web vieweverything seemed fine when rita was born in six years ago. rita had a passive temperament...
Post on 07-Feb-2018
220 Views
Preview:
TRANSCRIPT
ESS512
Planning Principles and Assessment
Rachel Lane1133 2849
Programming for Students with High Support Needs
ESS512 | Programming for Students with High Support Needs
Contents
Case Study: Rita 2
Component A 3
Identification of Needs 3
Assessment of Adaptive Behaviour 7
Component B 15
Instructional Planning (IEPs) 15
Reference 22
1 | R a c h e l L a n e ( 1 1 3 3 2 8 4 9 )
ESS512 | Programming for Students with High Support Needs
Case Study: RitaEverything seemed fine when Rita was born in six years ago. Rita had a passive temperament and
she thrived during her first few months of life but near her first birthday she seemed much more
irritable and grizzly. She started to cry and scream much more often and for no apparent reason.
Equally disturbing was the fact that she also stopped using the few single words that she had
previously mastered. She also seemed to be having a lot of trouble just moving around and was
especially clumsy when she used her hand to reach for and grasp something.
Shortly after these initial signs appeared, a serious hand mannerism was noticed. Now it seems that
all Rita wanted to do was rub her hands together as if she were continually washing them. At this
time Rita was seen at a paediatric clinic and was suspected of having Rett syndrome. This initial and
tentative diagnosis was later confirmed by a genetic test.
As with most girls with Rett syndrome, at six years of age Rita was unable to walk or talk, and unable
to use her hands very well for any real functional activity. She retains a number of informal gestures
such as facial expressions and body movements that seem to be her way of communicating. When
she likes something, music for example, she smiles the vocalises and wiggles excitedly. When she
does not like something she lets you know by looking away and tensing her arms.
Rita attends a special education classroom with four other children with high support needs
associated with a combination of developmental and physical disabilities. The classroom is staffed
by a teacher and teaching assistant. A large portion of the school day is spent with eating and self
care tasks. When instructional activities are implemented, Rita does not show much active
participation mainly because of her physical limitations although she is sometimes very alert and
responsive to surroundings. These times are increasingly interspersed with longer and longer period
in which she seems completely unresponsive to her surroundings. She essentially functions in the
profound range of intellectual disability although it has been difficult to get a good estimate of her
cognitive ability. It is certain that she requires full assistance with most daily living tasks such as
dressing toileting eating and washing.
2 | R a c h e l L a n e ( 1 1 3 3 2 8 4 9 )
ESS512 | Programming for Students with High Support Needs
Component A
Identification of NeedsRita is a unique individual whose development of typical abilities have been adversely affected by a
genetic syndrome known as Rett Syndrome. According to the National Institute of Neurological
Disorders and Stroke [NINDS] (2015), Rett Syndrome is characterised by normal early growth and
development followed by a slowing of development, loss of purposeful use of the hands, distinctive
hand movements, slowed brain and head growth, problems with walking, seizures, and intellectual
disability.
Significant consideration needs to be given to Rita’s cognitive and physical state. Wrestling, Fox &
Carter (2014) explain that individuals diagnosed as having a profound disability falls within the most
severe range of intellectual disability (p. 4). The fact that Rita seems to be falling into indeterminate
states for longer periods of time also needs to be considered (Wrestling, Fox & Carter, 2014, p. 5).
In order to adequately identify Rita’s needs, all stakeholders involved in Rita’s education need to be
identified and involved. In the initial Individual Education Plan (IEP) meeting, each stakeholder
should list their concerns (Lancaster, 2015).
The table below depicts the stakeholders identified for Rita’s case as well as their concerns:
Parents: Mr & Mrs Walker Student: Rita
Improve ability to effectively
communicate with both family
members and other members of the
community
Improve ability to assist with everyday
tasks such as dressing by increasing
functional capacity
Improve eating habits
Likes music (pop, contemporary)
Likes animals (particularly horses and
cats)
Shows interest in colourful picture
books, likes having these read to her
Dislikes certain foods (picky eater, does
not like textures of some foods)
Teacher: Mrs Lane Physiotherapist: Mr Tyson
Communication (expressive and
receptive) using physical gestures, eye
gaze as well as Augmentative and
Alternative communication (ACC)
devices
Responding to content throughout
Prevent deformity due to joint &
muscle contractures, foot deformities
and scoliosis
Improve walking ability
Improve transitional movements
Improve fitness and mobility (through
3 | R a c h e l L a n e ( 1 1 3 3 2 8 4 9 )
ESS512 | Programming for Students with High Support Needs
units of work using pictures and
symbols
Increasing alertness and engagement
during tasks
hydrotherapy and physical therapy)
(Harris, n.d.)
Occupational Therapist: Mrs Smith Speech Therapist: Mrs Parker
Maximise hand use for functional
activities
Develop ability to access
communication devices
Develop ability to access a variety of
assistive technology
Improve ability to assist with dressing,
perform independent feeding skills and
assist with grooming activities
Improve ability to tolerate sensory
input in school setting
(Lawton & Gutierrez, 2005)
Language stimulation
Development of receptive language
skills
Training for improved eye contact and
eye pointing
Increase visual and auditory attention
to stimuli
Turn taking
Development of specific aspects of
cognition and thinking, such as cause
and effect
Aided and unaided approaches to
Augmentative and Alternative
communication devices
(Rett UK, n.d.)
Nutritionist: Mrs Wright
Provide proper body positioning and a
calming feeding environment
Alternate feeding assistants where
possible to avoid feeding refusals due
to carer/teacher absence
Increase calories and proteins in diet to
promote growth and development
Encourage trying new and varied foods
(Seche & Geerts, 2008)
In order to ensure that the most appropriate educational goals are determined for Rita’s Individual
Education Plan (IEP), features of the Inclusion/Functional Instruction model must be considered.
Wrestling, Fox & Carter (2014) discuss these features including inclusion considerations (such as
adapting the curricula and learning materials to achieve success); social participation (targeting
4 | R a c h e l L a n e ( 1 1 3 3 2 8 4 9 )
ESS512 | Programming for Students with High Support Needs
participation and engagement in home, school and community settings); functional age-appropriate
skills (aimed to increase independent living and partial participation); and non-school community-
based instruction (focusing on generalising skills in natural settings) (pp. 30-31).
Additionally, when prioritising goals for Rita’s IEP, it is important to allow for opportunities for self-
determination to occur. Wrestling, Fox & Carter (2014) refer to important life experiences that are
necessary to develop elements of self-determined behaviour, including choice making, decision
making, problem solving, and goal setting and attainment among others (p. 32).
An Ecological decision making tool may be used to achieve this. The tool provides a checklist which
allows the support team to determine if a skill meets the criteria as being high-priority. As such, the
tool can be used to prioritise skills that the student will be able to utilise across different contexts in
both current and future settings.
Please note: some of the stakeholders concerns above are interrelated and are included as only one
skill in the following table.
Ecological Decision Making Tool
Self-determination
Home environm
ent
School environment
Comm
unity environment
Age appropriateness
Across ages
Partial participation
Across curriculum -
comm
unication
Across curriculum – Physical
development
Across curriculum –
behaviour managem
ent /
Reading (responding to content
and looking at picture books using
ACC device)
Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes
Communication (using informal
gestures, ACC devices and eye
contact / eye pointing)
Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes
Responding to content in unit of
work
Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes
Increasing alertness and
awareness / visual and auditory
Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes
5 | R a c h e l L a n e ( 1 1 3 3 2 8 4 9 )
ESS512 | Programming for Students with High Support Needs
attention to stimuli
Increasing functional capacity to
perform tasks (dressing)
Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes
Improve eating habits (alternating
feeding assistants, increase
calories and proteins, try new and
varied foods)
Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes
Improve ability to tolerate sensory
input
Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes
Turn taking Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes
Development of specific aspects
of cognition and thinking, such as
cause and effect
Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes
(Table derived and modified from Lancaster, 2015)
Given the Rita’s current and future life situation, skills must be prioritised within adaptive behaviour
domains that will be useful to her in the discourse of her everyday life. According to Slatter (2002, p.
190), adaptive behaviour is best viewed as having a multifactorial structure, including areas such as:
- Motor or physical skills
- Independent living skills
- Cognitive, communication and academic skills
- Social competence skills
In consideration of the ecological inventory, the following skills have been prioritised as they will
serve to benefit Rita across a variety of personal contexts and functional and curriculum areas. Some
of the selected skills serve as predecessors for other skills, and therefore must be taught first. For
example, Rita must be taught skills in communication and reading before she is expected to respond
to content in a unit of work. Thus, the skills of communicating and reading have been prioritised
over responding to content.
The programming summary table lists the skills within their adaptive behaviour areas and provides a
summary of how the skill will benefit Rita across the specified areas.
Programming Summary Table
6 | R a c h e l L a n e ( 1 1 3 3 2 8 4 9 )
ESS512 | Programming for Students with High Support Needs
Adaptive Behaviour Domain / Skill Independent living
Leisure skills
Vocational skills
Across-curriculum
areas
Home
School
Comm
unity
Communication Skills
Using informal gestures, ACC devices and eye
contact / eye pointing
X X X X X X X
Motor or Physical Skills
Increasing functional capacity to perform tasks
(dressing)
X X X X X X X
Independent Living Skills
Improve eating habits (alternating feeding
assistants, increase calories and proteins, try new
and varied foods)
X X X X X X
Social Competence Skills
Increasing alertness and awareness / visual and
auditory attention to stimuli
X X X X X X X
Academic Skills
Reading
X X X X X X X
(Table derived and modified from Lancaster, 2015)
Assessment of Adaptive Behaviour
Lancaster (2015) identifies four types of assessment of the target skills within the adaptive behaviour
domains as formal (standardised, normalised), informal (observational, ecological inventories), direct
(direct observation) and indirect assessment (information gathered by a third party).
Various types of these assessments may be used to measure the targeted skills to provide baseline
data, as well as guidance for instructional activities. The assessment should lead to functional
improvements and participatory skills (Wrestling, Fox & Carter, 2014, p. 133). Below is a summary of
formal assessments that could be used to gather information about Rita’s functional abilities in the
adaptive behaviour areas.
Formal Assessment Summary for Targeted Skills
7 | R a c h e l L a n e ( 1 1 3 3 2 8 4 9 )
ESS512 | Programming for Students with High Support Needs
Area / Skill Assessment Rationale
Communication Skills
Using informal gestures,
ACC devices and eye
contact / eye pointing
Vineland Adaptive
Behavior Scales (VABS)
The communication domain of the VABS
provides information about the student’s
receptive and expressive language, as well as
reading and writing skills. The expanded form
provides items for individuals with severe
disabilities and the instrument allows for use in
educational programming (Taylor, 2006, pp.
214-216).
Motor or Physical Skills
Increasing functional
capacity to perform
tasks (dressing)
Bruininks-Oseretsky
Test of Motor
Proficiency
The Bruininks-Oseretsky Test is useful in
assessing fine motor skills, developing and
evaluating motor training programs and
screening for special purposes (Slatter, 1990, p.
373).
Independent Living
Skills
Improve eating habits
(alternating feeding
assistants, increase
calories and proteins,
try new and varied
foods)
Vineland Adaptive
Behavior Scales (VABS)
The daily living skills domain of the VABS
includes three subdomains including personal,
domestic and community (Taylor, 2006, p.
213). The personal subdomain provides
information about eating and toileting, which
could be useful in providing information
needed to improve Rita’s eating habits.
Social Competence
Skills
Increasing alertness and
awareness / visual and
auditory attention to
stimuli
Social Skills Rating
System (SSRS)
The SSRS allows evaluations by several
different stakeholders resulting in a more valid
assessment, and has sub-scales in cooperation,
assertion and self-control (Wrestler, Fox &
Carter, 2014, p. 134). This could provide useful
information about Rita’s ability to remain alert,
and what stimuli she attends to in social
contexts.
Academic Skills
Reading
Browder, Spooner,
Wakeman, Trela, and
Baker’s (2006) seven
steps for determining
Wrestler, Fox & Carter (2014) explain that to
target instructional goals for students with
severe disabilities, the teacher must determine
specific academic objectives based on the
8 | R a c h e l L a n e ( 1 1 3 3 2 8 4 9 )
ESS512 | Programming for Students with High Support Needs
appropriate academic
instruction for students
with severe disabilities.
general curriculum. This requires a multi-step
process (p. 130). Browder, Spooner, Wakeman,
Trela, and Baker’s steps include:
1. Identify academic domains for
planning.
2. Identify state standards for the
student’s grade level.
3. Plan with general educators to focus
on typical materials, activities and
contexts.
4. Plan alternate achievement targets,
considering the student’s symbolic
level.
5. Review content and performance
centrality
6. Enhance the skills by applying long-
standing values.
7. Identify pivotal skills for the IEP and
balance with other priorities
(Wrestling, Fox & Carter, 2014, p. 131-132)
In addition to these formal assessment items and procedures, informal measures should be utilised
to assess Rita’s functional capacity in the target areas. Conducting ecological inventories and directly
observing students in natural settings provides an avenue to analyse student’s functioning in their
current environments (Wrestling, Fox & Carter, 2014, p. 125).
Westling, Fox and Carter (2014) support the use of an ecological inventory, explaining that they may
be conducted to determine the types of activities an individual with severe disabilities might learn to
perform in different settings (p. 125). The results of the observation allow the planning team to
determine potential instructional and therapeutic needs (Wrestling, Fox & Carter, 2014, p. 125).
The following ecological inventory was created in response to the five skills identified from the
ecological decision making tool, following the steps for creating an ecological inventory outlined in
Wrestling, Fox & Carter, 2014 (p. 125).
Ecological Inventory for Rita’s Instructional Needs
9 | R a c h e l L a n e ( 1 1 3 3 2 8 4 9 )
ESS512 | Programming for Students with High Support Needs
Key:
Y (Yes) = Examinee can perform skill at age-appropriate level
N (No) = Examinee cannot perform skill at age-appropriate level
DK (Don’t Know) = Don’t know whether examinee can perform skill at age-appropriate level
Area / Skill Indicator Y N DK
Communication Skills
Using informal gestures,
ACC devices and eye
contact / eye pointing
Uses Vocalization skills to communicate
- Sounds
- Yells
- Grunts
- Cry/whine
- Laugh
Uses body movement to communicate
- Moves closer
- Moves away
- Tenses
- Wiggles
- Repositions body
- Reaches/touches
- Pushes/pulls
- Points
Uses face/eye movement to communicate
- Purses lips
- Stares
- Opens eyes
- Closes eyes
- Shifts eye
- Gazes away
- Gazes toward
Uses breathing to communicate
- Rapid
- Slow
- Hold
- Swallow
- Sigh
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
10 | R a c h e l L a n e ( 1 1 3 3 2 8 4 9 )
ESS512 | Programming for Students with High Support Needs
- Blow
Uses challenging behavior to communicate
- Aggression
- Tantrum
- Self-injury
- Destruction of items
Uses stereotypic movements to communicate
- Arm flapping
- Hand wringing
- Body rocking
- Head weaving
Uses symbolic forms to communicate
- Speech
- Manual signs
- Gestures
- Head nod
- Eye point
- Picture board
(Communication Assessment for Individuals with Severe
Disabilities, Brady, 2006)
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
Motor or Physical Skills
Increasing functional
capacity to perform
tasks (dressing)
Dressing
- Able to indicate clothing preference through
vocalization/body movement or face/eye
movement
- Able to partially assist dressing by repositioning
body
- Able to partially assist dressing by using hand
movement
- Able to partially assist dressing by using arm
movement
- Able to partially assist dressing by using leg
movement
- Able to fully participate in dressing
X
X
X
X
X
X
Independent Living Eating
11 | R a c h e l L a n e ( 1 1 3 3 2 8 4 9 )
ESS512 | Programming for Students with High Support Needs
Skills
Improve eating habits
(alternating feeding
assistants, increase
calories and proteins,
try new and varied
foods)
- Able to indicate food preference through
vocalization/body movement or face/eye
movement
- Able to partially assist feeding using face
movement (open and close mouth, chewing)
- Able to partially assist feeding through body
movement (position body in upright position)
- Able to partially assist using arm and hand
movements
- Able to fully assist feeding through face
movement (face stays in correct position while
opening and closing mouth and chewing)
- Able to fully assist feeding through body
movement (maintain body in upright position)
- Able to fully assist using arm and hand
movements
- Tries new foods willingly
- Allows multiple/varied persons to assist in
feeding
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
Social Competence
Skills
Increasing alertness and
awareness / visual and
auditory attention to
stimuli
On-task behaviour
- Directs attention to academic task for less than 1
minute
- Directs attention to academic task for 1 minute
- Directs attention to academic task for 1-5
minutes
- Directs attention to academic task for 5-10
minutes
- Directs attention to academic task for 10-20
minutes
- Directs attention to academic task for 20-40
minutes
- Interacts socially by gazing towards speaker
- Engages in tasks by touching content materials
- Indicates auditory awareness by responding to
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
12 | R a c h e l L a n e ( 1 1 3 3 2 8 4 9 )
ESS512 | Programming for Students with High Support Needs
environmental cues
Academic Skills
Reading
Reading
- Recognises own name
- Engages in shared reading of familiar texts with
repeated language patterns by following reader
with eye gaze
- Spends time looking at books and other print
material
- Tells a story by arranging pictures on a story
board
- Attempts to read words in the environment by
looking at them
Comprehension
- Responds to stories read aloud/viewed by
connecting information and events to personal
experiences – pointing to pictures that relate to
personal life
- Retells some events in familiar stories using
visual symbols/pictures on story board
Vocabulary Knowledge
- Knows and uses a range of everyday words, e.g.
colours, familiar objects, places, names of family
members (indicates knowledge by pointing to
visual symbols).
- Knows and uses some subject-specific words in
areas of interest, e.g. animals, games (indicates
knowledge by pointing to visual symbols).
- Shows curiosity about words and their meaning.
Phonics
- Identifies one letter that is the same in two
words.
- Identifies some letter names, e.g. first letter of
own name.
Phonemic Awareness
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
13 | R a c h e l L a n e ( 1 1 3 3 2 8 4 9 )
ESS512 | Programming for Students with High Support Needs
- Notices that some words rhyme in verses, chants
and jingles (indicates knowledge by pointing to
visual symbols).
- Beginning to identify words that start with the
same initial sound (indicates knowledge by
pointing to visual symbols).
Concepts about print
- Shows beginning awareness that print relates to
spoken language by reacting to spoken language
read to her in text
- Identifies writing in a picture or poster.
- Recognises the meaning of some letters and
symbols, e.g. common logos, street signs
(indicates knowledge by pointing to visual
symbols).
- Knows how to handle books, e.g. turns pages in
book or ACC device, looks at detail in pictures,
ect.
- Shows awareness that print and images are
different (in print and on screen).
- Shows beginning awareness of reading from left
to right (indicates awareness by moving head/eye
gaze).
- Is learning to point to the first word to read a
sentence or story
Derived and modified from the NSW Literacy Continuum
K-6 (Cluster 1) (2012)
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
Component B
Instructional Planning (IEPs)The following pages outline the instructional plans for each of the five skills outlined above.
Adaptive Behaviour Area: Communication Skills
14 | R a c h e l L a n e ( 1 1 3 3 2 8 4 9 )
ESS512 | Programming for Students with High Support Needs
Skill: Using informal gestures, ACC devices and eye contact / eye pointing
Assessment: The ecological inventory revealed that Rita is unable to perform the following functions
using body movements to communicate: reaches/touches, pushes/pulls, points. These are essential
functions for her to perform more advanced symbolic forms to communicate.
Focus: The first functional skill will focus on teaching Rita to reach and touch objects.
Progression: Rita may progress to using body movements such as pushes/pulls, and points. An
alternate communication form to be taught could be eye pointing.
Student: Rita
Behavioural objective: Given full assistance, Rita will reach out and touch a large symbol on her ACC
device when it is offered to her 80% of the time for 5 consecutive days (simple, discrete behaviour).
Task analysis/functional routine:
1. Place ACC device with large symbol on screen on work space in front of Rita.
2. Gaze toward the screen.
3. Move hand toward the screen.
4. Extend fingers toward the screen.
5. Touch fingers on top of the large symbol on the screen.
6. Flex fingers away from the screen.
7. Move hand away from the screen.
Instructional procedure:
Prompting sequence: Most-to-least prompts. Minimum 2 days of 80% correct responding with 4
trials per day before moving to next level of prompting.
1. Full physical assistance (will fully guide student through steps 2-7 of the task analysis)
2. Partial physical prompt (will nudge the student’s hand in the direction of the actions)
3. Model the step (model steps 2-7 of the task analysis)
4. Verbal direction (verbally explain steps 2-7 of the task analysis)
5. Verbal suggestion (verbally suggest the step in the task analysis to be completed – What do
you do with your fingers?)
6. Gesture (point towards the screen of the ACC device)
15 | R a c h e l L a n e ( 1 1 3 3 2 8 4 9 )
ESS512 | Programming for Students with High Support Needs
7. No prompt
Reinforcement: During the first objective of training, verbally reinforce Rita after each of the steps 2-
7 in the task analysis with specific feedback by saying “I like the way you…” or something similar.
During the next objective, only reinforce after every second step or any step she experiences
difficulty completing. Continue reducing comments until verbal recognition is only delivered after
the full sequence is completed. After the entire task can be completed with no prompt, introduce
time limit and reinforce for faster performance.
Adaptive Behavior Area: Motor or Physical Skills
Skill: Increasing functional capacity to perform tasks (dressing)
Assessment: The ecological inventory indicated that Rita is able to partially assist in dressing by
repositioning her body, however she exhibits no component elements of self-determination such as
choice making (Wrestler, Fox & Carter, 2014, p. 32). The behavioral objective listed above (reach and
touch), once generalized, should act as a behavioral cusp to benefit Rita in making these choices as
she will be able to communicate her dressing choice (Wrestler, Fox & Carter, 2014, p. 143).
Additionally, the inventory revealed that Rita is unable to partially assist in dressing by using hand,
arm and leg movement.
Focus: The first physical skill will focus on teaching Rita to move her hand into assistive positions to
partially assist in dressing.
Progression: Rita may progress to using arm and leg movements to partially assist in dressing. Self-
determination could also be encouraged by teaching reach and touch, head nodding and eye
pointing.
Student: Rita
Behavioural objective: Given partial assistance, Rita will extend both hands with palms facing
inwards to assist with dressing 90% of the time for 7 consecutive days (simple, discrete behaviour).
Task analysis/functional routine:
1. Reposition body to upright position.
2. Extend fingers into an open-palm position on left hand.
3. Extend fingers into an open-palm position on right hand.
4. Rotate left wrist so that palm is facing inward.
16 | R a c h e l L a n e ( 1 1 3 3 2 8 4 9 )
ESS512 | Programming for Students with High Support Needs
5. Rotate right wrist so that palm is facing inward.
Instructional procedure:
Prompting sequence: Most-to-least prompts. Minimum 4 days of 90% correct responding with 2
trials per day before moving to next level of prompting.
1. Full physical assistance (will fully guide student through steps 1-5 of the task analysis)
2. Partial physical prompt (will nudge the student’s hand in the direction of the actions)
3. Model the step (model steps 1-5 of the task analysis)
4. Verbal direction (verbally explain steps 1-5 of the task analysis)
5. Verbal suggestion (verbally suggest the step in the task analysis to be completed – What do
you do with your fingers?)
6. Gesture (hold out hands)
7. No prompt
Reinforcement: During the first objective of training, verbally reinforce Rita after each of the steps 1-
5 in the task analysis with specific feedback by saying “I like the way you…” or something similar.
During the next objective, only reinforce after every second step or any step she experiences
difficulty completing. Continue reducing comments until verbal recognition is only delivered after
the full sequence is completed. After the entire task can be completed with no prompt, introduce
time limit and reinforce for faster performance.
Adaptive Behavior Area: Independent Living Skills
Skill: Improve eating habits (alternating feeding assistants, increase calories and proteins, try new
and varied foods)
Assessment: The ecological inventory indicated that Rita is able to partially assist in feeding through
face movement (opening and closing mouth, chewing) and body movement (positioning body in
upright position), however she experiences difficulty maintaining the correct face and body positions
throughout the feeding process. Additionally, her results indicate that while she is able to indicate
food preference, she does not try new foods willingly and does not allow multiple or varied persons
to assist with feeding.
Focus: As a main concern of Rita’s parents and nutritionist were her eating habits, her first skill will
focus on teaching her to try new foods willingly.
17 | R a c h e l L a n e ( 1 1 3 3 2 8 4 9 )
ESS512 | Programming for Students with High Support Needs
Progression: After this skill is mastered, teaching should focus on teaching Rita to allow multiple
persons to assist her with feeding as this will decrease the pressure on her parents and teacher to be
present at all eating times. Additionally, increasing her ability to partially assist in feeding should be
taught.
Ethical considerations: The aim of this objective is to encourage Rita to try new and varied foods so
that she can meet her nutritional needs and experience a better quality of life. It is important that
the foods introduced are healthy and fresh. It is important to consider Rita’s self-determination if
she indicates a distaste for a new food after various trials. She should be given plenty of sensory
information about the new food before trying it, through sight, smell and touch.
Student: Rita
Behavioural objective: Given a home or school environment Rita will taste, chew and swallow one
new type of healthy food (fruit or vegetable) a minimum 80% of the time, every day the week for
two months (1 new type of food per week) (continuous, ongoing behaviour).
Task analysis/functional routine:
1. Look at new food.
2. Smell new food.
3. Touch new food with hand.
4. Open mouth.
5. Chew new food.
6. Swallow new food.
7. Open mouth for next bite.
8. Repeat process until food is finished.
Instructional procedure:
Prompting sequence: Least-to-most prompts using progressive time delay (PTD). The instructor
should begin with 0-second time delay trials, followed by several 1-second trials, then 2-second
trials, then 3-second trials, and so forth until no prompt is needed.
1. No prompt (completion of the prior step is to serve as the cue to do the next step)
2. Gestural prompt (point to the food or mouth)
3. Pictorial prompt (a pictorial representation of the steps is presented on a story board in front
18 | R a c h e l L a n e ( 1 1 3 3 2 8 4 9 )
ESS512 | Programming for Students with High Support Needs
of the student)
4. Model prompt (demonstrate the process)
5. Partial physical prompt (nudge students hands toward the new food)
6. Full physical prompt (physically guide the student through the process)
Reinforcement: Reinforcement is particularly important for this behavioural outcome as it is an
undesired activity for the student. During the first objective of training, verbally reinforce Rita after
each of the steps 1-8 in the task analysis by saying “good girl” or something similar. After the entire
process is complete, reward Rita with an activity that she enjoys such as listening to her favourite
music. During the next objective, only reinforce after every second step or any step that she
demonstrates non-compliant behaviours on. Continue reducing comments until verbal recognition is
only delivered after the full sequence is completed and reward is not necessary.
Adaptive Behaviour Area: Social Competence Skills
Skill: Increasing alertness and awareness / visual and auditory attention to stimuli
Assessment: The ecological inventory revealed that Rita is able to direct her attention to a task for 1-
5 minutes, however, her alertness and awareness generally diminishes after this timeframe.
Additionally, the assessment indicated that Rita often does not interact socially by gazing towards
the speaker or engage in tasks by touching content materials.
Focus: Teaching will focus on increasing Rita’s on task behavior by providing her with a specific
sequence of behaviours that she should engage in during cooperative learning activities.
Progression: Rita should be taught sequences of behaviours that she may apply in different contexts
to increase her ability to interact socially, and remain engaged in tasks.
Student: Rita
Behavioural objective: In cooperative learning activities (small group work), Rita will remain engaged
and pay visual attention to content materials and group members 70% of the time for five days per
week (continuous, ongoing behaviour).
Task analysis/functional routine:
1. Sit in down in area with group members.
2. Gaze toward each member of the group.
3. Gaze toward the content materials.
19 | R a c h e l L a n e ( 1 1 3 3 2 8 4 9 )
ESS512 | Programming for Students with High Support Needs
4. Touch the content materials.
5. Gaze toward the teacher.
6. Continue to gaze toward the teacher while they speak.
7. Gaze toward other group members when they speak.
8. Continue to gaze toward the group members speak.
9. Look at pictures presented.
10. Select picture that symbolises content of group work.
Instructional procedure:
Prompting sequence: Least-to-most using progressive time delay (PTD). The instructor should begin
with 0-second time delay trials, followed by several 1-second trials, then 2-second trials, then 3-
second trials, and so forth until no prompt is needed.
1. No prompt (completion of the prior step is to serve as the cue to do the next step)
2. Gestural prompt (point in the direction that the student should gaze)
3. Pictorial prompt (a pictorial representation of the steps is presented on a story board in front
of the student)
4. Model prompt (demonstrate the process)
5. Partial physical prompt (gently move the students head to gaze in the correct position)
6. Full physical prompt (physically guide the student through the process)
Reinforcement: During the first objective of training, verbally reinforce Rita after each of the steps 1-
10 in the task analysis with specific feedback by saying “I like the way you…” or something similar.
During the next objective, only reinforce after every second step or any step she experiences
difficulty completing. Continue reducing comments until verbal recognition is only delivered after
the full sequence is completed. After the full sequence, Rita may be rewarded for staying on task for
certain time periods, for example, she is rewarded with looking at a picture books featuring her
favourite animals if she remains on task for 6 minutes, then 7 minutes, and so forth.
Adaptive Behaviour Area: Academic Skills
Skill: Reading
Assessment: The ecological inventory provided extensive information about Rita’s literacy
20 | R a c h e l L a n e ( 1 1 3 3 2 8 4 9 )
ESS512 | Programming for Students with High Support Needs
capabilities in the areas of reading, comprehension, vocabulary knowledge, phonics, phonemic
awareness and concepts about print. The results also affirm that Rita enjoys engaging in shared
reading and spending time looking at books.
Focus: This behavioral objective is going to focus on the modified Cluster 1 reading marker from the
NSW Literacy Continuum (2012), ‘recognizes own name’.
Progression: Other markers from the different areas within Cluster 1 may be worked on during
literacy lessons simultaneously. Once Cluster 1 skills are mastered, teaching should focus on Cluster
2 markers.
Student: Rita
Behavioural objective: When presented with a picture card with her name on it, Rita will match her
name card with another name card that is mixed with three name cards with different names on
them. Behaviour will occur 100% of the time for 10 consecutive school days (simple, discrete
behaviour).
Task analysis/functional routine:
1. Gaze at name card.
2. Gaze at name card while teacher runs finger under word and says ‘Rita’.
3. Look at the four name cards on board.
4. Reach and touch (or eye point at) the card that spells Rita.
Instructional procedure:
Prompting sequence: Least-to-most using progressive time delay (PTD). The instructor should begin
with 0-second time delay trials, followed by several 1-second trials, then 2-second trials, then 3-
second trials, and so forth until no prompt is needed.
1. No Prompt
2. Gesture (point toward name card)
3. Verbal suggestion (verbally suggest the step in the task analysis to be completed – Which
card matched ‘Rita’?)
4. Verbal direction (verbally explain steps 1-4 of the task analysis)
5. Model the step (model steps 1-4 of the task analysis)
6. Partial physical prompt (will nudge the student’s hand in the direction of the actions)
7. Full physical assistance (will fully guide student through steps 1-4 of the task analysis)
21 | R a c h e l L a n e ( 1 1 3 3 2 8 4 9 )
ESS512 | Programming for Students with High Support Needs
Reinforcement: During the first objective of training, verbally reinforce Rita after each of the steps 1-
4 in the task analysis with specific feedback by saying “I like the way you…” or something similar.
During the next objective, only reinforce after every second step or any step she experiences
difficulty completing. Continue reducing comments until verbal recognition is only delivered after
the full sequence is completed. After the entire task can be completed with no prompt, introduce
time limit and reinforce for faster performance.
(Instructional strategies were derived and modified from Wrestling, Fox & Carter, 2014, chapter 7:
Teaching Students to Acquire New Skills, and Alberto & Troutman, 2006, Differential Reinforcement:
Antecedent Control and Shaping)
ReferencesAlberto, P., & Troutman, A. (2006). Differential reinforcement: antecedent control and shaping. In
Applied behaviour analysis for teachers (pp. 303-335). Upper Saddle River, N.J.:
Pearson/Merrill Prentice Hall.
Brady, N. (2006). Communication Assessment Strategies for Individuals with Severe Disabilities.
Retrieved from www2.ku.edu/~lsi/files/brady_west_car.ppt
Garrett, S. A. (n.d.). Rett UK: Speech and Language Therapy. Retrieved from
https://www.google.com.au/webhp?sourceid=chrome-
instant&rlz=1C1ARAB_enAU491AU491&ion=1&espv=2&ie=UTF-
8#q=speech+therapy+for+rett+syndrome
Harris, J. (n.d.). Role of Physiotherapists in Rett Syndrome. Retrieved from
http://www.apsu.org.au/assets/workshops/rett/Physio-Rett.pdf
Lancaster, J. (2015). Online Lecture 1: ESS512 Welcome and Component A. Retrieved March 19,
2015, from Charles Sturt University website: https://connect.csu.edu.au/p4eswi5g1u4/?
launcher=false&fcsContent=true&pbMode=normal
Lancaster, J. (2015). Online Lecture 2: ESS512 Component A, Unit 2. Retrieved March 19, 2015, from
Charles Sturt University website: https://connect.csu.edu.au/p8ozwr3ubx5/?
launcher=false&fcsContent=true&pbMode=normal
22 | R a c h e l L a n e ( 1 1 3 3 2 8 4 9 )
ESS512 | Programming for Students with High Support Needs
Lawton, M. & Gutierrez, B. (2005). Role of Occupational Therapy in Rett Syndrome. Retrieved from
http://www.apsu.org.au/assets/workshops/rett/aa-Role-of-Occupational-Therapy-in-Rett-
Syndrome-Outline-8-11BG-ML.pdf
National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke. (2015). Rett Syndrome Fact Sheet. In
Publications. Retrieved from http://www.ninds.nih.gov/disorders/rett/detail_rett.htm
Seche, G. & Geerts, S. (2008). Nutrition Management of Children with Rett Syndrome: An Update.
Nutrition Focus for Children with Special Health Care Needs, 23(6), pp. 1-8.
Slatter, J. M. (1990). Assessment of visual-motor perception, auditory perception, and motor
proficiency. In Assessment of Children (3rd ed.) (pp. 359-374). San Deigo, Calif: Jerome M.
Slatter.
Slatter, J. M. (2002) Assessment of adaptive behaviour. In Assessment of Children: behavioural and
clinical applications (4th ed.) (pp. 189-211). San Diego, Calif: Jerome M. Slatter.
State of New South Wales, Department of Education and Communities, Curriculum and Learning
Innovation Centre (2012). Literacy Continuum K-6. Retrieved from
http://www.curriculumsupport.education.nsw.gov.au/literacy/assets/pdf/continuum/
k6_contin_2012.pdf
Taylor, R. L. (2006). Assessment of adaptive behaviour. In Assessment to exceptional students:
educational and psychological procedures (7th ed.) (pp. 196-222). Boston: Pearson Allyn and
Bacon.
Westling, D, Fox, L. & Carter, E. (2014). Teaching students with severe disabilities. Australia: Pearson.
23 | R a c h e l L a n e ( 1 1 3 3 2 8 4 9 )
top related