Jennifer LaMarca
Lovaas Institute - Indianapolis

Programs for children with autism utilizing the Lovaas Model of Applied Behavior Analysis typically require a minimum of 6-12 months of one-to-one in-home teaching in order to teach the child the prerequisite skills they need to partake in a group setting. As many of the children progress from basic to more advanced and complex learning programs they are gradually integrated into group settings in their local communication and the teaching procedures become less structured.

While the school setting is one of the most important group environments we want the children to learn and thrive in, there are other groups that may function either as stepping stones to ease a child's transition to the school environment or as extra curricular activities for a child already in school. Such group activities include, but are not limited to, gymnastics, soccer, Gymboree and Kindermusic, library, zoo, and museum classes. When a child is enrolled in any such group activity, we recommend that an instructor from the in-home program accompany the child to help facilitate the transition to group routines and instructions, promote generalization of skills acquired at home to the new environment, and to encourage interaction with other children.

By Vince LaMarca, M.A., BCBA, Editor
Lovaas Institute - Indianapolis

Teaching social skills to children with autism is an area of behavioral treatment that is continuously evolving, perhaps more than any other area. The Journal of Applied Behavior Analysis alone frequently includes articles discussing the teaching of interactive play skills, the development of creativity and spontaneity, and the development of conversational skills. These articles are now free to the public on the website, http://seab.envmed.rochester.edu/jaba/. (Begin with a "full-text search" or go directly to the "Table of Contents" section).

While the social skills programs at the Lovaas Institute are both numerous and complex it may prove helpful to become familiar with some general basic steps.

By Mariko Okano, M.A., BCABA
Lovaas Institute - Los Angeles

Research conducted as part of the UCLA Young Autism Project (Lovaas, 1987) focused on treatment for "younger" children under the age of 4 years. Treatment for children with autism often lasts longer than a few years, and oftentimes programming and intervention goals change as the children grow older. How can we teach and prepare older children to be successful in school, home, and community settings?

April is Autism Awareness month. When I look back on my experiences with children and families in the past 13 years, I am amazed by the changes that have taken place. Before, families used to tell me they had never heard of autism before their child was diagnosed. Now, many families have heard of autism but have difficulty finding a specialist who can make a diagnosis in a timely manner. Before, school districts used to question the validity of the use of applied behavior analysis for treating children with autism. Now, many school districts I work with accept the usefulness of applied behavior analysis but question the level of expertise needed in order to implement these techniques.

One thing that hasn’t changed, though, is the incredible commitment of parents to finding the best support for their sons and daughters. I’m thankful to all the families who have told me the Lovaas Institute has been part of that support, and I am certain that we will also continue to change as we strive to find what support works best for each family and child with autism.

I would be interested to hear what changes or new challenges others have seen in their experiences with autism across the years.

By Vince LaMarca, M.A., BCBA, Editor
Lovaas Institute - Indianapolis