Gaining ation and Promoting Functional Communication Wkshop

[Guest guest]

Gaining ation and Promoting Functional Communication with Difficult

Cases:

Learn About Proven Intervention Strategies for Children with Autism and

Other Developmental Disabilities

Presented by: Tamara S. Kasper, MS, CCC-SLP

Date: Friday, February 15, 2002 Time: 8:30-4:30 Location: Dallas, TX

Date: Friday, April 19, 2002 Time: 8:30-4:30 Location: Rolling Meadows,

IL

Register: NorthernSpeech/National Rehabilitation Services

Phone: (888) 337-3866 * Fax: (888) 696-9655 * On-line: <A

HREF= " http://www.nss-nrs.com/ " >www.nss-nrs.com</A>

Or Mail: NSS/NRS, PO Box 1247, Gaylord, MI 49734

The Presenter:

Ms. Kasper has practiced as a pediatric speech/language pathologist with

emphasis on treatment of children with challenging behaviors for over 12

years. She has specialized in treatment of children who have autism spectrum

disorders for the last 5 years. Her commitment to the children she serves

led her to pursue treatment methods outside the field of speech-language

pathology. She is currently completing her mentorship with Dr.

Carbone to become a Board Certified Associate Behavior Analyst. Ms. Kasper

has completed advanced training and self-study in the areas of Applied Verbal

Behavior, Applied Behavior Analysis, Greenspan’s DIR approach, and Kaufman’s

strategies for apraxia of speech. She continues to expand her knowledge

within the field of speech-language pathology and has been awarded the ACE

award for Continuing Education by the American Speech-Language-Hearing

Association. Currently, Ms. Kasper provides consulting services to treatment

teams who serve children with autism in the United States and the United

Kingdom. Described as â€energetic and dynamicâ€, Ms. Kasper is also an

experienced lecturer/instructor. She has developed and presented university

courses and workshops for school districts, clinics, parent groups, and

professional organizations. Her comprehensive knowledge of current practices

and proficiency in multiple treatment frameworks provides her with a unique

opportunity to combine elements of a several approaches to gain cooperation

and promote functional communication in children with challenging behaviors.

Overview of Workshop:

Therapists are often faced with difficult cases in which valuable therapy

time is spent addressing challenging behaviors such as avoidance, aggression,

or self-stimulation. Nonverbal children or children with limited functional

communication present a special challenge. Participants in this workshop

will learn to analyze behaviors and implement valuable strategies to reduce

problem behaviors. Emphasis will be placed on use of Skinner’s behavioral

classification of language (as applied by Sundberg, Partington, and Carbone),

which refocuses and refines teaching of requesting and “commentingâ€.

Methods for effective transfer of skills from imitative to spontaneous

requesting to labeling and “conversing†will be presented, viewed via

videotape, and practiced. Procedures to maintain cooperation and

systematically shape functional verbal and/or manual communication in

children with limited verbal and motor imitation will be addressed.

Application of Kaufman’s hierarchy of vocalizations and use of simplified

“word shells†with this population will also be explored.