Social communication in the classroom. A journey to inclusive practices.

Bronwyn Sutton, Speech Language Pathologist www.learningappguide.com

What is social communication?

Using communication to initiate, respond or engage with others in order to sustain a social interaction

Greet

Answer

Comment

Show

Call

Express feelings

Express opinion

Agree/Disagree

Assert

Name

Provide information

Manners

Why is social communication important?

Relationships ♦ Language ♦ Cognition

Examples of social communication difficulties

???

Difficulty responding

Difficulty engaging

Difficulty initiating

Monologues ???

Needs of the individual child

Pull-out approaches

Clinic based

Pull-out at school

Benefits: Quiet, calm place to learn Research: “contrived, restricted and decontextualized” (Gresham et al., 2001, p. 340). Pull-out approaches were less effective and less likely to generalise compared to in-class approaches (Bellini et al 2007)

Involve peers

Brown & Odom (1994); Hart & Whalon (2011) Paul (2003); Strain, Kerr, & Ragland, (1979); Strain, Shores, & Kerr (1976)

Social Skills Groups

Social Skills Groups

Benefits: Practice with other children Research: “tentative support” (Reichow & Volkmar, 2010. May improve some specific skills, but show poor generalisation to other settings (Williams White, Keonig & Scahill 2007)

Natural social setting

Brown, McEvoy, & Bishop (1991); Frea, Craig-Unkefer, Odom, & Johnson (1999); Paul, (2003); Rule, Losardo, Dinnebeil, Kaiser, & Rowland (1998) Stichter, O'Connor, Herzog,

Lierheimer, & McGhee (2012)

Natural settings with peers: playground

Natural settings with peers: playground

Children need a break, classroom teachers are not available, teachers on duty need to supervise (Kamps, Potucek, Lopez, Kravits, and Kemmerer, 1997) Short term programs conducted by external professionals

Adequate Dosage

Gresham (2001), Bellini et al (2007)

Responsibility for intervention at school

Therapist Teacher Aide

Teacher Specialist Teacher

Classroom Based

Adult mediated

Direct Instruction

Prompting

Rewarding

Modelling

Pivotal Response Training

Social StoriesTM

(child mediated)

Popular with teachers (Hess, Morrier & Heflin, 2008) Books are a resource found in classrooms Low level of effectiveness (Brunner & Seung, 2009; McConnell, 2002; Rogers, 2000)

Video Modelling (child mediated)

Not used by teachers (Hess, Morrier & Heflin, 2008) Video equipment becoming more available in classrooms (mobile devices) A recommended intervention (Reichow &Volkmar, 2010;Wang & Spillane, 2009)

Self Monitoring (child mediated)

Not used by teachers (Hess, Morrier & Heflin, 2008) Effectiveness shown in classroom setting (Morrison, Kamps, Garcia &Parker ,2001)

Peer mediated interventions

Brunner & Seung (2009); Matson et al., (2007); McConnell (2002)

Rogers (2000); Weiss & Harris (2001)

Peers may also benefit academically, socially and emotionally from participation

Peer mediated in class with one peer

Instruction Prompting Rewarding Modeling PRT

Resources available in classroom

Embedded into curriculum

Korinek & Popp (1997); Schoenfeld, Rutherford, Gable, & Rock (2008); Fentry, Miller, & Lampi (2008)

Embedded into rotations

Banda,Hart & Liu-Gitz (2010)

Embedded into reading

Kamps, Barbett, Leonard & Delquadri (1994); Kamps et al (1997)

Co-operative learning groups during Social Studies

Dugan et al (1995)

Embedded utilising iPads???

An inclusive approach

Interventions with typical peers

Natural social setting

Adequate dosage

Resources in classroom

Embedded in curriculum

? Responsibility for intervention

References

Banda, D. R., Hart, S. L., & Liu-Gitz, L. (2010). Impact of training peers and children with autism on social skills during center time activities in inclusive classrooms. Research in Autism Spectrum Disorders, 4(4), 619-625. doi: http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.rasd.2009.12.005

Bellini, S., Peters, J. K., Benner, L., & Hopf, A. (2007). A meta-analysis of school-based social skills interventions for children with autism spectrum disorders. Remedial and Special Education, 28(3), 153-162. doi: 10.1177/07419325070280030401

Brown, W., McEvoy, M., & Bishop, N. (1991). Incidental teaching of social behavior: A naturalistic approach for promoting young children’s peer interactions. . Teaching Exceptional Children, 24, 35 - 38.

Brunner, D. L., & Seung, H. (2009). Evaluation of the efficacy of communication-based treatments for Autism Spectrum Disorders: A literature review. Communication Disorders Quarterly, 31(1), 15-41. doi: 10.1177/1525740108324097

Kamps, D., Potucek, J., Lopez, A., Kravits, T., & Kemmerer, K. (1997). The use of peer networks across multiple settings to improve social interaction for students with autism. Journal of Behavioral Education, 7(3), 335-357. doi: http://dx.doi.org/10.1023/A:1022879607019

Fentry, N., Miller, M. A., & Lampi, A. (2008). Embed social skills instruction in inclusive settings. Intervention in school and clinic, 43(3), 186-192.

Frea, W., Craig-Unkefer, L., Odom, S. L., & Johnson, D. (1999). Differential Effects of Structured Social Integration and Group Friendship Activities for Promoting Social Interaction with Peers. Journal of Early Intervention, 22(3), 230-242.

Gresham, F. M. (1998). Social skills training: Should we raze, remodel or rebuild? Behavioral Disorders, 24, 19-25.

Hess, K. L., Morrier, M. J., Heflin, L. J., & Ivey, L. M. (2008). Autism treatment survey: Services received by children with autism spectrum disorders in public school classrooms. Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders, 38(5), 961. doi: 10.1007/s10803-007-0470-5

Kamps, D., Barbetta, P., Leonard, B., & Delquadri, J. (1994). Classwide peer tutoring: An integration strategy to improve reading skills and promote peer interactions among students with autism and general education peers. Journal of Applied Behavior Analysis, 27(1), 49-61.

Kamps, D., Potucek, J., Lopez, A., Kravits, T., & Kemmerer, K. (1997). The use of peer networks across multiple settings to improve social interaction for students with autism. Journal of Behavioral Education, 7(3), 335-357. doi: http://dx.doi.org/10.1023/A:1022879607019

Kamps, D., Potucek, J., Lopez, A., Kravits, T., & Kemmerer, K. (1997). The use of peer networks across multiple settings to improve social interaction for students with autism. Journal of Behavioral Education, 7(3), 335-357. doi: http://dx.doi.org/10.1023/A:1022879607019

Korinek, L., & Popp, P. A. (1997). Collaborative mainstream integration of social skills with academic instruction. Preventing School Failure, 41(4), 148-148.

Matson, J. L., Matson, M. L., & Rivet, T. T. (2007). Social-skills treatments for children with Autism Spectrum Disorders. An overview. Behavior Modification, 31(5), 682-707. doi: http://dx.doi.org/10.1177/0145445507301650

McConnell, S. (2002). Interventions to facilitate social interaction for young children with autism: Review of available research and recommendations for educational intervention and future research. Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders, 32(5), 351-372. doi: 10.1023/A:1020537805154

Morrison, L., Kamps, D., Garcia, J., & Parker, D. (2001). Peer Mediation and Monitoring Strategies to Improve Initiations and Social Skills for Students with Autism. Journal of Positive Behavior Interventions, 3(4), 237-250. doi: 10.1177/109830070100300405

Paul, R. (2003). Promoting social communication in high functioning individuals with autistic spectrum disorders. Child and Adolescent Psychiatric Clinics, 12, 87 - 106

Reichow, B., & Volkmar, F. (2010). Social skills interventions for individuals with autism: evaluation for evidence-based practices within a best evidence synthesis framework. Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders, 40(2), 149-166.

Rule, S., Losardo, A., Dinnebeil, L., Kaiser, A., & Rowland, C. (1998). Translating research on naturalistic instruction into practice. Journal of Early Intervention, 21(4), 283-293.

Rogers, S. (2000). Interventions that facilitate socialization in children with autism. Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders, 30(5), 399-409. doi: 10.1023/A:1005543321840

Schoenfeld, N. A., Rutherford, R. B., Gable, R. A., & Rock, M. L. (2008). ENGAGE: A blueprint for incorporating social skills training into daily academic instruction. Preventing School Failure, 52(3), 17-28.

Stichter, J. P., O'Connor, K. V., Herzog, M. J., Lierheimer, K., & McGhee, S. D. (2012). Social competence intervention for elementary students with Aspergers Syndrome and High Functioning Autism. Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders, 42(3), 354-366

Wang, P., & Spillane, A. (2009). Evidence-based social skills interventions for children with autism: A meta-analysis. Education and training in developmental disabilities, 44(3), 318-342.

Williams White, S., Keonig, K., & Scahill, L. (2007). Social skills development in children with Autism Spectrum Disorders: A review of the intervention research. Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders, 37(10), 1858-1868.