How Do We Determine Progress?

Progress may be seen in many areas either directly or indirectly related to the environments that have been modified (see Environmental Interventions for details) In other words, modifying Billy’s morning routine had an impact on his behavior throughout the morning and into the afternoon, even though they were not directly related to the bus drop-off time. It is important to look for more global changes in behavior and self-control. This may mean repeating functional behavioral assessment for comparison, since it may be difficult to see the changes otherwise when students are in a variety of classrooms with different teachers, who may not be aware of changes that take place elsewhere in the building.

Because of the frequency of behavioral breakdowns when children return home from school, it is also important to gauge whether or not the changes have made an impact at home. It is common, for children with autism spectrum disorders to try single-mindedly to maintain their composure all day at school, only to let loose when they simply run out of steam and no longer feel the pressure to maintain the effort to control themselves in a safe environment. Don’t feel that no progress has taken place if the home situation remains the same. It may simply require different interventions, or interventions targeted for the end of the school day (this may include the bus ride home).

The team needs to look at several questions when determining whether or not a student is showing acceptable progress (see the topic on FBA for details), including:

• Is he successful with less and less structure over time?
• Is he able to make decisions from a greater number of choices?
• Does he better understand the hidden curriculum of what is expected in troublesome environments (i.e., being quiet in a doctors office)?
• Is his stress level reduced, and in which environments is this most apparent? Can elements be transferred to other settings?
• Is he able to use new skills in a variety of settings?
• Is he better able to voice his needs and obtain help?

Methods of data collection may include formal and informal observations in a variety of settings, and gathering objective and subjective data on the effects of intervention. For example, while evaluating a student’s overall stress level is a subjective assessment, the number of times a student asks for help is an example of an objective measurement. It is important that observers are knowledgeable about autism spectrum disorders and about the individual child as well, since causes for, and changes in, behaviors and anxiety can be exceptionally subtle.

If the student cannot perform the skill he has learned in a variety of environments, it is not a useful skill. Consequently, it is important to set up unexpected unstructured times in order to determine if he can generalize learned social and coping skills when he needs them, not just when he is practicing them.

Using charts (see the topic on FBA for an example) of behavior for comparison to determine rates of progress can give a good visual of what the progress is, and under what circumstances it is happening over time. Charts can be completed daily or weekly and then compiled into a scatter plot chart for a larger view over longer periods of time, such as a month or the school year. In this way, it is sometimes easier to determine if and when adjustments need to be made, and plotting can continue on the same chart after adjustments have been made.

Example:

Billy’s team decided to meet once a week in the initial stages of the plan to discuss how to proceed and to be sure that all were “on the same page.” The social worker, Ms. Lyons, agreed to be the facilitator (plan the meeting times, arrange schedules, lead the discussion, etc.). The team wrote up a formal plan (see the topic on FBA for a sample plan) about who would be delivering what types of interventions, such as (a) the psychologist would be responsible for facilitating a lunch group in her office; (b) if she was absent or unable to be there, Ms. Lyons would fill in; and (c) the psychologist would receive weekly a list of social skills that the social skill class was working on, so she could try to fit those skills into her planned activities. A list of skills to be practiced at home would be given to the parent by the facilitator along with explanations and support for how to practice them. For instance, if the parent mentioned that a family birthday party was due to take place the following weekend, she was given strategies and skills to work on prior to, as well as during, the party. In addition, she was to report back to the team on how it went at their next meeting. The team would conduct observations and reevaluate the plans using agreed-upon charts and observation points every 2-3 months, or as needed.

Problem solving

It would be nice to think that if we simply implement some strategies and monitor them periodically, all will run smoothly. However, even when we’ve planned things thoroughly and everyone is clear about their responsibilities, things do not always run effortlessly. When students on the autism spectrum are involved, things can become even more complicated because there is an entirely unique perspective to be considered. Realize up front that obstacles will crop up along the way, and that this is not necessarily a reflection of anyone’s ability or effort. When this does happen, maintaining good communication among team members, including the family, is more critical than ever.

Next steps

You’ve read all about how to modify less structured environments and teaching appropriate social skills. Changes in unstructured time and settings can begin to take place as soon as the team has formulated a plan, targeting the times and places that are most problematic. Remember, a number of core teaching strategies (see Introduction) are critical to success with students with autism spectrum disorders. Be sure team members are consistent not only in implementing the plan, but also in using the most effective teaching practices for the student. Don’t be afraid to ask for help from someone with expertise in autism spectrum disorders or functional behavioral assessment if you need it.

Good luck!