Functional Communication: An In-Depth Look at Reducing and Replacing Challenging Behaviors (Grades K-12)

Presented by Lauren Williams, M.A., CCC-SLP, Speech Language Pathologist at Monarch Center for Autism and ShyJuan Larkin, B.A., Behavior Specialist at Monarch Center for Autism
Sponsored by Monarch Center for Autism, STAR Autism Support, and VizZle

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If you attended the live session, you’ll be emailed a CE certificate within 24 hours of the webinar. If you view the recording and would like a CE certificate, join the Teaching Students with Autism community and go to the Webinar Archives folder to take the CE quiz.

Lauren and ShyJuan took an in-depth look at evidence-based strategies to help reduce and/or replace challenging behaviors utilizing functional communication training (FCT). This program teaches you to:

• Define functional communication training and discuss why it can significantly reduce challenging behaviors, including those exhibited by students with Autism Spectrum Disorder
• Identify numerous functions of communication and discuss challenging behaviors that can arise from each function
• Examine various visual language supports that help students understand language during times of crisis and help mitigate challenging behaviors
• Discuss how the environment can effect a student’s communication and behavior
• Discuss cueing methods during communication and crisis, and how these different methods can effect a student’s functional communication
• Demonstrate how collaboration across disciplines can support the generalization and use of appropriate communication methods
• Develop proactive strategies to promote communication and reduce and replace challenging behaviors

Case studies provide evidence of successful implementation of visual language supports during challenging behaviors.

About the Presenters

Lauren Williams, M.A., CCC-SLP is a speech-language pathologist at Monarch Center for Autism in Shaker Heights, OH. Prior to beginning her career at Monarch Center for Autism, Lauren earned her master’s degree from the University of Akron and worked full time collaborating with applied behavior specialists, implementing direct intervention services for clients on the autism spectrum. She is part of a collaborative Monarch School team that works directly with Dr. Howard Shane and his colleagues from Boston Children’s Hospital.

 ShyJuan Larkin, B.A. is a behavior specialist at Monarch Center for Autism in Shaker Heights, OH. Shy is expected to receive her BCaBA in the next few months, and she earned her bachelor’s degree in Sociology from Cleveland State University. Shy has worked full time collaborating with applied behavior specialists, intervention specialists and speech language pathologists at Monarch School and Monarch Boarding Academy, implementing direct intervention services for clients on the autism spectrum. She is also part of a collaborative Monarch School team that works directly with Dr. Howard Shane and his colleagues from Boston Children’s Hospital.

Join the Teaching Students with Autism community to network with educators, participate in online discussions, receive invitations to upcoming webinars, view past webinars, take a quiz to receive a CE certificate for a past webinar, and access free resources.

WATCH THE WEBINAR RECORDING

Monarch Center for Autism, a division of Bellefaire JCB, is located in Cleveland, Ohio. Monarch offers a comprehensive array of programs and services for individuals ages three through adulthood with Autism Spectrum Disorders. Highlights, which incorporate Monarch’s visual language treatment model, include a preschool; day school for children, adolescents & young adults; transition education program; summer & extended school year programs; therapeutic residential treatment program; adult vocational & supported living programs; and community training.

STAR Autism Support (SAS) provides curriculum materials, workshops and training to school and agency staff who work with students with autism. Our mission is to help others successfully implement research-based applied behavior analysis (ABA) techniques. We want every child with autism to receive effective instruction!

VizZle provides a library of more than 14,000 lessons and the tools and media to customize them or create your own from scratch. The lessons can be tailored to any grade level, assigned to any student, and played on iPad or Android tablets, laptop or desktop computers. Data is tracked automatically. This award-winning software is developed collaboratively with educators.