Re: ABA in the schools - myths to dispel

June 12, 2004

Hi Kim--

The biggest argument is that ABA is a methodology. What they mean by this

is that they think parents are insisting they use the Lovaas program. Court

cases have decisivly ruled that parents cannot insist a school use one

methodology over another. My counterpoint is to laugh and say that ABA is a

method that can be adapted to any situation and consists of determining the

cause of behavior (escape, attention etc.), taking data, and reinforcement.

By the way, what are you working on?

Singleton

FEAT-Houston, Legislative Liason

ABA in the schools - myths to dispel

Would those of you who have come up against arguments of using ABA in your

school districts (especially those in TX) mind emailing me privately (or

share with the list) the myths/misconceptions you come up against with

educators, administrators, etc. We're wanting to come up with a document

that dispels those for our legislators in Texas. Thanks! Kim

June 12, 2004

Thanks - I know parents here locally who are still arguing

the methodology debate. We even have some educators opening their

eyes to ABA but they still don't understand what it really is. They

only know what they've " heard " or been told by others.

We're creating a very basic easy-to-understand handout on ABA -

we've been on a letter-writing campaign to our Regional Service

Center, senators, congressmen, representatives, etc. about teacher

training / ABA. We're learning alot about the misconceptions and

need a written handout to correct them and get everyone talking

consistently. Thanks! Kim

> Hi Kim--

> The biggest argument is that ABA is a methodology. What they mean

by this

> is that they think parents are insisting they use the Lovaas

program. Court

> cases have decisivly ruled that parents cannot insist a school use

one

> methodology over another. My counterpoint is to laugh and say

that ABA is a

> method that can be adapted to any situation and consists of

determining the

> cause of behavior (escape, attention etc.), taking data, and

reinforcement.

>

> By the way, what are you working on?

> Singleton

> FEAT-Houston, Legislative Liason

>

> ABA in the schools - myths to

dispel

>

> Would those of you who have come up against arguments of using ABA

in your

> school districts (especially those in TX) mind emailing me

privately (or

> share with the list) the myths/misconceptions you come up against

with

> educators, administrators, etc. We're wanting to come up with a

document

> that dispels those for our legislators in Texas. Thanks! Kim

>

June 12, 2004

I do know that in my very large Texas district , they rely on everyone's

use of the term A BLENDED APPROACH to try and appease parents of

autistic children. I was supposed to be using A BLENDED APPROACH

which meant I was to use every skill I had up my sleeve, but nothing

specific. I did do ABA sometimes, but it was only when I wanted to or

felt it would help. I was not trained, but I was given plenty of data

sheets to fill up.

June 12, 2004

The best thing my school district has ever done is send me to Jo

Webers weeklong workshops in San Marcos. She basically advocates ABA

and anything else that works. Trial by trial and milieu teaching. Why

confine yourself to one dogma here? Each kid is different, so is each

approach. TEACHH has some good things and it has some not so great

things. I think it tries to assume that all kids on the spectrum are

the same, but that's just my thought on the subjct. ABA is great, but

if you are assuming that means Lovaas and nothing else, well, then

your poor kid is gonna be up a creek. I had three students on the

autism spectrum and not a one of them has anything in common! I think

one of the things that people need to understand is that all children

listed under the umbrella of autism are not your Kanners style kids.

I had one of those, for which conventional methods work perfectly. I

had 2 though, for whom I really had to do some heavy duty adapting. I

have to fight related service personell on this point every single

time! Both of them hated picture schedules. It was just something

you had to do, not something that had meaning to them. They knew

their schedules by heart, but they didn't have a clue what the picture

schedule was for, except to make them do yet another thing that made

no sense to their lives. Once we removed the picture schedules from

their daily activities, they became more receptive to PECs. Every

child is different, so no one style works for all kids. I figure if

standing on my head and twiddling my thumbs gets some idea across

somehow, I'll do it. I've even tried a totally unconventional method

and it worked. I bored a kid to death until she decided to break down

and actually do something. Of course, I suppose you could say it was

ABA. She wanted to be in full control, so would refuse to do anything

we wanted, even though she knew how. I bored her to tears, so she had

to break down and ask if she wanted something. Result, she started to

communicate. She's VERY stubborn so it took awhile for her to give

in, but she did. (Again, this is a kid on the spectrum, but not smack

in the middle of it) Of course, I'd tried everything else first until

I came to that conclusion. I never did get the idea across to most

people, but since it worked, who cares! Now, if the school will give

me enough time to teach the other teachers in the district what Jo

Weber taught me, we might be able to alleviate a whole bunch of

problems and save the district a whole lot of headaches and money!

I've had no problem with my parents about specific methods though.

They just seem happy if someone is willing to try. They know I'll

bang my head against a wall until I find something that works. Be it

trial-by-trial, milieu teaching or standing on my head!

> I do know that in my very large Texas district , they rely on everyone's

> use of the term A BLENDED APPROACH to try and appease parents of

> autistic children. I was supposed to be using A BLENDED APPROACH

> which meant I was to use every skill I had up my sleeve, but nothing

> specific. I did do ABA sometimes, but it was only when I wanted to or

> felt it would help. I was not trained, but I was given plenty of data

> sheets to fil

l up.

June 12, 2004

As a Board Certified Behavior Analyst (BCBA), I wanted to take a quick

moment to offer clarification/information about the field. Applied behavior

analysis (ABA) is a science, meaning that its principles and the methods

based on those principles are developed through replicable scientific

research. One commonly used definition of the field is " the science in which

procedures derived from the principles of behavior are systematically

applied to improve socially significant behavior to a meaningful degree and

to demonstrate experimentally that the procedures employed were responsible

for the improvement in behavior " (, Heron, & , 1987).

A large number of studies have found that an applied behavior analysis

program can effectively increase the academic and social skills of

individuals with autism, as well as increasing appropriate behavior and

reducing inappropriate behavior. However, behavior analysis is not limited

to individuals with autism, it is also used to effectively treat individuals

with traumatic brain injury, addictive behaviors, and to address any

socially significant behavior, regardless of the individual's diagnosis.

The " Lovaas method " is simply one way of doing ABA, just as the " Carbonne

method " is another way of using the principles. Both methods are based on

the same principles, they simply differ in which methods they focus more on.

Discrete trial training, natural environment training, and positive

behavioral supports all refer to methods of using behavior analysis.

A Board Certified Behavior Analyst (BCBA) is a professional who has a

Masters degree in behavior analysis, psychology, or a related field, has

completed the required coursework and training in behavior analysis, and has

passed the national certification test. An Associate is someone who has a

bachelors degree, a lesser level of training, and who has passed a lower

version of the exam. A list of BCBAs can be found at www.bacb.com.

Additional information can be found at www.bacb.com and

www.abainternational.org.

Please feel free to contact me with any additional questions you may have.

Beth Lessenberry, M.S., BCBA

Momentum Behavior Consulting

(512) 417-4400

blessenberry@...

www.momentumbehavior.com

June 13, 2004

Beth-

I'm so glad you did. A lot of people think that filling in a data sheet

with no training, no supervision, and no consistency is ABA--especially at

school. For a person to be doing effective therapy, program should be

developed and supervised by a BCBA. Anyone can call themselves a behavioral

specialist. There is a big difference between the two in terms of quality.

RE: Re: ABA in the schools - myths to