school, find a community to collaborate and share knowledge and support. Along with all of his wisdom and insight for active school based BCBAs, he shares some advice that applies to even new BCBAs wherever they may land. Pair with your clients. This might mean students, parents, or even other staff but when you have paired up and built rapport, success and trust will follow. #autism #speectherapy What’s Inside: Mentioned In This Episode: ABA SPEECH Connection Membership

Joining me from Upstate Caring Partners is Dr. Erik Jacobson. The agency works with a large population of individuals with moderate to severe intellectual disabilities. Upstate CP is focused on changing lives with compassionate care. During our conversation, Dr. Jacobson discusses how Upstate CP has reflected on their previous caretaking model, evaluating hand over hand crafts and goals that don’t last the lifespan. They have transitioned into an instructional model that builds strong relationships and creates a safe environment in a dignified way. Dr. Jacobson shares how their staffing and teams have changed, starting with hiring their very first BCBA in 2019. With a focus on making their program less like school and more like life, they are making lasting changes that are going to positively impact the individuals in their care for life. You can find more about Upstate Caring Partners on their website. #autism #speechtherapy What’s Inside: Mentioned In This Episode: Upstate Caring Partners ABA SPEECH Connection Membership

Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (or training), also known largely as ACT, is a relatively new premise in the field of ABA. Kate Nasuti who has been a BCBA for over a decade and in the field of ABA for 20+ years, joins me to discuss this important topic. Kate shares her experience learning about ACT and how it's benefited her personally, even comparing “ACT Boot Camp” to a yoga retreat. It’s that impactful. She uses this technique now with parents and providers, giving access to this incredible therapy via coaching with individuals who would not otherwise benefit from ABA. We go through some of the core processes of ACT: Mindfulness, Diffusion, Committed Action, Self as context, Values, and Acceptance. Kate describes some of these in detail, like Value Clarification. She uses this really beautiful quote from Michelangelo on his sculpture of David, “I just chipped all the way through the parts that aren’t David ''...to reveal that for clarification of our own values, we must just remove all the values that aren't ours. Kate shares a ton of great resources, like the ACT course available on PRAXIS and Dr. Steven C. Hayes’ book, The Liberated Mind. ACT is such a beneficial addition to the science of ABA that I really encourage everyone to learn more! #autism #speechtherapy What’s Inside: Mentioned In This Episode: Get access to Kate’s ASHA and ACE course: Is It Really Burnout? Anxiety? How Words Can Get Us Stuck by joining the ABA SPEECH Connection Membership

Replay: Episode 107 As SLPs and BCBAs, we are tasked with teaching comprehension to our learners, but do they really understand these skills? Dr. Merrill Winston joined me to discuss not only reading comprehension but comprehension in everyday life and the building block skills to be successful. What is comprehension? Whether you're reading a book or listening to a statement, there are 3 markers for comprehension. Dr. Winston and I get into the nitty gritty of that last marker and talk about it when it comes to comprehension of daily life. He says that a major prerequisite for reading comprehension is comprehending their day. You can check this by having your learner sequence, or "serieate," their day. (First I did this, then I did this, then we did that…) With this skill, students are pulling information from the past and making a time reference. You can practice by working in smaller increments, like the last hour even. This doesn't have to be verbal; it can be in pictures or icons as well! But the important thing is to ask those questions!! Students may not be able to serialize their day simply because they aren't being asked these questions. We also talk about goal setting and realistic expectations. If you're considering setting a comprehension goal for your learner, Dr. Winston says to be sure to ask: What is the end goal? Where is this skill going to take them? Every skill you spend time on should have a goal that extends across the lifespan and opens more doors and opportunities. He even goes as far as to say that working on a goal for too long without progress is careless! This was such a great chat with a leader in the field of ABA, and I hope you found it helpful! #autism #speechtherapy What’s Inside: Mentioned In This Episode: Winston Behavioral Solutions ABASpeechByRose - Rose Griffin - Instagram Membership - ABA Speech

Replay: Episode 105 I love talking about joint attention, but a lot of my ideas and strategies in my courses may feel like they are geared toward older preschool age students. My tips today are for the youngest learners, toddlers age 2 to 3. Joint attention is an important foundational skill and it is never too early to get started with these strategies! 3 Ways to Get Started with Joint Attention with Your Toddler Today Books Books are the lifeline for learning and sharing activities and time with our little ones. For these young learners, when reading use a positive, energetic voice. Try using board books and interactive books with flaps. With your own child, make a goal to embed at least 15 minutes to read and interact with a book everyday! Some of my favorites: Huggy Kissy and the Llama Llama series Songs Use YOUR Voice. Learn songs with motions to sing with your toddler. If toddlers aren't speaking they can join in by using the gestures and doing the motions as you sing. You can also use visuals like toys that match the song or printed visuals from my TPT store for early intervention songs. Some of my favorites: Wheels on the Bus, 5 Little Monkeys, Happy and You Know It, Old McDonald Play Playing with toddlers is so fun and you never know what they will love and enjoy. Focus on not asking questions but just modeling simple language and narrating the activity. Some of my favorites: Bubbles, Sensory Bins, Cars with Tracks #autism #speechtherapy What’s Inside: Mentioned In This Episode: Books For Speech Therapy For Toddlers Songs for Early Intervention by ABA SPEECH | TPT Membership - ABA Speech

GLP – Gestalt Language Processing, is taking social media by storm. BCBAs and SLPs alike are talking about it… But should it be something we follow and jump into without question? Dually Certified SLP-BCBA Sari Risen joins me to discuss her findings on GLP along with some warnings. So what is GLP? It is basically a distinction against NLA – Natural Language Acquisition, in which NLA individuals learn by developing single words and increasing over time, whereas GLP individuals have longer and longer utterances and develop single words over time. Sari uses the example of a toddler who says “ohh da do” [meaning open the door] will eventually learn the words open, the, and door but would start with the longer utterance before knowing the words individually. Sari took Marge Blanc's 15 hour course on the topic and explained the history of GLP when Dr. Ann Peters made this distinction between NLA and GLP in the 70s. While information on Gestalt is available, it is mostly anecdotal, with very few official studies or evidence. Educate yourself so that you can understand and explain GLP when and if parents ask. Sari and I warn practitioners to think critically about the strategies and theories they use and not to follow something just because of social media. #autism #speechtherapy What’s Inside: Mentioned In This Episode: srisen@actionpotentialservices.ca www.actionpotentialservices.ca Membership - ABA Speech