Category Archives: Autism Videos at ACT

Supporting Neurodiverse Youth Transitioning to Adulthood

The recording is from an ACT Chats event on May 30, 2023.

This presentation is a comprehensive guide to accessing services for adults with developmental disabilities. It provides information and resources on assessments, eligibility, and how they relate to accessing Services to Adults with Developmental Disabilities (STADD) Navigators. The presentation also covers adult services, including Community Living BC (CLBC) and Adult Day Services. Additionally, it provides information on eligibility and access in relation to Persons with Disabilities benefits, including working while collecting disability benefits.

About the Presenter

Michelle Schmidt, PhD

Michelle Schmidt, PhD is the Executive Director of ACT – Autism Community Training. Prior to joining ACT in 2022, Michelle Schmidt was involved in public education in British Columbia, as an educator, school psychologist, and administrator. Most recently, Michelle served as Director of Instruction in the Surrey School District, where she was responsible for inclusive education and supports for students with diverse abilities.

With over 30 years of experience in the education system, Michelle provides insight into the relationship between BC Schools and the human rights legislation, as well as Ministry of Education and Childcare policies and practices, including inclusive education designations and ministry compliance.

Presentation resources

Resource Title	Word Doc	PDF
My Transition Plan	Download	Download
Plain Language Planning Workbook	–	Download
Transition Planning Checklist	Download	Download
Transition Planning: Cross Ministry Planning Protocol Tasks and Roles	Download	Download
Transition Planning: My Personal Transition Goals	Download	Download
Transition Planning: What to Know About Me	Download	Download
Transition Planning: Independence	Download	Download

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Kids Physio Group – Physiotherapy & Autism

The recording is from an ACT Chats event on July 5, 2023.

“ACT Chats” is a free new series of informational events, content and resources presented by ACT.

In this video, Jessica and Taylor from Kids Physio Group discuss how some autistic kids can benefit from physiotherapy. They describe how physiotherapy can treat physical challenges that are common among kids with autism, such as hypertonia, motor planning, toe walking, and proprioception. Learn what caregivers can watch for as autistic kids develop, what to expect when starting physio, and how they make physio fun for kids of all ages and abilities.

About the Presenters

Jessica Harris, DPT, BA

Jessica is a dedicated and experienced Doctor of Physical Therapy, having completed her degree in Spokane, Washington in 2011. Throughout her career, she has worked in various settings, including acute care and a pediatric outpatient neurodevelopmental clinic. Her passion for working with children led her to focus on Early Intervention and School Aged Physio when she returned to B.C. in 2014. With a particular interest in complex disorders in babies and young children, Jessica’s expertise covers a broad spectrum of conditions and age groups, ranging from infants to teenagers. Her skillset encompasses treating neurological conditions, developmental disorders, gross motor delays, toe walking, coordination concerns, torticollis, plagiocephaly, and more. As a RASP-certified (Registry of Autism Service Providers) Physiotherapist, Jessica’s approach revolves around placing the child and family at the center of care, and she is thrilled to help children achieve their goals.

Taylor McElwain, MPT, BKin

Taylor is a dedicated and compassionate physiotherapist whose work centers around his core value of family and his passion for helping children thrive. He firmly believes that every child deserves the opportunity to succeed and is committed to breaking down barriers that hinder their participation in life. Growing up locally, Taylor’s love for sports, especially hockey, shaped much of his identity, providing him with invaluable experiences in relationships, challenges, and leadership. These formative moments played a significant role in his decision to become a physiotherapist. Prior to pursuing his career in physiotherapy, Taylor garnered diverse experiences working with kids and adults in sport camps, adapted programs, coaching hockey, behavior intervention, and assisted living facilities.

As a physiotherapist, Taylor has successfully worked with children and families of all ages, addressing a wide range of presentations. He approaches each individual with genuine interest, taking the time to understand their unique stories, and collaborates with them to develop personalized treatment plans. Taylor’s impressive educational background includes a Master of Physical Therapy and a Bachelor of Kinesiology from UBC. Moreover, his dedication to furthering his expertise is evident in his numerous certifications which include being a Registered Autism Service Provider (RASP), and having completed training in fields such as Anxiety, Self-Regulation and Postural Control, Sensory Integration and Autism Spectrum Disorders, among others. Through his extensive knowledge and experience, Taylor strives to make a meaningful impact on the lives of children and their families, helping them achieve their goals, whether that means returning to sports safely or gaining independent mobility.

ACT Chats: Navigating the Education System

The recording is from an ACT Chats event on April 4, 2023.

Download the presentation handout (51 pages)

“ACT Chats” is a free new series of informational events, content and resources presented by ACT.

This presentation looks at what parents and community partners need to know about their role in schools, including participation in school-based team meetings, and referrals for support services. It also covers the process for IEPs (Individual Education Plans), including meaningful consultation, the role of the case manager, and integrated case management meetings. Michelle also reviews rights to full-time attendance, transportation considerations, participation on field trips, and equity and inclusion during the time of Covid-19.

About the Presenter

Michelle Schmidt, PhD

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Fostering Well-Being in Autistic Girls and Women

Recordings from day one of a two-day event in November 2022

Girls and Women are often overlooked in autism research, clinical training and service provision. Due to difficulties reading social cues, autistic girls and women, in general, are disproportionately victims of bullying, sexual assault and abusive relationships. Mental health challenges such anxiety, depression, panic, eating disorders, ADHD, OCD and addictions are exacerbated by the lack of awareness of the needs of women and girls. By shedding light on their experiences and providing practical strategies, we can support autistic girls and women to thrive.

This presentation offers practical insight for professionals to better understand how to support autistic girls and women, including case studies.

About the Presenter

Dori Zener, MSW, RSW

Dori Zener, a Registered Social Worker, has been working with neurodivergent individuals and their loved ones for over fifteen years. As an Individual, Couple and Family Therapist, Dori uses person-centred evidence-based therapy techniques to help each client achieve their goals and enhance their lives. She is the Director of Dori Zener & Associates, a neurodiversity-affirming mental health agency in Toronto. Dori is passionate about autism acceptance. She endeavours to expand the understanding of autism through publications, workshops, research collaborations and corporate consultation.

Dori believes in the power of shared lived experience to foster connection and hope. She has championed the development of four autistic-led peer support groups: Good Company (formerly Asperfemme Toronto), a support group for adult women and nonbinary individuals with official/self-diagnosis on the Autism Spectrum, Chilling on the Spectrum, a young adult support and social group, Navigating Work a unique group for neurodivergent job seekers and Rainbow Spectrum Pride, a support group for autistic 2SLGBTQIA+ adults.

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Part 1: Profile of Autism Girls/Women

Part 2: The INVEST model (Identify Needs, Validate, Educate, Strengthen and Thrive)

Part 3: INVEST Model Case Studies

Supporting Sleep within the Autistic and Neurodivergent Communities

Part 1: Introduction

Filmed October 2021 – edited into 7 parts; total 184 minutes

A significant percentage of children and adults diagnosed with autism have great difficulty achieving healthy sleep patterns and this concern applies broadly across various neurodivergent children. This often leads to the entire family suffering from chronic sleep deprivation with a knock-on effect on family functioning, including employment and the ability of the child and their siblings to learn. Too often families assume that there is no way to avoid this, that it is an unavoidable aspect of their child’s diagnosis. However, this is not the case, especially if the family can learn positive techniques when the child is still young.

This presentation includes:

An introduction to the architecture of sleep and how it differs in the neurodiverse community. This includes a discussion of the reasons why autistic children and other neurodiverse individuals may be more likely to experience sleep difficulties. Understanding the underlying mechanism of sleep ensures a treatment plan that is realistic and addresses key problem areas.
A review of basic sleep problems (e.g., early waking, insomnia) and how analyzing the child’s behavior can support families to achieve healthy sleep with a positive, pro-active approach. Identifying the “why” behind a sleep problem is the foundation to developing a successful sleep plan. Every sleep plan should be individualized to a family’s cultural needs, current capacity and desired outcomes.
Through case studies, the process of assessment, plan development and support implementation will be described.
A discussion of tangible takeaways to support healthy sleep for adults and children will be a major part of this presentation. Sleep is the foundation to overall health. Healthy sleep habits starting from the moment you wake up!

About the Presenters

Hilary McClinton, M. Ed., BCBA

Hilary McClinton has a Master’s in Special Education from the University of British Columbia and is a Board Certified Behavior Analyst. She lives in Maple Ridge, British Columbia and has supported the neurodivergent community for over 20 years, including supervision and mentorship of other practitioners in the behavior analytic community.

Hilary began specializing in sleep when she experienced sleep deprivation as a new parent and wanted to help other families find healthy sleep. For Hilary, creating a family-centered model of support has been a key piece to ensuring sleep plans are based on parent values and cultural considerations.

Nicole Shallow., M.Ed., BCBA

Nicole Shallow has a Master’s in Special Education from the University of British Columbia and is a Board Certified Behavior Analyst. Nicole lives in Langley, British Columbia and has supported the neurodivergent community since 2012 in a variety of roles. Nicole’s commitment to helping others achieve better sleep comes from her own personal experience with sleep challenges. For Nicole, sleep support is built on the foundation of trust, transparency and collaboration.

Both Hilary McClinton and Nicole Shallow work through Coastal Ridge Consulting, based in the Fraser Valley, and recognize the unceded territory of the Katzie and Kwantlen First Nations.

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Part 2: How we view sleep/Assessments

Part 3: Case Study 1: Toddler

Part 4: Case Study 2: Adolescent

Part 5: Case Study 3: Preschooler

Part 6: Case Study 4: A mix of everything

Part 7: Q and A

Use the chapters menu on the bottom right of the video to see the list of questions.

Improving Family Mealtimes

Filmed November 2021 – edited into 10 parts; total 170 minutes

Download the presentation handout (71 pages)

Many children and adolescents with autism and other neurodiverse conditions present significant concerns to carers who are trying to ensure proper levels of nutrition. This presentation begins with a discussion of selective eating and the factors that can affect a child’s eating. Our presenters then discuss how food preferences develop and the importance of children tasting a wide range of foods.

Step by step strategies for expanding a child’s diet are included, such as ways to increase the likelihood your child will take a bite, and how to respond when your child is refusing.

The presenters provide answers to questions commonly asked by parents during therapy, including:

“What if I’ve tried rewards but my child still won’t take a bite?”
“Will my child always rely on rewards to eat new healthy foods?”
“What if it never gets easier to feed my child?”
“When do I honour my child’s dislike for a new food?”
“What if my child is sensitive to textures?”

About the Presenters

Lauren Binnendyk, PhD, BCBA-D

Lauren Binnendyk has a PhD in Special Education (concentration in autism and related disabilities) and is a Board Certified Behavior Analyst (BCBA-D) and has worked with children with developmental disabilities since 1997. Dr. Binnendyk is the Clinical Director at West Coast Feeding and Behaviour Specialists which she opened in 2010 to provide families with evidenced-based, family centred treatment of severe feeding disorders. Her practice has expanded to include a range of feeding concerns including, picky eating, bottle or milk dependence, chewing issues, and Avoidant/Restrictive Food Intake Disorder (ARFID).

Chantal Juilfs, M.Ed. BCBA, Behavior Analyst Consultant

Chantal received her Master’s degree in Special Education (concentration in developmental disabilities) from the University of British Columbia in 2017 and is a Board Certified Behaviour Analyst. In 2013, Chantal began specializing in feeding disorders under the supervision of Dr. Binnendyk at West Coast Feeding and Behaviour Specialists. Chantal has focussed her practice on working with individuals diagnosed with Avoidant Restrictive Food Intake Disorder, food selectivity, food refusal, and oral motor delays. Chantal understands the underlying fear involved with trying new foods for most of the individuals she works with and uses evidenced-based strategies to help them work through their fears to reach their goals.

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Part 1: Introduction

Part 2: Avoidance Restrictive Food Intake Disorder (ARFID)

Part 3: How do I Expand my Child’s Diet? – Taste Exposures

Part 4: Antecedent Strategies

Part 5: Consequence Strategies

Part 6: Case Study #1: A 5-Year-Old with Selectivity & Rigidity Feeding Issues

5 years old at the start of intervention
Lives with his parents – with grandparents from after school until dinner time
Diagnosed with ASD
Feeding Issue: Selectivity, rigidity
Mealtimes: EL had a typical eating routine until he went with his dad to visit family in another province for a week. EL started to drop foods quickly until he had 4 in each food group, and many foods that were “hit/miss” and started only eating a few bites of the foods on his accepted food list.

Part 7: Case Study #2: A 20-Month-Old with Anemia & Selective Feeding Issues

20 months old at the start of intervention
Lives at home with her parents
Background:
- Born with a heart defect and underwent surgery after birth
- Diagnosis of ASD
Feeding issues:
- Has always been a picky eater
- History of eating a food for 1‐2 weeks and then dropping it.
- Anemic
Mealtimes:
- Sits in a high chair or stands on a learning tower
- Eats completely distracted
- Breastfed throughout the day

Part 8: Case Study #3: A 3-Year-Old with Oral Motor Delays & Selectivity Feeding Issues

3 years old at the start of intervention
Lives with his parents and two younger brothers
Diagnosed with ASD
Feeding Issue: Oral Motor Delays & Selectivity
- Round 1: Purees
- Round 2: Chewing Intervention
- Round 3: Variety, Speed, and Chewing
Mealtimes: Ate mealtimes with family, but highly selective with new foods. If he accepted bites of non‐preferred foods, he would pack them in his cheek pocket for hours.

Part 9: Before You Start Tasting Sessions/Common Mistakes and Questions

Part 10: Q and A

Use the chapters menu on the bottom right of the video to see the list of questions.

00:00 – Different experiences for different children?

1:10 – Siblings for peer modeling?

2:01 – Who diagnosis ARFID?

2:31 – Dealing with older children?

3:58 – Hungry vs. Hangry?

5:00 – Grossed out by other people eating?

6:44 – Reinforcement and rewards?

8:32 – Pathological demand avoidance and food?

9:20 – Tolerance overall?

Supporting Early Social & Communication Development through Parent Coaching

Filmed April 2021 – edited into four parts; total 205 minutes

Download the presentation handout (pdf)

View project overview infographic (pdf)

This presentation provides information about lessons learned from the Parent And Child Early Coaching project (PACE), conducted in collaboration with child development centres and Indigenous agencies in 16 BC communities from 2018-2020.

Included are discussions of:

The early signs of autism and the importance of early diagnosis.
Parent coaching and how it differs from other types of parent-child support for toddlers with social communication delays.
What the research tells us about the effectiveness of this approach.

The PACE Coaching research team describes, with presentations from coaches, trainers, parents and other community partners:

How the parent coaches involved in the project were trained and what the outcomes were.
A related project for Indigenous families: Parent-Child Connections.

Primary Presenters

Pat Mirenda, PhD, BCBA-D

Dr. Mirenda is Professor Emerita in the Department of Educational & Counseling Psychology and Special Education and past Director of the Centre for Interdisciplinary Research and Collaboration in Autism at UBC. She was the Principal Investigator in the PACE Coaching project.

Paola Colozzo, PhD, RSLP

Dr. Colozzo is an Associate Professor in the School of Audiology and Speech Sciences at UBC. A speech-language pathologist, she was Co-Investigator in the PACE Coaching project and was primarily responsible for assessment training, monitoring, scoring, and coding.

Veronica Smith, PhD

Dr. Smith is a Professor and Associate Chair in the Department of Educational Psychology at the University of Alberta. She was a Co-Investigator in the PACE Coaching project and was primarily responsible for assessing the factors that contributed to and affected implementation.

Wendy Ungar, PhD

Dr. Ungar is a Senior Scientist in Child Health Evaluative Sciences at The Hospital for Sick Children and a Professor in Health Policy, Management and Evaluation at the University of Toronto. She was a Co-Investigator in the PACE Coaching project and was primarily responsible for conducting a comparative cost analysis.

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Part 1: Background and Rationale

Topics Covered:

What is social communication and why is it important?
What does it mean if social communication is delayed?
Baby Navigator Video https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=urJs4aw_O3w
How is social communication related to parent coaching?
How is parent coaching different than other types of parent-child support?

Part 2: PACE Coach Training

Topics Covered:

Who we trained
How we trained
What our partners had to say

Part 3: Research Studies

Topics Covered:

Randomized Controlled Trial
A sub-project for Indigenous families called Parent-Child Connections
Research Study Objectives

Part 4: Moving Forward

Topics Covered:

Understanding the costs of coaching
Understanding the breadth of services families use
Implementation outcomes: what does it take?
Wrap up: final words from our partners

Parent Coach Training Opportunities (view pdf version here)

For training in the Early Start Denver Model:
1. an Introductory workshop is required first.
2. This is followed by an Advanced Workshop.
3. Finally, this is followed by a Parent Coaching workshop.
  All workshops are currently offered online.
Autism Navigator offers numerous online course for parents and for professionals. The JumpStart to Coaching in Everyday Activities course is focused on parent coaching.
Project ImPACT parent coach training is available online.
The Help is in Your Hands website includes a Provider Resources section. Among the many resources, you will find a series of four free recorded webinars on parent coaching and an online training syllabus.

Note: The mentoring and feedback provided through these online training programs varies widely. Some offer no mentorship at all and none of them are able to offer the frequency or duration of mentorship that was provided in the PACE Coaching project.

Turning the COVID-19 Crisis into Opportunity: Rethinking family supports to build resilience

Filmed April, 2021 – edited into six parts; total 127 minutes

This Focus on Research presentation examines the impact of COVID-19 on the quality of life and mental health of autistic children and their families, based on a survey of over 200 families. Researchers provide an assessment of the effectiveness of government supports during the initial lockdown period.

A panel discussion, featuring parents speaking to the experiences of families, then provide their recommendations for building capacity and enhancing resilience.

To view the preliminary research results see: The Impact of COVID-19 on Mental Health, Quality of Life, and Service and Support Needs in Families of Children with ASD.

Learning Objectives:

Understand the impact of COVID-19 on the quality of life and mental health of autistic children and their families.
Assess the effectiveness of government services and supports implemented during the lockdown period.
Identify strategies that parents can use to build resilience during this time.
Generate potential solutions and recommendations for government.

Presentation Handout

Focus on Research I Handout (14 Pages)

Presenter Bios

Grace Iarocci, PhD, Professor of Psychology, SFU

Grace Iarocci, PhD is a Professor of Psychology at Simon Fraser University, and the Director of the Autism and Developmental Disorders Lab. A registered psychologist, Dr. Iarocci works closely with government and community agencies in BC to disseminate research information on ASD and influence policy on ASD and other developmental disabilities. Grace has a particular interest in researching quality of life issues among families living with ASD. A previous presentation by Dr. Iarocci on this topic can be viewed on ACT’s website.

Vanessa Fong, PhD Candidate, SFU

Vanessa Fong is a PhD student in the Developmental Psychology program at SFU. Her research focuses on examining quality of life in culturally diverse families raising autistic children from a patient-oriented framework. Throughout her graduate studies she has become deeply committed to advancing community engaged research in the field of neurodevelopmental disabilities. She hopes that bridging the gap between the scientific and autism community through engagement and collaboration will help prioritize research that is meaningful to those who are affected. The title of her PhD thesis is: A community engaged approach to examining quality of life and service navigation in Korean families raising autistic children.

Moderator

Professor Anthony Bailey, BSc, MBBS, DCH, MRCPsych, FRCPC

Professor Anthony Bailey is Institute of Mental Health Chair and Professor and Chair of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Department of Psychiatry, Faculty of Medicine, University of British Columbia. Dr. Bailey’s clinical work focuses on teenagers and able adults with ASD and he is recognized across Canada for his depth of understanding of how public policy effects the lives of those with neuro-developmental conditions.

Part 1: Study Background

Topics Covered:

Why families of autistic children may be uniquely impacted
Research before the pandemic
Study Context
Research Questions and Methods

Part 2: Impact on the Child and Caregiver

Topics Covered:

What is the impact of COVID-19 on the child, caregiver and family?
Relationship between child and caregiver anxiety

Part 3: Impact on Family

Topics Covered:

How does family quality of life differ before and during COVID-19 lockdown?
Beach Centre Family Quality of Life Scale

Part 4: Service and Support Needs

Topics Covered:

What are families’ service and support needs?
Government, educational supports

Part 5: Characteristics Linked to Improved Family Quality of Life

Topics Covered:

What characteristics of the family are linked to improved family quality of life?
Resilience

Part 6: Panel Discussion

Professor Anthony Bailey facilitates a panel of parents engaged in community advocacy, discussing their perspective on the impact of the pandemic on families of children across neurodevelopmental conditions, in particular, autism.

Panelists

Lori Gauthier is an indigenous mother of four sons with autism. Two years ago, she returned with her children to their unceded ancestral territory, (Nak’azdli Whut’en), near the village of Fort St James in Northern BC. Currently she works as a Maternal Child Health Worker and Advocate, providing health and social support to young indigenous families in Fort St James and surrounding First Nations. For the past 20 years Lori has worked throughout the province with young children and their families in both rural and urban communities. Her personal and professional experience supporting marginalized families and youth with diverse needs has given her a unique outlook on various issues and barriers facing families in rural areas.

Carey Henry lives in Cranbrook in the Interior of BC. She has two neurodiverse boys – the eldest is on the autism spectrum. Carey grew up in South Africa and moved to Canada as a young adult. She is a champion for neurodiverse children and their families. She is aware of the supports and resources required to make an autism family thrive. She is so grateful for the resources available and is passionate about advocacy and education to make life better for her family, and other neurodiverse children and their families.

Bo Sang Lee has been Executive Director of Here and Now Community Society since 2014, It is a non-profit society helping individuals with disabilities and their families that he and other families founded in 2012 to help Korean-speaking families. Bo Sang has two children, one of whom has autism and lives in the Lower Mainland. He has served as a board member of PLAN and the Family Support Institute.

Deborah Pugh founded ACT – Autism Community Training to provide evidence-based information and training to families across the province. Her experience of having returned to Canada in 1994 with her three-year old son, later diagnosed with autism, was the catalyst for 25 years of thinking about how communities and government could effectively support families across developmental disabilities, regardless of their cultural or linguistic background or where they live in BC.

Topics Covered:

00:00 – General commentary on presentation and COVID-19 experiences

12:35 – Discussion on Ministry for Children and Family Development Autism Portal

15:33 – Accessibility of the survey

17:26 – Resilient families

18:29 – How were general relationships (neighbourhood, communities) supportive?

20:05 – How were diagnostic services in British Columbia affected by COVID-19?

25:55 – What is the top priority for the government at the moment?

36:56 – Is the government trying to do too much with too little resources and expertise?

42:56 – Are there any methods of support that were implemented during COVID-19 that will continue on?

44:59 – Has this experience been similar across the country?

IEPs…Why They Still Matter!

Richard Stock, PhD, BCBA-D

Filmed December 2020 over two days – edited into 25 parts; total 433 minutes

Download the presentation handout (56 Pages)

Educators and parents have long recognized that a well-developed Individualized Education Plan (IEP) is essential to ensure quality educational programs for diverse learners. In this video, Dr. Richard Stock demonstrates that a well-developed IEP, which includes input from educators, therapists and the family, is crucial to the effective support of students with autism and related neurodevelopmental conditions. This presentation is also broadly relevant to all families and professionals looking to understand how to improve the IEP process, regardless of diagnosis.

Dr. Stock considers IEP design and implementation with case examples from kindergarten through high school. Topics include correcting misconceptions about the role of IEPs and the importance of building collaborative teams.

While educators gave the live presentation top marks, the primary goal of this presentation is to give parents an understanding of the IEP process from A to Z, including:

Assessing “present level” and developing meaningful goals.
Selecting effective instructional methods.
Accountability: measurement of student achievement and IEP effectiveness.

Supplemental Resources

BC Core Competencies Grid

Presenter Bio

Richard Stock, PhD, BCBA-D is one of B.C.’s most respected Behavior Analysts. He is highly regarded both as a teacher and a collaborative member of inter-disciplinary intervention teams.

Dr. Stock has been on faculty in the ABA – Autism Department at Capilano University since 2009 and coordinator of the program since 2013. He has extensive clinical experience. Since 1999 he has provided behavioral/educational consultative services to children and youth with ASD and other developmental disabilities in home, school and community settings. His scholarly and clinical interests include: ABA, behavioral intervention, knowledge dissemination and inter-disciplinary collaboration, and the application of ABA to education and environmental sustainability. He also teaches graduate courses in ABA as an Assistant Professor at the University of Western Ontario and Adjunct Faculty at UBC.

Part 1: Why Applied Behaviour Analysis (ABA) in the Education of Students with ASD?

Topics Covered:

Benefits of ABA for students with ASD

Part 2: What is Applied Behaviour Analysis (ABA)?

Topics Covered:

Defining ABA

Part 3: How ABA Approaches Teaching

Topics Covered:

What does ABA treatment look like for students with ASD?
ABC’s of Behaviour
- Antecedent
- Behaviour
- Consequence
How does this benefit teachers?

Part 4: Top 10 Myths about ABA

Topics Covered:

Common myths about ABA

Part 5: Bringing ABA and Autism Together

The behavioural view of autism
What is “normal?”

Part 6: Self Reflection in Special Education

Special educators as scientists-practitioners
Four assumptions of Special Education

Part 7: Ten Misguided Notions of Teaching/Learning…

1-6 of the 10 Misguided Notions of Teaching/Learning that impede use of empirically supported tactics and hinder effectiveness of Special Education.

Part 8: Ten Misguided Notions of Teaching/Learning…Continued

7-10 of the 10 Misguided Notions of Teaching/Learning that impede use of empirically supported tactics and hinder effectiveness of special education.

Part 9: IEPs Introduction

What do families experience in the transition from home to school programs?
Why bother talking about IEPs?

Part 10: IEPs: Traditional Domains and Components

Basic configuration of IEPs for students with ASD
Core elements of IEPs
IEP Goals

Part 11: IEPs: Issues and Competency Based

Issues arising from poor IEPs
Competency-based IEPs

Part 12: Collaboration

Defining collaboration
Solving IEP conflicts through collaboration
Collaborative IEP meetings

Part 13: IEP Meetings

Preparing for an IEP meeting
Running the IEP Meeting

Part 14: Baseline Assessment

Functions of Baseline Assessment
How to assess
RIOT (Review, Interview, Observe, Test)

Part 15: IEP Structure: Long Term Goals

Writing long-term goals
Long-term goal transitions
Long-term goal examples

Part 16: IEP Structure: Short Term Objectives

Defining Short-Term Objectives
Words to avoid
Not measurable and measurable

Part 17: IEP Structure: Short-Term Objectives Components

Writing short-term objectives
Short-term objectives example

Part 18: Three Systems of Truth

Defining the three systems of truth: phenomenological, authoritarian, empirical
How this relates to autism spectrum disorder

Part 19: How/Where to find Evidence Based Practices

Part 20: Short-Term Objectives Strategies and Tactics

Strategies including direct instruction and visual supports.
STO examples

Part 21: Measurement

Measuring by direct observation vs anecdotal
Summative and Formative measurement
Measuring examples

Part 22: Measurement Continued

Measuring by direct observation vs anecdotal
Summative and Formative measurement
IEP Matrix
Measurement Examples

Part 23: How Do You Get This Data?

Responsibility of Case Manager
IEP Implementation Checklist

Part 24: Putting it all Together

Example from beginning to end

Part 25: Q and A

Questions:

00:00 – How often should the IEP be reviewed?

1:10 – Who sets the objectives?

2:05 – Challenges of ensuring consistent implementation of IEP in high school with multiple instructors.

4:21 – IEPs during COVID-19

7:02 – When making goals around social skills and emotional regulation, how can we make this measurable to see progress?

8:52 – I have heard many times that parents have a right to meaningful consultation on an IEP, is this true?

9:28 – The district I am in will not allow private hire BCBA/SLP/OT on school property. Wouldn’t they be an asset when our district barely provides any support?

10:35 – Who mediates an IEP meeting and who takes the chairperson role if the participants hold divergent opinions?

11:21 – Regarding transitions from elementary to junior/high school: Do Learning Assistant Teachers from both sending and receiving schools present at the end of the IEP meeting?

13:05 – What supports can be offered remotely due to COVID-19?

17:02 – What about comprehension testing with a child on ASD?

18:13 – What happens when a student is in a cohort two or three times a week and cannot be worked with daily in a special education class?

19:22 – How to respond when the Behaviour Consultant suggest data taking but the resource teacher emphasizes that the job description of an EA does not include data taking?

20:09 – Who do you ask to have the IEP reviewed regularly?

Autism and Sexual Health: Access, Education, and Intervention

Part 1: What is sexual health/sexuality?

Topics Covered:

Defining sexual health and sexuality
Sexuality and Autism spectrum
teachingsexualhealth.ca

Landa Fox, MA, BCBA, Certified Sexual Health Educator

Filmed June 2021 – edited into 12 parts; total 195 minutes

Landa Fox has extensive experience in training family members and community professionals about sexual health development focusing on making sexual health education inclusive and accessible to all. In this fascinating presentation, she shares the process of creating and modifying existing sexual health and relationship education, to the needs of a wide range of autistic individuals.

Landa’s areas of special interest within the area of sexual health education include: how to promote a culture of consent and body autonomy within autism intervention; creating inclusive, accurate, and accessible sexual health education that focuses on individual rights; and advocating for access to sexuality and sexual health for everyone.

In this presentation participants will learn about the following:

Exploration of developmental norms for sexual behaviors and knowledge.
Identification of knowledge and skills that may need to be explicitly taught to autistic learners, including concepts central to consent.
An overview of approaches for assessment and treatment of inappropriate sexual behaviors.
Discussion of the important intersection of neurodiversity and gender-diversity and how to support people who are LGBTQIA+

Presentation Handout

Autism and Sexual Health Access, Education, and Intervention – Handouts (34 Pages)

Supplemental Resources

Presenter Bio

Landa Fox earned a Masters in Special Education with a concentration in autism and developmental disabilities from the University of British Columbia. She is a Board Certified Behavior Analyst and a Certified Sexual Health Educator. Landa lives in the Lkwungen territory/Victoria, British Columbia. She has supported autistic individuals since 2003. Currently, her work focuses on sexual health and relationship education for those with unique learning needs. She works with individuals, families, schools, and community organizations, running an organization called Positive Connections.

Part 2: Typical sexual health development

Topics Covered:

Sexual health development by age groups

Part 3: Teach the correct names for body parts

Topics Covered:

Using the proper language
Getting comfortable with the language
Safety

Part 4: Privacy

Topics Covered:

Teaching public vs private
Allowing privacy

Part 5: Consent

Topics Covered:

Embedding teaching consent in programs and in life
Culture of Compliance
Body boundaries

Part 6: Self-Care & Starting Early

Topics Covered:

Prioritizing intimate self-care skills
Menstrual pad change
Teach it before you need it

Part 7: Inappropriate Sexual Behaviour

Topics Covered:

What is inappropriate sexual behaviour?
Prevention is key
Rule out medical causes

Part 8: Sexual Function and Sexual Topography

Topics Covered:

Sexual Abuse Disclaimer
What is Sexual Function?
What is Sexual Topography?
Thinking about “Surveillance”

Part 9: Functional Assessment

Topics Covered:

Intervention Planning
Setting Events
Antecedents
Alternative Behaviours
Responding to inappropriate sexual behaviour

Part 10: Pornography

Topics Covered:

Pornography and the Law
Pornography and family rules
Why do people access pornography?

Part 11: Identity diversity (LGBTQIA+) and neurodiversity

Topics Covered:

Overlap between being on the autism spectrum and gender diversity
Trans and Gender-diverse youth and mental health
Additional resources

Part 12: Q and A

Topics Covered:

00:00 – What if pictures don’t work?

2:56 – What if families/caregivers don’t consent to sex education?

6:04 – Can you teach autistic children about their or other people’s body language?

6:48 – Teaching functional communication to ask for bathroom to masturbate in school?

9:13 – What do you suggest for someone who has their hand in their pants but have to wash their hands?

11:15 – Safe sites for a 19-year-old who is interested in dating.

14:00 – What to do about masturbating in a public place?

18:53 – Do you need parental consent to engage in education about sexual health?

22:00 – How you can combat negative associations and reduce the fear factor in these conversations?

23:55 – Dealing with difficulty providing privacy?