WORKSHOPS FOR PUBLIC SCHOOLS - 100 SERIES
SEMINAR DESCRIPTIONS FOR WORKSHOPS PROVIDED BY THE WNY REGIONAL CENTER FOR AUTISM SPECTRUM DISORDERS
WORKSHOP 101
View Schedule and Register for WorkshopsUnderstanding Autism Spectrum Disorders and evidence-based treatments
Seminar Description: This two-hour training provides up-to-date information on the clinical and associated features of Autism Spectrum Disorders (ASDs), including Asperger’s Disorder and PDD-NOS. Attention will be given to how these features manifest themselves and present unique instructional and learning challenges within education settings. The training goes beyond the core features of the disorders and covers evidence-based strategies for helping children and adolescents with ASDs.
Learning Objectives:
1. To understand how the primary and associated characteristics of Autism Spectrum Disorders manifest themselves within educational settings and impact learning.
2. To differentiate between evidence- and non evidence- based interventions, in order to promote the use of strategies and intervention techniques that have proven to be effective.
3. To recognize the need to evaluate the individual effectiveness of current intervention strategies.
Target Audience: General and special education teachers, related service providers (speech/language therapists, occupational therapists, physical therapists, counselors, social workers, and school psychologists), administrators, CPSE & CSE Chairpersons, and 1:1 and classroom aides.
WORKSHOP 102
View Schedule and Register for WorkshopsInclusive programming for children with Autism Spectrum Disorders
Seminar Description: This two-hour seminar provides school personnel with practical and evidence-based intervention techniques to maximize the development and success of students with Autism Spectrum Disorders (ASDs) within public education settings. The training will include how to foster the initial transition of a student into a new educational setting/class, as well as offer school-based strategies to enhance the academic, social, emotional, and behavioral functioning of students with ASDs. Guidelines to facilitate success with inclusion in general-education settings will be offered.
Learning Objectives:
1. To have a comprehensive understanding of what needs to be known prior to gaining a student with an ASD, to foster a successful transition
2. To become familiar with instructional, environmental, and behavioral techniques that should be used to facilitate successful inclusive programming for children with ASDs within public education settings.
3. To gain knowledge as to how to monitor and evaluate the effectiveness of used strategies.
Target Audience: General and special education teachers, related service providers (speech/language therapists, occupational therapists, physical therapists, counselors, social workers, and school psychologists), administrators, CPSE & CSE Chairpersons, and 1:1 and classroom aides.
WORKSHOP 103
View Schedule and Register for WorkshopsDeveloping and fostering social development for children with Autism Spectrum Disorders within public education settings.
Seminar Description: A review of typical school-based practices suggests that school districts are falling short in facilitating the social development of students with Autism Spectrum Disorders (ASDs). This two-hour seminar highlights and explains the social interaction difficulties children with ASD commonly experience and provides school personnel with evidence-based approaches to enhance the social development of these students within public education settings.
Learning Objectives:
1. To understand the social interaction difficulties commonly experienced by students with an ASD.
2. To gain an appreciation of the shortcomings of many school-based approaches for building social skills and to recognize the need to foster social development through a targeted, systematic, and comprehensive approach.
3. To become familiar with evidence-based approaches for enhancing the social development of students with ASDs in public education settings.
Target Audience: General and special education teachers, related service providers (speech/language therapists, occupational therapists, physical therapists, counselors, social workers, and school psychologists), administrators, CPSE & CSE Chairpersons, and 1:1 and classroom aides.
WORKSHOP 104
View Schedule and Register for WorkshopsEffective school-based strategies for dealing with challenging behaviors demonstrated by students with Autism Spectrum Disorders
Seminar Description: This two-hour seminar provides school personnel with a conceptual framework for assessing and understanding challenging behaviors exhibited by students with an Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD). The training goes beyond determining what is causing and maintaining challenging behaviors and will emphasize evidence-based strategies to decrease maladaptive behaviors, increase adaptive alternative behaviors, and evaluate the effectiveness of intervention plans.
Learning Objectives:
1. To understand why challenging behaviors occur and reoccur, by considering the fundamental
principles and methods of Functional Behavioral Assessments.
2. To become familiar with evidence-based strategies to reduce problematic behaviors and build
adaptive alternative behaviors.
3. To recognize all needed in developing a comprehensive behavior intervention plan, including
means for monitoring and evaluating the effectiveness of behavior plans.
Target Audience: General and special education teachers, related service providers (speech/language therapists, occupational therapists, physical therapists, counselors, social workers, and school psychologists), administrators, CPSE & CSE Chairpersons, and 1:1 and classroom aides.
WORKSHOP 105
View Schedule and Register for WorkshopsAdvanced Seminar in the Applications of Behavioral Strategies for Evaluating and Responding to Challenging Behaviors Demonstrated by Students with Autism Spectrum Disorders
Workshop Description: This six-hour (over three sessions) workshop is designed for teams of school personnel (minimum of 3 people per school team required) whom work with a student with an Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) who exhibits challenging behaviors. Participants will be expected to already have a foundation in understanding ASDs, thus, enabling the focus of this hands-on workshop to be on developing strategies within-session that can be applied between-sessions to address challenging behaviors. Each session will be separated by 2-week periods, allowing for the application and evaluation of learned material. The focus of each session follows:
Session #1: Identifying target behaviors and appropriate data tracking methods. Discussion will focus on determining what behavior(s) to target, how best to define targeted behavior, and possible data tracking tools. Within the session teams will develop a tracking tool, as dictated by the needs of the case, which is meaningful and practical. Barriers will be discussed that may impact the ability to collect relevant data and troubleshooting will occur to ensure data can be gathered. All participants should leave this session with an operationally defined target behavior and data collection plan.
Session #2: Interpreting data and generating a behavior intervention plan. Participants will present their data and their interpretation of the function(s) of the behavior. Group discussion will follow to facilitate the consideration of various hypotheses and interpretations of the behavior. A brief review of critical components of Behavior Intervention Plans will be offered in order for participants to broadly consider all aspects that need to be addressed in generating a plan to address their student's behavior. All participants should leave this session with a data-driven hypothesis as to what is contributing to the occurrence of the challenging behavior and an informal, but well considered, behavior plan that can be implemented that will address the critical aspects of modifying antecedents, adjusting consequences, and developing adaptive alternative behaviors. Moreover, each participant will leave with a data collection plan to help determine the successfulness or the student's responsiveness to the implemented behavioral procedures.
Session #3: Plan review and future considerations. Participants will be asked to present data to indicate whether the child responded or not to the behavioral intervention procedures. Participants will be asked to present data to indicate whether the implementation of the behavioral intervention procedures were effective in curtailing challenging behaviors. Discussion will focus on conceptualizing a plan to build and measure further success while considering how to eventually systematically raise behavioral expectations and fade out the intensity of the plan. All participants should leave this session with a plan to ensure that a child maintains his or her success, or a reformulated behavior plan that can be implemented in the event that the original plan did not produce the intended change.
Learning Objectives:
1. To understand why challenging behaviors occur and reoccur, by considering the fundamental principles and methods of Functional Behavioral Assessments.
2. To identify and operationally define a targeted behavior that is presently causing challenges within the school setting.
3. To develop a meaningful and practical data collection system to be used to understand the nature of problematic behaviors.
4. To consider data-driven hypotheses to explain challenging behavior.
5. To conceptualize a behavior plan that will address the critical aspects of modifying antecedents, adjusting consequences, and developing adaptive alternative behaviors.
6. To make data-based decisions to determine the effectiveness of a behavior plan.
Target Audience: General and special education teachers, related service providers (speech/language therapists, occupational therapists, physical therapists, counselors, social workers, school psychologists), administrators, CPSE & CSE Chairpersons, and 1:1 and classroom aides. This training requires at least 3 members of an educational-team be present for all sessions. Attendance will be capped at 4 teams to facilitate small-group based activities.
WORKSHOP 106
View Schedule and Register for WorkshopsUnderstanding Autism Spectrum Disorders: Practical Strategies for Classroom- and Personal Care Aides
Workshop Description: Working with children with an Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) in public education settings often requires a series of individualized teaching, management, and communication strategies. Federal law states that
“all personnel who work with children with disabilities have the skills and knowledge necessary to meet the needs of children with disabilities” [Section 1453(c)(3)(D)], and that each school “shall ensure that all personnel…are appropriately and adequately prepared” [Section 1413(a)(3)].
This three-hour seminar is specifically designed for classroom aides and personal care aides to ensure their understanding of ASDs and familiarize them to evidence-based practice. Concentration will be placed on the provision of assistance (or “aiding”), to emphasize the important role of building skills rather than doing skills for their student(s). Participants will leave with a framework for fostering independence that includes attending to and tracking prompts, developing and implementing individualized independence plans, and establishing means to monitor progress.
Learning Objectives:
- To understand how the primary and associated characteristics of ASD manifest themselves within educational settings.
- To become familiar with instructional, environmental, and behavioral techniques that should be used to facilitate successful inclusive programming for children with ASDs within public education settings.
- To become aware of the risk of promoting dependence, and to recognize the critical considerations necessary to foster independence.
- To gain knowledge as to how to monitor and evaluate the effectiveness of used strategies.
Target Audience: Classroom aides/Personal care aides/1:1 aides.
SEMINARS FOR SERVICE COORDINATION - 200 SERIES
SEMINAR DESCRIPTIONS FOR WORKSHOPS PROVIDED BY
THE WNY REGIONAL CENTER FOR AUTISM SPECTRUM DISORDERS
Medicaid Service Coordination and Early Intervention
View Schedule and Register for WorkshopsUnderstanding Autism Spectrum Disorders and Intervention: Evidence-based information for directing consumers/families towards accurate assessment and use of what works.
Seminar Description: This two-hour training is geared toward providing Early Intervention and Medicaid Service Coordinators with up-to-date and empirically-supported information regarding Autism Spectrum Disorders (ASDs) so that they can guide consumers/families towards early and accurate detection and use of appropriate treatment strategies. Attention will be given to highlighting the characteristics of ASD, dispelling common myths associated with the disorder, reviewing the evidence for appropriate and popular intervention methods, and understanding important considerations for facilitating key transitional periods (e.g., Early diagnosis—now what; EI to preschool; preschool to school-age; school-age to adulthood)
Learning Objectives:
1. To become familiar with the early warning signs and primary/associated characteristics of Autism Spectrum Disorders.
2. To understand the components of a valid and informative assessment
3. To differentiate between evidence- and non evidence- based interventions, in order to promote the use of strategies and intervention techniques that have proven to be effective.
4. To recognize the challenges that emerge with various transitional periods and consider the strategies that can be utilized to facilitate the consumer’s/family’s successful navigation through these periods.
Target Audience: Service Coordinators.
SEMINARS FOR PARENTS AND CAREGIVERS - 300 SERIES
SEMINAR DESCRIPTIONS FOR WORKSHOPS PROVIDED BY
THE WNY REGIONAL CENTER FOR AUTISM SPECTRUM DISORDERS
WORKSHOP 301
View Schedule and Register for WorkshopsUnderstanding Autism Spectrum Disorders: Strategies for Managing Maladaptive Behaviors
Seminar Description: This two-hour training is geared towards providing caregivers of children/adolescents with Autism Spectrum Disorders with empirically supported information regarding understanding and addressing challenging behaviors. The focus is to have participants recognize the factors contributing to the manifestation of maladaptive behaviors and to learn a series of strategies for reducing challenging behaviors in the home and community. Attention will be given to the importance of utilizing systematic approaches to shape and develop adaptive alternative behaviors.
Learning Objectives:
1. To gain an understanding of the function and the precipitating and maintaining causes of challenging behaviors.
2. To learn environmental and behavioral strategies to avoid/reduce the manifestation of challenging behaviors.
3. To become familiar with strategies to develop and foster the use of adaptive alternative behaviors.
4. To recognize the need to evaluate the individual effectiveness of used strategies.
Target Audience: Parents/Guardians/Caregivers.
WORKSHOP 302
View Schedule and Register for WorkshopsStriving for Independence: Teaching Self-Help Skills to People with Autism
Workshop Description: This six-hour training will provide caregivers of individuals with Autism Spectrum Disorders with empirically supported information regarding teaching critical self-help skills. The workshop begins with a focus on determining which self-help skills to teach and an additional focus on developing teaching and measurement systems. Specific self-help skill areas will be addressed in detail. Participants will have the opportunity to identify self-help skills and develop a teaching plan with the support of the instructor.
Learning Objectives:
1. To determine which self-help skills to teach and when to teach them.
2. To learn about and develop tools for teaching and measuring progress on self-help skills.
3. To demonstrate effective prompting techniques for teaching self-help skills.
4. To develop an action plan for teaching self-help skills in the home and community.
Target Audience: Parents/Guardians/Caregivers.
WORKSHOP 303
View Schedule and Register for WorkshopsActivity Schedules: Promoting Independence
Workshop Description: This 3-part workshop is designed to teach parents / caregivers how to develop and use activity schedules to promote greater independence in individuals with autism. An activity schedule is a set of pictures or words that cues someone to engage in a sequence of activities. Parents / caregivers will have the opportunity to develop an activity schedule, test it with their child, evaluate and receive feedback from instructors with extensive experience.
Learning Objectives:
1. To understand the goals of using an activity schedule.
2. To learn to create and teach a child to use an activity schedule
3. To understand to evaluate progress and problem-solve
4. To learn to extend the use of an activity schedule once the basic concept is mastered
Target Audience: Parents/Guardians/Caregivers.
WORKSHOP 304
View Schedule and Register for WorkshopsUnderstanding Autism Spectrum Disorders and Evidence-Based Practice
Workshop Description: Families who have a child diagnosed with an Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) are faced with an overwhelming amount of information when trying to determine what to do next to support their son/daughter. For example, a search on the internet for “autism treatments” yields more than 1 million results. This two-hour seminar is designed to provide parents/caregivers with a framework to evaluate treatment claims and to facilitate their decision-making process in determining the most effective intervention(s) for their child. Attention will be given to reviewing the evidence for appropriate and popular intervention methods, as well as helping families become informed and critical consumers.
Learning Objectives:
1. To understand the meaning of evidence-based practice.
2. To become aware of indicators of non-evidence based treatments.
3. To be able to differentiate between evidence- and non evidence- based interventions, in order to promote the use of strategies and intervention techniques that have proven to be effective.
4. To recognize the need to evaluate the individual effectiveness of presently used intervention strategies.
Target Audience: Parents/Guardians/Caregivers with a child who has been identified as having an Autism Spectrum Disorder.
WORKSHOP 305
View Schedule and Register for WorkshopsDeveloping and Fostering Social Development for Children with Autism Spectrum Disorders
Workshop Description: A review of typically-used social strategies suggests that we are falling short in facilitating the social development of children with Autism Spectrum Disorders (ASDs). This two-hour seminar highlights and explains the social interaction difficulties children with ASD commonly experience and provides participants with an evidence-based framework to enhance the social development of their son/daughter.
Learning Objectives:
1. To understand the social interaction difficulties commonly experienced by children with an ASD.
2. To gain an appreciation of the shortcomings of many approaches for building social skills and to recognize the need to foster social development through a targeted, systematic, and comprehensive approach.
3. To become familiar with evidence-based approaches for enhancing the social development of children with an ASD.
Target Audience: Parents/Guardians/Caregivers.
WORKSHOP 306
View Schedule and Register for WorkshopsUnderstanding Autism Spectrum Disorders: Critical Considerations for Fostering Independence
Workshop Description: This seminar is geared toward parents and caregivers to ensure their understanding of ASDs and the risk of promoting dependence. Concentration will be placed on the provision of assistance (or “aiding”), to emphasize the important role of building skills rather than doing skills for their children. Participants will leave with a framework for fostering independence that includes attending to and tracking prompts, developing and implementing individualized independence plans, and establishing means to monitor progress
Learning Objectives:
1. To become aware of the risk of promoting dependence and to recognize the critical considerations necessary to foster independence.
2. To conceptualize a method for monitoring prompts.
3. To gain knowledge of means to reduce prompts and build independence.
4. To recognize the importance of evaluating the effectiveness of used strategies.
Target Audience: Parents/Guardians/Caregivers.
