Category Archives: Autism Videos at ACT

Best Practices in Early Intervention: An Update

Filmed November 2014 – edited into 15 parts; total 196 minutes

Research and Helping Families Build the “Team”

This video provides an overview of current best practice treatment approaches for children and youth with ASD. It also focuses on developing collaborative partnerships between behavior consultants, speech-language pathologists, occupational therapists and other professionals in order to enhance optimal outcomes for children with ASD and provide their families with meaningful support. Dr. Bopp has spent over 20 years in the autism field, as a clinician, researcher and in policy development. Topics include:

  • Prevalence and the State of the Science
  • Evidence-Based Practices: Key Elements
  • Intervention Models
  • What the Research Says
  • Alternative and Complementary Treatments: What Do We Know?
  • Making the Most of the Intervention Team

About the Presenter

Dr. Karen Bopp is an autism policy consultant for the Ministry of Children and Family Development (MCFD), Senior Behaviour Consultant for the provincial government of B.C., a researcher, and a registered Speech-Language Pathologist. At MCFD, she works in the Children and Youth with Diverse Needs Policy department and provides clinical and best practice consultation on autism service delivery and policy. Dr. Bopp has worked extensively with children with autism spectrum disorders and their families for over 20 years.

Part 1: Introduction and DSM-V (Prevalence and the State of the Science) (21:24)

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Part 2: Prevalence of Autism (17:11)

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Part 3: Evidence-Based Practices: Choosing an Intervention (11:08)

Part 4: Evidence-Based Practices: Key Elements (9:37)

Part 5: Evidence-Based Practices: Guidelines for Intervention (13:20)

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Part 6: Intervention Model: Applied Behavior Analytic Approaches (11:56)

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Part 7: Intervention Model: Developmental Social Pragmatic Approaches (5:04)

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Part 8: Intervention Model: Comprehensive or Combined Approach (7:11)

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Part 9: What does the Research Say? (19:57)

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Part 10: Intro to Alternative and Complementary Treatments (9:47)

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Part 11: Some Specific Complementary and Alternative Treatments (17:30)

Part 12: Obesity, Exercise and Diet (14:17)

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Other Resources:

  • Canucks Autism Network – sports, recreational, arts, and social programs for individuals and families living with autism.

Part 13: What to Consider with Complementary and Alternative Therapies (6:30)

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Part 14: Making the Most of your Intervention Team: Hiring Team Members (21:09)

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Part 15: Making the Most of your Intervention Team: Teamwork and Quality (10:12)

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Navigating Puberty, Adolescence and Beyond: Supporting Individuals with Neuro-Developmental Challenges

Filmed January 2014 – edited into 15 parts; total 221 minutes

Joy Becker uses humour and insight to provide parents, caregivers, and professionals a foundation for teaching individuals with ASD and/or other diverse needs about sexuality and their bodies. It is geared to individuals with age-appropriate language skills and includes information about the sexual development of children, and the information they should understand at various stages of their development. It is designed to address the anxieties caregivers and parents may experience when they discuss sexuality with their children. Education can help children and young adults develop safe relationships and protect them from sexual exploitation, which is more likely to happen if children with diverse needs are not provided information.

About the Presenter

Joy Becker is a nurse educator who draws on many years of experience in educating teenagers with diverse needs. She emphasizes the importance of parents as the primary sexuality educators of their children. In addition to speaking to numerous parent groups, she has delivered courses and workshops to students, teachers, social workers, nurses, and diverse needs individuals of various ages. Ms. Becker has two sons on the autism spectrum and lives in Nanaimo.

Part 1: Introduction and Characteristics of ASD (16:16)

Part 2: Joint Attention, Social Reciprocity, Imitation and Teaching Sexuality (16:42)

Part 3: Knowledge, Attitudes and Skills Needed to Teach Sexuality (20:52)

Part 4: Issues Surrounding Sexuality Education for Individuals with ASD (5:42)

Part 5: Effective Principles and Approaches for Teaching Sexuality (18:01)

Part 6: Being an Effective Sexuality Educator (4:31)

Part 7: Levels of Learning: Privacy, Hygiene, Body Parts and Functions (19:23)

Part 8: Specific Topics about Sexual Education (14:53)

Part 9: Attitudes and Values, Activity: Taking a Stand (14:53)

Includes values clarification exercise. 

Part 10: Teaching Strategies: Visual, Communication and Emotion Management (19:38)

Part 11: Teaching Strategies: Public and Private, Modeling, Social Stories (8:58) 

Part 12: Visuals: Books and Comic Strip (5:33)

Part 13: Visuals: Life Horizon slides, Anatomical Doll, Role Play (27:40)

Part 14: Responding to Questions, Collaboration, and Q&A (13:24)

Positive Behavior Support: What Parents Need to Know!

Filmed November 2015 – edited into 23 parts; total 252 minutes

Parents often assume that difficult eating, sleeping and toileting behaviors are part of their child’s autism and must be endured. This video will provide parents with an overview of Positive Behavior Support (PBS). Many families find PBS very helpful in learning how to help their children with diverse needs develop functional behaviors that can make a huge difference in the quality of family life and the child’s ability to be included in school and community activities. Some of the topics include:

  • the four functions of behavior
  • indirect and direct assessment
  • teaching strategies
  • three examples of PBS
  • visual support strategies and examples

Core features of PBS include the application of behavioral science (ABA), the use of practical interventions to prevent problem behavior and promote desired behavior, and a focus on improving the quality of life for the individual and those who live with and support him/her.

Download the supplementary handout for this video series

About the Presenter

Brenda Fossett, Ph.D., BCBA-D is an inspired teacher who is widely admired for her ability to convey complex concepts to those who work with children and adults with diverse needs, whether they are educational professionals or parents.  Dr. Fossett has been on faculty in the Applied Behavior Analysis – Autism Department at Capilano University since 2013. Prior to that she was Assistant Professor (Special Education) at the University of Alberta. She is also a certified teacher of the deaf, as well as being a Board Certified Behavior Analyst.

Dr. Fossett has extensive clinical experience providing behavioral and educational consultative services to children with ASD, deafness, and other developmental disabilities in home, school, and community settings. Her scholarly and clinical interests include: applied behavior analysis, the implementation of positive behavior support in home and school settings, and educational interventions for deaf children with developmental disabilities. For more information on Dr. Fossett see Capilano University ABA Diploma

Part 1: Introduction and The Shift to PBS (9:54)

Part 2: What is PBS? (24:23)

Part 3: What the PBS Process Looks Like (6:10)

Part 4: What is Functional Behavioral (5:39)

Part 5: The Four Functions of Behavior (8:54)

Part 6: Indirect Assessment Interview: Behavior, Antecedents, Outcomes (17:16)

Part 7: Indirect Assessment Interview: Communication Abilities and Reinforcers (10:00)

Part 8: Indirect Assessment: An Example (9:59)

Part 9: Direct Assessment (9:27)

Part 10: Direct and Indirect Assessment Guides the Intervention (4:16)

Part 11: PBS Plans: Setting Event Strategies (10:34)

Part 12: PBS Plans: Antecedent Strategies (12:59)

Part 13:Teaching Strategies/ Functional Communication Training (10:37)

Part 14: Consequence Strategies (5:29)

Part 15: PBS Example: Transition to Bath (15:29)

Part 16: PBS Example: Transition from Computer (7:19)

Part 17: PBS Example: Dinner (16:36)

Part 18: Accessing PBS Services (11:50)

Part 19: Visual Support Strategies to Prevent Problem Behavior (12:29)

Part 20: Visual Support Examples (24:17)

Part 21: Visual Schedules: Behavioral Support, Skill Development, Showing Steps (8:54)

Part 22: Visual Supports to Understand Rules (11:07)

Part 23: Putting it all Together (9:03)

One Parent’s Journey in Autism (in Punjabi)

Filmed November 2015 – edited into 6 parts; total 57 minutes

As a parent of a child who was diagnosed with ASD 8 years ago, Ms. Braich shares her experience in receiving the diagnosis and supporting her family.  “There are some things I wish I had known more about before being thrown into what will be a lifelong journey and there are other things, that I am proud to say, I feel I intuitively succeeded at.”

The ACT in Punjabi page lists several South Asian and Punjabi-language resources.

About the Presenter

 Sunita Braich, M.Ed. in Special Education, is a parent and and teaches in the Surrey School District.

Part 1: Introduction and After Diagnosis (7:23)

Part 2: Emotional Stages, Story and Support (9:37)

Part 3: Choosing a Consultant and Team (12:16)

Part 4: How to Be Involved with School and Teachers (6:49)

Part 5: Looking After Yourself (6:53)

Part 6: Q&A (13:50)

 

 
 
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The Essentials of Advocacy: A Parent’s Guide to Advocating for their Child with Diverse Needs

Filmed November 2015 – edited into 13 parts; total 153 minutes
Presented by Deborah Pugh, Executive Director, ACT – Autism Community Training

This presentation highlights essential information for parents, and the professionals who support them, in understanding the systems that control access to services for children with diverse needs. Many of the examples are from British Columbia’s education system, but the basic principles of effective advocacy apply to most jurisdictions. The materials presented in this workshop include guidance to empowered families to understand their rights, roles and responsibilities with practical information on how to achieve their advocacy goals.

Deborah Pugh has been an active advocate on behalf of children and adults with diverse needs for over 20 years, following a career as a foreign correspondent. For details of Deborah’s work see the ACT Staff page.

Download the supplementary handout for The Essentials of Advocacy

Part 1: Introduction (11:24)

Part 2: The Big Picture: What is Advocacy? (9:32)

Part 3: Building a Team / Why Advocate? (10:55)

Part 4: Geographic Differences: Laws or Services (7:20)

Part 5: The Autism Dimension in B.C. (4:54)

Part 6: Finding the Information You Need (ACT Resources) (23:13)

Part 7: Keep the Focus on Your Child – Developing a Profile (10:31)

Part 8: Question & Answer Period (7:56)

Part 9: The Mechanics of the School System (16:01)

Part 10: Hierarchy of Policy (7:36)

Part 11: People in the System: Roles and Responsibilities

Part 12: Advocacy Skills: Documentation, Letters, Meetings and Appeals (15:37)

Part 13: Question & Answer Period (18:40)

Part 14: Internal and External Appeals (14:19)

Part 15: The Professional Colleges & Human Rights Tribunal (11:23)

Part 16: Your Behavior Skills / Writing Effective Letters (14:46)

Part 17: Building Effective Relationships (15:44)

Part 18: Assertive Statements or Sentence Starters (11:53)

Part 19: Collaboration (7:07)

Part 20: Mistakes and Solutions (11:53)

Part 21: Q&A – Assessments, Access to Learning Resource Teacher or SLP, the Future (21:48)