LaMeica Phillips

Autism Spectrum Disorders: Programming and Strategies II- EDUU 677

May 22, 2021

Communication & Language Intervention

Communication is a necessary component for student success academically and

socially. Individuals on the autism spectrum may experience communication and in turn

social interaction challenges. Augmentative and Alternative Communication (AAC),

Social Skills Training (SST) and Social Narratives (SN) are 3 evidence based

communication and language interventions that may support those on the autism

spectrum.

AACs are non-verbal interventions used to support communication, socialization

and engagement while reducing interfering behaviors. AAC supports those on the

autism spectrum who may not be able to effectively communicate due to limited

language, unintelligible language or no language. AAC provides an alternative form of

communicating to express wants, needs, thoughts, desires and feelings. The goals of

using an AAC can be to increase communication, increase engagement in social

interactions, increase engagement in academic tasks, increase in language

development and use and a reduction of behaviors that can interfere with expressive

language. AAC assists in making communication concepts concrete by using visuals,

all while supporting Individuals on the autism spectrum to better process auditory

demands and requests. AAC can be aided or unaided. Unaided no-tech Augmentative

and Alternative Communication requires no use of materials. Communication is

translated through gestures and sign language. Conventional gestures are ones that are
understood by the majority of people by a particular social group. For example; in the

United states common known gestures are thumbs and down, shaking and nodding the

head, shoulder shrug, high fives and pointing. American Sign Language (ASL) is

composed of facial expressions and hand movements. ASL is predominantly used by

the deaf and hard of hearing community. Low tech aided AAC requires the use of

materials with no technology such as PECS and communication boards. PECS (picture

exchange communication system) is an evidence-based practice that entails pointing or

exchanging pictures that represent words. A communication board is a choice board

with pictures of events, objects, symbols and letters. High tech aided AAC requires

materials such as a speech generating device which requires a communication app that

is used with tablets and mobile devices and ipads (AFIRM, n.d.).

Social Skills Training (SST) is an individual or group based intervention where an

individual on the autism spectrum learns appropriate ways to socially interact with

others. The goal of SST can be to teach how to make eye contact, greetings, initiate

and end a conversation and have a back and forth conversation and initiate play. These

learned skills can support individuals on how to better interact and engage with peers,

school members, family members and community members, how to appropriately play

and interact with peers and teach adults the skills necessary for the workplace and how

to manage relationships (AFIRM, 2016). Social skills training can be taught using Peer

Mediated Instruction and Interventions, social stories and video modeling. With Peer

Mediated Instruction and Interventions, typical peers are trained to be peer tutors. They

work with those on the autism spectrum and facilitate opportunities for teaching
appropriate social skills. Social stories teach social skills through a written narrative

along with visuals. Video modeling uses video to teach social skills. Social Skills

Training is more effective when more than 1 strategy is used (Applied Behavior

Analysis, 2020).

Social Narratives (SN) are story-based interventions that support those on the

autism spectrum with learning targeted social skills and behaviors that are deemed

appropriate for specific settings. The goals of using SN can be to teach social skills,

teach effective communication skills, improve and enhance appropriate social

interactions, teach appropriate behaviors and decrease undesired and disruptive

behavior (NPDC, 2010). Social narratives are short individualized stories that target a

specific behavior (ie; taking turns, asking questions, safe hands etc.). There are 6 types

of social narratives. Social stories explain the event, use relevant cues and visuals to

provide the perspective of others, explain others feelings and thoughts and describe the

appropriate behavior. Social Articles are similar to social stories, however are used for

adult events such as going to the store or going to the bank. Comic Strip Conversation

entails the conversation between 2 people in a simple format. With speech bubbles, it

helps an individual on the autism spectrum know what someone is saying and with

thought bubbles to understand what someone is thinking. Power Cards use the

individual’s interest to teach appropriate social skills in which the special interest is a

reinforcer. For example; a card with Sonic the Hedgehog could be shown with another

card with the image of no hitting. Stating to the individual ‘Sonic the Hedgehog says no

hitting’. Power Cards are typically used when the individual is having a hard time

understanding the expected behavior or engaged in the undesired behavior. Social

Autopsies are similar to Comic Strip Conversation, however they are used after the

undesired behavior has occurred. Social Autopsies help the individual learn from their

mistakes (SWWC, 2020).

Augmentative and Alternative Communication, Social Skills Training and Social

Narratives are communication and language strategies that can be implemented within

the school environment in a real world setting. In thinking about my fieldwork

observations, the focus would be implementing an augmentative and alternative form of

communication. Based on observations, the individual shows signs of needing

additional support for expressive language. If the individual uses the AAC at all, given

opportunities and supports are provided with fidelity (ie; in the classroom, during recess,

in science class and PE) where the undesired behaviors have occurred, there can be a

reduction or elimination of the inappropriate behaviors and frustrations and the

individuals’ needs can better be supported and met.

 Reference

AFIRM. (n.d.). Augmentative & Alternative Communication. Retrieved from

https://afirm.fpg.unc.edu/augmentative-alternative-communication

AFIRM. (2016). Social skills training (sst). Retrieved from

https://files.eric.ed.gov/fulltext/ED595397.pdf

Applied Behavior Analysis. (2020). What is social skills training (sst) and when is it

used? Retrieved from

https://www.appliedbehavioranalysisprograms.com/faq/social-skills-training/

National Professional Development Center on Autism Spectrum Disorders. (2010).

Social narratives. Retrieved from

https://autismpdc.fpg.unc.edu/sites/autismpdc.fpg.unc.edu/files/imce/documents/

Social-Narratives-Complete-10-2010.pdf

Southwest West Central Service Cooperative. (2020). Social narratives. Retrieved from

https://www.swwc.org/site/handlers/filedownload.ashx?moduleinstanceid=1667&

dataid=6754&FileName=Social%20Narratives%20PPT%20Slides%20as%20Han

dout.pdf