questions re: PECS, TEACCH and other programs

[babyboomer]

I'm taking a 2 day workshop on PECS (took one maybe 13 years ago and remember very little)... I also took a 3 day workshop on TEACCH... And, just to round out my workshop-itis, I took another one last summer - Tangible Symbol Systems (a one day course). As i drove (crawled) along the freeway back home (2 hours for 30 miles), I wondered about these 'programs' and others... how effective ARE they, as percieved by parents and special ed folks... so I have some questions... Pick any/all to answer - I really think I'd like to hear from the folks 'in the trenches' (i.e., parents, speducators) rather than the workshop presenters...

1 - Have you/your child used (at school or home) any of these communication/learning systems? Which one/s? How well/poorly did it work? What helped/hurt in terms of implementing it?

2 - If you're a parent, did you take a workshop or did your child's IEP team somehow instruct you re: how to do it? (Does it help to already have some familiarity with education - i.e., are you also a teacher, psychologist, etc.?)

3 - If you took formal training (and you're a parent) who paid for it? (Regional center? via the IEP? insurance? other?)

4 - If you're in special education, do you believe taking a course has truly altered your teaching style or do you think you'd like more instruction and maybe some in-class assistance? (Or, once you took the workshop, were you able to start any of the ideas outlined?)

5 - What about transitions - going from one class setting to another - was there any carryover or did the next class 'drop the ball'?

I've been teaching a looooong time ... I've gone to LOTS of good workshops over the years - but not all workshops really gave me the tools to implement the ideas. As I look thru the PECS manual and see the 'lesson planning' stuff, I cringe somewhat... it looks like adding on HOURS of planning to make it work according to PECS. And, guess what? I don't have any "free time" during my day to 'plan'. I have always spent a considerable amount of time on lesson planning, grading/data collection, bulletin boards, ad infinitum ... but I see a 'problem' when a great program also requires a super amount of time to truly implement - time that I simply don't have (like, say, a week to scope things out - how things will go in my classroom, identifying/gathering 'reinforcers' ...) and then more time over the next few months to ensure that it is implemented effectively (which I most assuredly want!) I remember talking w/ the parents of one of my kids - both professionals, ... they sort of mentioned 'PECS' but NOT to say "YEAH!!! THIS WORKS!!!" (and this family will not bat an eye to go to fair hearing/due process, etc.). I get the impression that someone may have given them a one hour overview but they had no practice, no one to help them...

I absolutely see that these programs - ALL of them - have excellent qualities and would make a difference ... but there is a reality of time and money constraints (for example - all kids on PECS should have 'books' for the pictures - the ones they show are maybe $28/each ... plus velcro, laminating, access to BoardMaker ... guess what? - we get $300/year for ALL supplies) In between data collection/planning on CURRENT IEP's, assessing for triennials and writing reports, connecting w/ parents re: new goals ... does anyone have any workable solution so that something can be implemented well ... without spending the next six months doing 12 hour days to get it to work?

(Or is my age showing?:confused: )

[gynwhyver]

Babyboomer:

First, THANK YOU for posting!!! Many of us have had horrendous experiences with school district personnel who don't know anything about autism and don't care to learn. I know good teachers have to be out there somewhere and it's a pleasure to meet someone as concerned as you are.

To answer some of your questions, I am a parent of a 7 yr old daughter on the spectrum, and a full-time student/researcher.

We have used TEACCH at home. This was used by her Theraputic Support Staff (TSS) during in-home behavioral health/rehabilitative services (BHRS), was very easy to use and was highly successful. The agency printed the materials from online, laminated them, and paperclipped the materials together in a regular manila folder. Medicaid paid for the BHRS services, and her TSS and her Behavior Specialist Consultant (BSC) put together the materials in their office. I would imagine the office also has a budget similar to yours for supplies. I think TEACCH was also used in her Autism Support Classroom, which was through Head Start (Intermediate Unit), but that was so long ago that I don't remember and I was not privy to much of her coursework at that time.

PECS were used at school and at home, but were much more successful at home. The school discontinued use of the PECS at school without my permission, because she wouldn't stop playing with the PECS cards, which were left on her desk. Basically, it came down to the fact that staff didn’t know how to appropriately use PECS and so for their convenience discontinued its usage. If the PECS cards/folder would have been placed on a nearby wall, I think it could have worked better. I found PECS to be very easy to use and not very time consuming, but I did have an agency put the cards together for me. Again, the "cards" were printed from the internet, laminated, and kept in a plastic sandwich bag.

I'm not sure why each kid would need "books" with PECS. This website has some free PECS and there are plenty of others: http://www.angelfire.com/pa5/as/asteachersites.html.

Another thing that could be useful is using a digital camera or Polaroid camera and actually taking pictures of the children when they are doing something you want them to do (ie. a worksheet/TEACCH, etc.) to use for PECS and social stories.

There is also research that shows that children can learn alot through "videomodelling", and it is fairly inexpensive. What happens is that someone records the child over a short period of time (say an entire day or several days) and edits out any negative behaviors. The child and his/her family can take the video home (or it can be shown privately at school), so the child can see exactly what behavior is expected of them while at school. We haven't tried this yet, but supposedly, kids have modified their behavior once they know what they are expected to do.

As far as transitions, yeah, there were alot of balls dropped all across the board, and the educational system is seriously failing my daughter at this time (see Milli's post on IEPs for more info). What I have found that works personally with transitions is to prepare her. Best example I can think of is taking her to McDonald's PlayPlace. She is allowed to play for a while, and when I'm about ready to leave I will announce to her "You can go through the tubes 10 more times, and then it's time to put on your shoes and jacket. Then we'll leave." and hold up 10 fingers. She repeats 10 more times? and holds up 10 fingers, and every time she comes out of the tubes, we say the # of times still left and hold up the fingers. This has greatly reduced (though not eliminated) the number of trantrums. I've also found if I don't at least offer a running commentary or if I try to rush her, I usually regret it, because she'll tantrum.

I have also attended a workshop on "Creating a Positive Behavior Plan in the School Setting for children with Autism." This was a free training that was offered to parents through the PEAL Center and I believe AutismLink.com. I also returned to school almost 4 years ago to eventually obtain a doctorate in clinical psychology, with specializations in behavior and neuropsychology. I am in my senior year at Penn State for a Bachelor's degree in Human Development and Family Studies with a Psychology minor. I also specialize in autism research and use every conceivable opportunity to write about/research autism and share my knowledge with my colleagues.

I can honestly say that my coursework (each course is 4 months long, though), has definitely influenced the way that I think, respond to, and understand some of the things kids on the spectrum face. I've learned about infant, childhood and adolescent development, abnormal psychology, social psychology, including societal influence on development, as well as courses on individual (and this semester family) counseling and how to use the DSM IV. I pay for this education out of my own pocket (unfortunately ), but it will be well-worth it when I’m done.

I can completely sympathize with not enough hours in the day to do what needs to be done, and don’t really know how to address your problem. For reinforces, could you ask the parents to write down the child’s likes/dislikes? Are there any other teachers you could recruit for help?

Best of luck, and thanks again for the questions!

Take care,

Gwyn

[gynwhyver]

P.S. No, your age isn't showing :D

[lisa6wks]

Babyboomer,
I have also had the 2 day training of PECs and agree that it does look wonderful. Can you get your speech therapist to help you with making up the pictures and the lesson plans? Since it is a communication skill. Luckily for me, mine will do that. Unluckily, it is not always in a timely manner and she is really not a help this year on working with me in the classroom. I think she is overwhelmed student wise. I have also found that to use some of the PECs concepts is helpful for a lot of my students, even if we don't follow the program the way it is supposed to be followed.

Lisa