Effective Teaching, Successful Lives

This section of the website describes some training opportunities that can be provided by Barbara T. Doyle, M.S. All workshops can be customized to reflect organizational goals and outcomes, and be geared to specific audiences and time frames. New workshops can be developed as needed. Trainings can be directed to participants concerned with children and/or adults with autism related disorders or to those concerned with children and adults with other disabilities. Fees for training events are negotiated on a case by case basis. Be sure to contact Barbara with your ideas for training or with requests for training development.

Who should participate in these teaching and learning opportunities?

Creating the Future Today: Changing Society’s View of People With Autism Spectrum Disorders

Welcome to the 21 st Century: Changing the Lives of People with Autism Spectrum Disorders by using Technology

Creating Lifetime Plans: Knowing Where You Want to Go and Making a Successful Plan to Get There!

Teaching Ten of the Most Important Goals to People with Special Needs of All Ages: Skills that Lead to a Safe and Independent Life

Teaching Skills: Avoiding Legal Problems

And Justice for All, Unless You Have Autism: What the Legal System Needs to Know About People With Autism Spectrum Disorders

Positive Behavioral Change

Working Effectively with Children and Adults with Asperger’s Syndrome/ High Functioning Autism (AS/HFA): A Special Four Part Program

Creating Functional, Lifetime Programs for People with Developmental Disabilities

Supporting Students with Autism Spectrum Disorders (ASD)

Becoming the Instrument of Change: Teaching Communication with Conscious Interacting

Inclusion Is Not Geography: Mapping Out Inclusion in the Minds of Others

Understanding and Teaching People who have both Down Syndrome and an Autism Spectrum Disorder: Help for Staff and Families

Understanding and Teaching People who have both Blindness or Vision Impairment and an Autism Spectrum Disorder: Help for Staff and Families

Understanding and teaching Children and Adults who are Deaf or Hard of Hearing and have an Autism Spectrum Disorder: Help for Staff and Families

Explaining ASD: Who What When Why and How To Tell

Maximize Your Effectiveness: How to Overcome Assessment Challenges

Mind Mapping - a new tool for visual thinkers

 

Who should participate in these teaching and learning opportunities?

Participants can include parents, family members and friends, general education classroom teachers, special education professionals and paraprofessionals, early intervention staff, classroom aides, staff providing adult services for people with disabilities (residential and community supports, day programs, employments supports), educational and program managers and administrators, students, child care workers, child welfare staff and other team professionals such as social workers, psychologists, nurses, behavioral specialists, psychiatrists, and medical professionals.

Some Training Topics

• Creating the Future Today: Changing Society’s View of People With Autism Spectrum Disorders

This is an inspiring and energizing keynote or first session of the day. We discover together that e ach of us has a profound impact on societal perspectives towards people with special needs, regardless of our roles in their lives. We can help to create a future world society that honors, embraces and values all people. This presentation helps to empower participants to more consciously influence the attitudes of those around them, and thus, society and the world.

Families, friends and staff who know, love and support people with autism spectrum disorders and other diagnoses want society to respond with recognition, understanding, valuing and acceptance. Our destination is a society that embraces human diversity and values everyone. Who is society? How is society going to learn to appreciate people with special differences?

Perhaps the most powerful tool for societal change that families, friends and service providers have is ourselves! WE are the teachers of society in the journeys of our lives and relationships. Our behavior shapes societal values whether we know it or not! People in all communities are trained and attitudes are shaped when anyone observes our interactions with the special individuals we love and support. This presentation explores the powerful role of family members, friends and service providers in consciously creating the attitudes of the world of the present and future.

Participants will learn:

• how and when opportunities to influence societal attitudes occur
• how to model the types of interactions that promote valuing all individuals
• the importance of choosing service goals that help individuals belong and contribute
• interactive styles that demonstrate valuing people with disabilities
• ways to prepare people with disabilities to contribute to their communities
• activities that increase belonging for people with disabilities

• Welcome to the 21 st Century: Changing the Lives of People with Autism Spectrum Disorders by using Technology

Staff and families may be aware of voice output devices for people who cannot speak and may think that this is the only “technology” that applies to people with autism spectrum disorders. Think again!! There are literally thousands of technological devices that can improve the quality of life, learning, health, safety, participation, independence and contribution of people with autism and related disorders. You already have some of these “devices” in your own homes and classrooms!

This presentation will enable participants to identify many types of assistive technology from “low tech” to “high tech” devices. Devices will be demonstrated to inspire participants to try them. This presentation will make staff and parents more creative and effective in identifying and meeting the technology needs of children and young adults with ASD served in schools as well as matching appropriate devices to the adults with special needs. Learn how to make anyone with autism or other developmental disabilities more “able” to do real life activities at home, school, work, and when having fun.

Adult services providers are faced with an ever growing population to serve with limited funding. The use of carefully chosen technology is one way to decrease the need for personal support in some situations, often saving staff time and agency resources. In this presentation, providers and parents of adults with ASD and other learning differences will learn how to select technology and how to try it to be sure it will be effective. Funding sources other than schools, adult provider agencies and families will be identified and help through the funding maze will be given.

Services available in any state’s assistive technology project will be explored. If presented in Illinois, the Illinois Assistive Technology Program device loan program will be explained. This is a program that enables staff and parents to “try before they buy” devices and to get help in the funding of needed assistive technology.

Participants will learn:

• That almost anything can be “technology”
• to identify when a “thing” could help someone participate or contribute
• to relate the features of autism spectrum disorders to the need for specific devices in a wide variety of situations and environments
• strategies and considerations for choosing devices to be used
• to individualize the planning process around technology
• Resources for learning more about technology
• Funding options and methods to have technology funded

• Creating Lifetime Plans: Knowing Where You Want to Go and Making a Successful Plan to Get There!

A Lifetime Plan is a process through which everyone who is committed to being a part of the life of a person with special needs comes together to create a vision for the person’s future. When everyone agrees on the best possible life that can be envisioned for a person, it becomes easier to work in harmony with each other. It becomes easier for families to explain to others what is important to them. Teams can then choose and implement goals and strategies that are most likely to result in the acquisition of the skills needed to live a successful life, as described in the plan.

Participants will learn:

• how to stop being afraid of lifetime planning and learn to love it!
• the importance of lifetime planning throughout the life span of individuals with developmental disabilities and other special needs
• components of the lifetime plan
• strategies for the lifetime planning process
• communication ideas to enhance lifetime planning
• resources for Lifetime Planning

• Teaching Ten of the Most Important Goals to People with Special Needs of All Ages: Skills that Lead to a Safe and Independent Life

Staff and families often struggle in an effort to choose the most important and relevant behavior and skills to teach people with disabilities. Sometimes efforts result in an individual knowing many things and being able to do many things, but still not able to become a safe and included member of a social group.

It has become clear that some skills and abilities are much more important than others in a person’s life time. In this presentation, these most important skills and abilities will be discussed. Participants will understand why these targeted and prioritized goals can become a basis for preparation for adulthood or a way of improving the quality of life experiences for people with developmental disabilities and other diagnoses who are already adults.

This presentation takes a positive and proactive approach to prioritizing goals when working with people with disabilities of all ages. The information can help teams commit to building more positive and targeted lifelong skills and behavior. It helps parents work actively as full team members, replacing fears and concerns about the future with plans and action.

• Teaching Skills: Avoiding Legal Problems

Everyone needs to demonstrate safety and social skills that result in safe and productive lives. Safety and social interaction skills must be acquired to avoid unnecessary, common, legal problems. This presentation suggests ten essential skills and describes how to adapt teaching these skills to individuals with different cognitive abilities. It provides a format for discussing dangerous, potentially dangerous and stigmatizing behavior with program teams. Could individuals who acquire these ten skills be at less risk for legal problems? Come and decide for yourself!

• And Justice for All, Unless You Have Autism: What the Legal System Needs to Know About People With Autism Spectrum Disorders

One goal of human services is that individuals with Autism Spectrum Disorders (ASD) do not become involved in legal and police related issues. However, when they do, providers and families need to inform police and legal systems personnel about the relevant features of ASD in a way that helps legal personnel understand the impact of ASD on thinking and behavior. The diagnostic features and their implications have a profound impact on the individual’s ability to be treated fairly and with understanding.

This presentation presents the relevant features of ASD and provides suggestions for service providers and families to prevent issues within the legal system through educational and training activities. Strategies are presented to assist families and staff in informing legal and criminal system personnel of relevant characteristics of ASD.

Participants will learn:

• a brief review of the diagnostic characteristics of ASD
• ways in which the effects of ASD can be described and understood
• how the diagnostic characteristics can impact fair access to the legal system
• the importance of a diagnosis of ASD in legal proceedings
• why the features of ASD must be explained to professionals in the legal and criminal systems
• some ways in which the features of autism spectrum disorders can affect legal proceedings
• human services goals and activities to help prevent people with ASD from entering the legal and criminal system

• Positive Behavioral Change

Replacing dangerous or problematic behavior with more functional and adaptive behavior is a key goal for all programs and for all people with autism spectrum disorders or other developmental disabilities. Participants in this workshop will become better able to define, discuss and change problematic behavior in a positive, effective manner focusing on practical environmental manipulations and effective communication-based strategies.

Participants will learn:

• unifying assumptions that will make behavioral interventions more effective

• accurate, working definitions of behavior, behavior management and behavioral programming
• the rationale for an emphasis on an environmental/communication approach
• objective vs. subjective observation and behavioral descriptions
• the importance of the “can’t vs. won’t” dilemma
• simple, effective ways to collect and analyze data
• how to communicate more effectively with others regarding behavior in order to have better team decision making
• why typical behavior modification approaches may not always be effective
• the components of a functional analysis
• how environmental adaptations can reduce problematic behavior for a learner

• Working Effectively with Children and Adults with Asperger’s Syndrome/ High Functioning Autism (AS/HFA): A Special Four Part Program

This special, interactive, intensive four-part series is designed to enable professionals and families to:

· become more familiar with the diagnostic features of children and adults with Asperger’s Syndrome, pervasive developmental disorders, high functioning autism, semantic pragmatic disorders and non verbal learning disabilities

· assist in designing appropriate programmatic adaptations in schools, community services and other arenas

· understand family, communication and social issues

· work, live, teach and communicate more effectively with individuals with this diagnosis.

Session 1:

Recognizing and Understanding the Clinical Features of Asperger’s Syndrome/High Functioning Autism (AS/HFA)

This session will describe the diagnostic features of children and adults with AS. Participants will learn how the features of AS/HFA effect socialization, communication, sensory processing and learning.

Participants will learn:

• where AS/HFA fits in the spectrum of Pervasive Developmental Disorders
• the diagnostic features of AS/HFA
• examples of how each diagnostic feature can manifest in children and adults with AS/HFA
• features that differentiate AS/HFA from other autistic spectrum disorders, mental illness or behavior problems

Session 2:

Adapting Programs to Meet the Needs of Children and Adults with AS/HFA

Developmental disability programs and educational programs are not always designed to meet the needs of this special group of people. Programmatic adaptations are needed to ensure success. This session describes programmatic adaptations that are reasonable, practical and inexpensive and are likely to benefit people with Asperger’s Syndrome or high functioning autism.

Participants will learn:

• the importance of changing and adapting programs for children and adults with AS/HFA
• how likes and interests can be used to teach children and adults with AS
• programmatic adaptations that can be used to address sensory issues
• ideas to help select and use peer mentors
• how practice, role play, cartoons, scripting and video taping can be used in social skills training goals for children and adults with AS
• how goal selection needs to relate to current and future life circumstances

Session 3:

Family, Communication and Social Issues

Asperger’s Syndrome has a unique kind of impact on families. Professionals benefit from understanding family issues. AS severely effects social interaction and verbal and non-verbal communication even when the individual has typical or gifted intelligence. Participants will become more familiar with the impact of AS in these areas and how to more effectively teach social and communication skills.

Participants will learn:

• 5 ways that a family member with AS/HFA effects the entire family
• ways that families can explain AS/HFA to others
• resources for families of children with AS/HFA
• how to involve families in the development of programs and the selection of goals by using specific family interview questions
• appropriate language to use to discuss children and adults with AS/HFA
• ideas to help identify learner strengths that can be used to teach social and communication skills

Session 4:

Developing Personal Competencies that Improve Services for People with AS/HFA

Professionals can develop effective interpersonal skills that enhance communication and the development of relationships with persons with AS/HFA. Specific skills will be discussed and practiced.

Participants will learn:

• why the most important program component is staff skills, attitudes and knowledge
• why the concept of “embracing diversity” must be integrated into all features of all programs and how professional staff can model this attitude
• the importance of being present and focused to observe and mediate peer interactions
• how to use “telling” vs. “asking” techniques
• how stress, anxiety, embarrassment and humiliation interfere with learning

• effective inclusive supports such as “making sense,” “unconditional acceptance,” and “affiliation” strategies

• Creating Functional, Lifetime Programs for People with Developmental Disabilities

Many people with disabilities spend their whole lifetimes in educational and developmental services and yet sometimes are able to do very few real world tasks. When children and adults with developmental disabilities do not learn functional skills, paid support must be provided at a greater level of intensity and the person’s life becomes less varied, interesting and fulfilling. Functional programming is the art and science of teaching skills to children and adults with autism spectrum disorders or other disabilities for use in “real” life. “Functional” is NOT the opposite of “Academic!” Functional and academic goals can be taught together in carefully planned programs. Functional programs result in greater independence, participation, satisfaction and contribution for children and adults with disabilities.

Participants will learn:

• the definition and importance of functional programming and functional goals in the life of an individual with developmental disabilities of any age
• the components of functional programming
• how to assess and target lifelong needs
• the importance of discovering and using liked activities as a guide to the selection of functional goals
• how functional and academic goals can be targeted and taught together.
• how to help families select and teach functional goals to family members
• the importance of the principles of partial participation and multiple intelligences
• the ecological inventory strategy for assessing skills and knowledge and for defining goals

• Supporting Students with Autism Spectrum Disorders (ASD)

Children with autism spectrum disorders participate in general education classroom activities throughout the United States. General education professionals and support staff may be unfamiliar with students who have this unique spectrum disorder and can benefit from training regarding the nature of ASD and how it affects students. Learning how to adapt classroom activities and how to use effective communication skills can assist educators in more effectively supporting all students.

Participants will learn:

• the characteristics of autism, pervasive developmental disorder, Asperger’s Syndrome and Fragile X SYNDROME
• ways the characteristics manifest in students at different ages with various levels of intellectual functioning
• effects of the characteristics on the behavior, learning, socialization and communication of these students
• how to more effectively utilize supports from special education team members
• useful learning strengths of students with ASD
• simple classroom adaptations to promote participation and reduce distractions
• how to use peer support appropriately and encourage peer relationships to develop
• utilizing one-to-one or classroom assistants effectively
• how to garner resources to help professionals in every school
• techniques to communicate and work with families more effectively

• Becoming the Instrument of Change: Teaching Communication with Conscious Interacting

Many children and adults with special needs have limited interpersonal communication skills. Many communication programs focus on teaching these individuals to respond. An often missing element is teaching us, the communicative partners, how to initiate in a way that encourages more communication attempts. This workshop teaches participants to be more conscious of their own role in developing communication skills in others. It will focus on useful communication variety, effective non-verbal skills, and interpersonal responsiveness, respectfully recognizing underlying messages, and teaching communication skills that will support people across their lifetimes.

Participants will learn:

• a responsive approach as an effective tool to build communication skills in others
• the importance of accepting and shaping all non-harmful ways of communicating
• why too much focus on speech can actually reduce communication skills development
• the communication skills that are most important for a quality life
• at least ten valid communication methods to which we can respond in anyone
• five important communication skills needed to have true quality of life
• the roles of responsive and directive communication styles in building satisfying interpersonal relationships

• Inclusion Is Not Geography: Mapping Out Inclusion in the Minds of Others

How can staff and families know if children and adults with disabilities and special learning needs are truly included? Our efforts thus far have taught us that simply placing people along side one another does not result in the development of satisfying, reciprocal, lifelong relationships (that is, inclusive communities). What is the missing element in the inclusion puzzle? The MINDS of others! Inclusion is an attitude based on knowledge and experience that exists in the MINDS of those around the child or adult with disabilities or special learning needs. This presentation will help teams identify what information needs to be shared, who needs to know, and how to share information with others, including the child or adult with autism spectrum disorders or other special learning needs. Participants will learn techniques for talking about children and adults to children of all ages, to staff in each environment, as well as supportive ideas to overcome reluctance to share information. The presentation will emphasize shifting attitudes and creating relationships by providing important, respectful, accurate and individualized information to everyone who needs to know while abiding by laws and rules of confidentiality.

• Understanding and Teaching People who have both Down Syndrome and an Autism Spectrum Disorder: Help for Staff and Families

Children and adults who have both Down Syndrome and an autism spectrum disorder may present special challenges to staff and families until everyone understands the impact of the COMBINATION of these two life-effecting disabilities. In this presentation, professionals and families will identify the features of ASD, how they might manifest in people with Down Syndrome and how to address each feature with practical and effective teaching and learning strategies. Special behavioral interventions will be presented including identifying and teaching replacement behavior and developing reactive strategies. Ideas to increase social interaction skills will be shared and demonstrated.

• Understanding and Teaching People who have both Blindness or Vision Impairment and an Autism Spectrum Disorder: Help for Staff and Families

Many people with Autism spectrum disorders rely on visual input to help self-organize and participate effectively in the activities of learning, working and social interacting. For children and adults who have vision impairment or blindness and an ASD, teaching and learning needs to be specially adapted in order to have successful outcomes. This presentation describes the impact of ASD on the lives and learning of people with vision impairment and presents many practical and simple ways to effectively adapt activities, teaching, communication, scheduling, orientation and mobility training and life skills for the best possible lifetime outcomes. Effective strategies for changing behavior will be described and modeled. Strategies to help identify children and adults who have vision impairment and an autism disorder will be shared.

• Understanding and teaching Children and Adults who are Deaf or Hard of Hearing and have an Autism Spectrum Disorder: Help for Staff and Families

Which is the “primary” disability: ASD or deafness? Will sign language training help? Which program is most appropriate for a person who is deaf or hard of hearing AND has an autism disorder? This presentation will assist teams in answering these questions and provides important information to help teach, understand and communicate effectively. With a focus on individualizing service delivery and using a “multiple means” approach to teaching communication, this presentation brings many practical and useable strategies for effective teaching at home, at school, in a residence, at work or in the community. Strategies to help identify children and adults who have both an autism disorder and are deaf or hard of hearing will be shared.

• Explaining ASD: Who What When Why and How To Tell

People benefit from learning more about children and adults with ASD. This presentation helps participants know when more information needs to be given to others and describes how to inform others about ASD in a way that promotes understanding and builds more inclusive communities.

• Maximize Your Effectiveness: How to Overcome Assessment Challenges

Services and programming are based on the results of multidisciplinary assessments. However it can be a challenge to assess children and adults with ASD! In this session, learn practical strategies to make assessments most effective whether you are a parent or professional.

• Mind Mapping - a new tool for visual thinkers

Presented with Mariah Howard will discuss Mind Mapping, a visual way to organize information that can be much easier to understand than traditional note-taking, especially for visual thinkers.  Maps can be used for academics, new life skills, social relationships, and more, to enhance learning and improve memory retrieval.  In this workshop, participants will practice making creative maps of their own, and learn how to apply them to a variety of situations.