Post on 09-Sep-2020
BBLC Students Improve
Social Skills Using SiLAS
ESCNJ PRESENTATION-BRIGHT BEGINNINGS LEARNING CENTER
PRESENTERS: BBLC Supervisor, Cindy Borell, BBLC Classroom Teacher,
Nicole Cornely, BBLC Speech Therapist, Marisa Martin-Vargo,
SiLAS Curriculum Developer, Bernadette Mullen
NJ Techspo Presentation 1/31/2019
Bright Beginnings Learning Center
ESCNJ provides educational and business services to
over 700 school districts throughout NJ. BBLC is one of
six schools serving students ages 3-21 with autism,
multiple disabilities, and at-risk behaviors
An evidence based program that follows the principles of
Applied Behavior Analysis
In-house occupational, physical, and speech therapy
BBLC/ESCNJ is always seeking innovative uses of
technology to advance student skills across curriculum
and methodologies
Educational Services Commission of New Jersey
1660 Stelton Road Piscataway, NJ 08854
Bright Beginnings Learning Center (BBLC)
3
What is SiLAS?
4
Who uses SiLAS at BBLC?
Facilitators: Speech Therapists
Classroom Teachers
Student Profile: Elementary age
Diagnosis of Autism
Functional Communication Skills
Follows directions
5
Why BBLC Chose SiLAS
Technology speaks to this generation of students.
Can be individualized based on student needs.
Students have fun while simultaneously learning
social skills.
Students are engaged and interactive when
playing SiLAS
6
Previous BBLC Social Skills Teaching Tools
ESCNJ Social Skills Curriculum
Script/script fading
Social Skills Builder CDs –Video Modeling Preschool/School/Community Volumes
Social Stories (Carol Gray, 1994)
Social Skills Picture Book (Jed Baker, 2001)
Social Thinking Curr. (Michelle Garcia-Winner, 2005)
7
Benefits of Using SiLAS at BBLC
Students strengthen social skills by using SiLAS
software to create videos and hear their voices
through Avatars.
Students gain understanding of eye contact -
(many can verbally instruct a peer to face the
speaker.)
What is an avatar?
An avatar is, “something visual used to represent non-visual concepts
or ideas, or is an image that is used to represent a person in the
virtual world of the Internet and computers”.
avatar. (n.d.). Retrieved December 16th, 2017, from http://www.yourdictionary.com/Avata
Avatars help teach facial emotion recognition
to children with ASD
Children with autism are relatively skilled in responding to visual cues such as
pictures and animations (Bernard-Opitz, Siram & Nakhoda, 2001).
Children with ASD are drawn to predictable, rule based systems, whether
these are repeating mathematical patterns, or repeating electrical patterns like
light patterns, or repeating patterns in films(Golan, Ashwin, Granader, McClintock,
Day, Leggit, & Simon_Baron Cohen, 2009).
Children with ASD can narrowly focus on specific elements of a communicative
exchange and not understand the gestalt or message in its entirety.
Current Research
Current Research on Multimedia technology
(television, audio, animations, computers etc)
specifically computer applications present a
new venue for teaching social skills because
emerging evidence indicates that media
including these programs may be a key force
in how behaviors and beliefs are shaped
(Singer-Califano, 2008).
avatar. (n.d.). Retrieved December 16th, 2017, from http://www.yourdictionary.com/Avata
Why Non Submersive Virtual Reality? (advantages of virtual reality as an intervention technique).
● Children with autism demonstrate relatively good skills in responding to fixed visual cues. ● Virtual reality represents real-life experiences in a safe, controllable manner that allows for
repeated practice and exposure (Freyberger, 2017). ● Virtual reality can be adapted to the current level of the child and develop at different levels,
leading to a scaffold learning approach (Cobb, Eastgate, Glover, Kerr, Neale, & Reynard, 2002).
● The number of cues in the environment can be manipulated (Cobb et al., 2002). ● There is likelihood of instructor fatigue in traditional programs but not in computerized
programs (Freyberger, 2017). ● Students are motivated to participate and there is a likelihood of generalization . ● Virtual reality has previously been shown to improve social recognition including affection
recognition and TOM in young adults (Kandalaft, M., Didehbani, D., Krawczyk, T., & Chapman, 2013).
12
● 3 male students (ages 7-10)
● Data taken over 3 weeks
● Classroom and speech therapy
● 2 different rubrics
○ Level 1-Prerequisite skills
○ Level 2-Social skills
● 3 social skill topics
Case Study
13
Level 1 Rubric-Adult/Child
● Male, age 7.5
● Personal space
● Level 1 rubric: prerequisite
skills
● Adult/student data
● Made gains in orienting
avatar, initiating social
interaction and self-
monitoring performance
14
Level 1 Rubric-Adult/Child
● Male, age 8
● Feelings
● Level 1 rubric:
prerequisite skills
● Adult/student data
● Made gains in self
evaluation skills and level
of independence when
using the controller to set
up the scenario
15
Rubric 2-Peer to Peer
● Male, age 10
● Winning and Losing
● Level 2 rubric: skill based
● Peer to peer data
● Initially unable to demonstrate
appropriate responses to
winning and losing
● Verbal and gestural prompts
needed during teaching
● Reached independent
responding after winning and
losing after 3 weeks
17
BBLC Table Top Lessons
20
Lesson - Bullying
Break Up Into Small Groups
Create One Appropriate Script &
One Inappropriate Script
Use SiLAS and make a movie!
Review Your Movie with the Group
It’s Your Turn
21
Contact Info
Educational Services Commission of New Jersey
https://www.escnj.us/
Cindy Borell BBLC Supervisor
cborell@escnj.us
Nicole Cornely, BBLC Elementary Teacher
ncornely@escnj.us
Marisa Martin-Vargo, BBLC Speech Therapist
mvargo@escnj.us
Bernadette Mullen, SiLAS Curriculum Director
mullenb@kean.edu
Chris Dudick, SiLAS CEO
chris@silassolutions.com
22
References
Adams, C. (2001). Clinical diagnostic and intervention studies of children with semantic
pragmatic language disorder. Journal of Language and Communication Disorders, 36(3),
289-305. doi:10.1080/Icd.36.3.289.305
Ashwin, C., Chapman, E., Colle, L., & Baron-Cohen, S., (2006). Impaired recognition of
negative basic emotions in autism: A test of the amygdala theory. Social neuroscience, 1,
349-363. doi:10.1080/17470910601040772
Attwood, T., (2000). Strategies for improving the social integration of children with
Asperger’s Syndrome Sage Publications and the National Autism Society, 4(1), 85-100.
Baron-Cohen, S. (1997). Mindblindness-an essay on autism and theory of mind. Retrieved
From https://mitpress.mit.edu/book/mindblindness.
Bauminger, N., Shulman, C., & Agam, G. (2003). Peer interaction and loneliness in high-functioning children with
autism. Journal of Autism and Developmental Disabilities,
33 (5), 489-507.
Bekele, E., Crittendon, J., Zheng, Z., Swanson, A.,Weitlauf, A., Warren, Z., & Sarker, N. (2009).
Assessing the utility of a virtual environment for enhancing facial affect recognition in
adolescents with autism. Journal of Autism Developmental Disorders, 44, 1641-1650.
23
References
Bellini,S., Akullian, J., & Hopf, A. (2007). Increasing social engagement in young children
With autism spectrum disorders using video self-modelling. School Psychology Review, 36
(1), 80-90.
Bellini, S., Peters, J., Benner, L., & Hope, A. A meta-analysis of school based social skills
interventions for children with autism spectrum disorders. Remedial and Special Education,
28(3), 1533-162.
Bernard-Opitz, V.,Sriram, N., & Nakhoda-Sapuan, S. (2001) Enhancing social problem solving
in children with autism and normal children through computer assisted instruction.
Journal of Autism and Developmental disorders, 31, 377-384.
Bishop, D.V.M & Rosenbloom, L. (1987). Childhood language disorders: Classification and
Overview: In: Yule, W. and Rutter, M. editors, Language Development Disorders. London:
MacKeith Press.
Castelli, F. (2005). Understanding emotions from standardized facial expressions in autism and
normal development. Sage Publications and The National Autism Society,
9(4) 428-449.
Charlop, M., Dennis, B., College, Claremont Mckenna., Carpenter, M., Greenberg, & University,
Claremont University. Education and Treatment of Children. Teaching socially expressive
behaviors to children with autism through video modelling, 33(3), 371-393.
24
References
Dawson, G., Webb, S.J. & McPartland, J. Understanding the nature of face processing impair-
ment in autism: insights from electrophysiology studies. Developmental Neuro-
Psychology, 27(3), 403-424.
Didehbani, N., Allen, T., Kandalaft, M., Krawczyk, D., & Chapman, S. (2016). Virtual reality
social recognition training for children with high functioning autism. Computers in Human
Behavior, 62, 703-711.
DiGennaro, R., Hyman, S.R., & Hirst, J.M. (2011). Applications of technology to teach social
skills to children with autism. Research in Autism Spectrum Disorders, 5, 1003-1010. Doi:
10.1016/j.rasd.2011.01.022
Ferguson, P. (2018). Leo Kanner Austrian-American psychiatrist. In Britannica.com. Retrieved
From http://www.britannia.com.au
Freyberger, Amy. (2017). “Socially Interactive Learning Software(SILAS): Investigating the
Efficacy of A New Social Skills Intervention for Autism Spectrum Disorders.” Princeton
University, 2017.
Garcia-Villamisar & Dattilo, J. (2018). Effects of compute-facilitated emotion recognition
Training for adults with autism spectrum disorders and intellectual disabilities. Global Journal
Of Intellectual & Developmental Disabilities, (5), 2, 1-8.
25
References
Golan, O., & Baron-Cohen, S. (2006). Systemizing empathy: Teaching adults with Asperger
Syndrome or high functioning autism to recognize complex emotions using interactive
Multimedia. Development and Psychology, 18, 591-617. doi:10.1017S09545779406060305
Golan, O., Ashwin, E., Granader, Y., McClintock, S., Day, K., Leggett, V. & Baron-Cohen, S.
(2010). Enhancing emotion recognition in children with autism spectrum conditions: an
intervention using animated vehicles with real emotional faces. Journal of Autism and
Developmental Disorders. Springer Science and Media. doi:10.1007/s10803-009-0862-9
Graziano, S. (2017). Current research of social skills training and autism spectrum disorders.
Retrieved from University of Utah.
Harms, M., Martin, A., & Wallace. (2010). Facial emotion recognition in autism spectrum
Disorders: review of behavioral and neuroimaging studies. Neuropsychological Review, 20:
290-322.
Hasselbring, Ted S., & Williams, C.H. Use of computer technology to help students with special
needs. Future of Children, 10,(2), 102-22.
Herskowitz, V. (2003). Computer based therapy for autistic children. Organization for
Autism Research. Retrieved from Dimension 10/9/18.
26
References
Hopkins, I., Gower, M., Perez, T., Smith, D., Amothor, F., Wimsatt, F., & Biansini, F. (2011).
Avatar assistant improving social skills in students with an ASD through a computer based
intervention. Journal of Autism Developmental Disorders, 41:1543-1555. doi:10.1007
/s10803-011
Jain, S., Zhang, Y., & Aggarwal, J.K. (2012). Understanding user needs for serious games for
Teaching children with autism spectrum disorders emotions. The Learning and Technology
Library 1, 1-5.
Jain, S., Tamersoy, B., Zhang, Y., Aggarwal,J.K., & Orvalho, V. (2012). An interactive game for
teaching facial expressions to children with autism spectrum disorders. In 5th International
Symposium on Communications Control and Signal Processing, ISCCSP 2012
(6217849) DOI: 10.1109/ISCCSP.2012.6217849
Joseph, R.M., & Tanaka, J. (2002). Holistic and part-based face recognition in children with .
autism. Journal of Child Psychology and Psychiatry, 43:8, 1-14.
Joseph, R.M., Ehrman, K., Mcnally, R., & Keehn, B. (2008). Affective response to eye contact
and face recognition ability in children with ASD. Journal of the International Neuro-
psychological Society, 14, 947-955. doi:10.1017/S1355617708081344
27
References
Kandalaft, M., Didehbani, N., Krawczyk, D., Allen, T., & Chapman, S. (2013). Virtual Reality
Social cognition training for young adults with high functioning autism. Journal of
Developmental Disorders, 43:34-44.
Kwanguk, K., Rosenthal, Z., Gwaltney, M., Jarrod, W., Hatt, N., McIntyre, N., Swaine, L.,
Solomon, M. & Mundy, P. (2015) A virtual joystick study of emotional responses and social
Motivation in children with autism spectrum disorder. Journal of Developmental Disorders,
45, 3891-3899. Doi:10.1007/s10803-014-2035-7
Kim. K., Rosenthal, M.Z., Gwaltney. M., Jarrold, W., Hatt, N., McIntyre, N., Swain, L.,
Solomon, M., & Mundy, P. (2015). A virtual joystick study of emotional responses and social
motivation in children with autism spectrum disorder. Journal of Autism and Developmental
Disabilities, 45(12), 3891-3899.
Moore, D., & Taylor, J. (2000). Interactive multimedia systems for students with autism.
Journal of Education Media, 25, 169-342.
Moore, D., McGrath, P., & Thorpe, J. (2000). Computer aided learning for people with
Autism - a framework for research and development, Innovations in Education and
Training International, 37:3, 218-228. doi:10.1080/13558000050138452.
28
References
Parsons., Leonard, A., & Mitchell, Peter. (2006) Virtual environments for social skills training:
comments From two adolescents with autism spectrum disorder.
Computers and Education 47, 186-206.
Parsons., S. & Mitchell. (2002). The potential of virtual reality in social skills training for
people with autism spectrum disorders. Journal of Intellectual Disability Research
46, 430-443.
Parsons., S. Leonard., A. & Mitchell., P (2006). Virtual environments for social skills training:
comments from two adolescents with autistic spectrum disorder. Computers & Education 47,
186-206. doi:10.1016/j.compedu.2004.10.003
Parsons, S., Beardon, L., Neale, H.R., Reynard, G., Eastgate, R., Wilson, J., Cobb,
S.V.G., Benford, S.D., Mitchell, P., & Hopkins, E. (2000). Proceedings from the 3rd Inter-
National Conference on Disability: Virtual Reality & Assoc. Tech. Alghero, Italy: ICDVRAT/University of Reading.
Ploog, B.O., Scharf, A., Nelson, D. & Brooks, P.J. (2013). Use of computer-assisted techno-
logies (CAT) to enhance social, communicative, and language development in children
with autism spectrum disorders. Journal of Autism Developmental Disorders, 43(2):301-22
29
References
Ramdoss, S., Lang, R., Mulloy, A., Franco, J., O’Reilly, Didden, R. & Lancioni, G. (2011). Use
of computer based interventions to teach communication skills to children with autism
Spectrum disorders: a systematic review. Journal of Behavior Education, 20:55-76.
Reed, F.D., Hyman, S.R. & Hirst, J.M. (2011). Applications of technology to teach social
Skills to children with autism. Research in Autism Spectrum Disorders, 5, 1003-1010.
doi:10.1016/j.rasd.2011.01.022
Rapin, I. (2002). The autism spectrum disorders. New England Journal of Medicine, 347:
302-303.
Reichow, B., & Volkmar, F. (2010). Social skills interventions for individuals with autism:
Evaluation for evidence-based practices within a best evidence synthesis framework. Journal
of Development Disorders, 40:149-166. doi:10.1007/s10803-009-0842-0
Reed, F., Hyman, S., & Hirst, J. (2011). Applications of technology to teach social skills to
children with autism. Research in Autism Spectrum Disorders, 5, 1003-101.
Riva, G. (2009). VIrtual reality: an experiential tool for clinical psychology. British Journal
Of Guidance & Counseling., 37, 337-345. doi:org/10.1080/03069880902957056
Ryan, C. & Charragain, C. (2010). Teaching emotion recognition skills to children with autism.
Autism Developmental Disorders, 40, 1505-1511.
30
References
Sansosti, F., & Powell-Smith, K,. (2008). Using computer presented social stories and video
models to increase the social communication skills of children with high functioning autism
Spectrum disorders. Journal of Positive Behavior Interventions, 10, 162-178.
Scambler, D.J., Hepburn, S., Rutherford, M.D., Wehner, E.A. & Rogers, S. (2007). Emotional
responsivity in children with Autism, children with other developmental disabilities and
children with typical development. Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders,
37, 553-563.
Silver, M., & Oakes, P. (2001). Evaluation of a new computer intervention to teach people with
autism and asperger syndrome to recognize and predict emotions in others.
The National Autism Society, 5(3), 299-316.
Singer-Califano, A. (2008). The use of technology in enhancing social skills. Journal of
Educational Psychology, 1(4), 1-6.
Stromer, R., Kimball, J., Kinney, E., & Taylor, B. (2006). Activity schedules, computer
technology, and teaching children with autism spectrum. Focus on Autism and
Other Developmental Disabilities, 21(1), 14-24.
Swineford, L., Thurm, A., Baird, G., Wetherby, A., & Swedo, S. ((2014). Social (pragmatic)
Communication disorder: a research of this new DSM-5 diagnostic category
Journal of Neurodevelopmental Disorders, 6(41), 1-8.
31
References
Tanka, J.W., Wolf, J.M., Klaiman, C., Koenig, K., Cockburn, L.H., Brown, C., Stahl, S., Kaiser,
M., & Schultz, R.T (2010). Using computerized games to teach face recognition skills
to children with autism spectrum disorder: the Let’s Face It! Program. Journal of Child
Psychology and Psychiatry, 2258, 1-10. doi: 1080/14622200410001676305
Tam, S.F., Man, D.W., Chan, Y.P., Sze, P.C., & Wong, C.M., (2005). Evaluation of a
Computer assisted, 2D virtual reality for training people with intellectual disabilities
how to shop. Rehabilitation Psychology, 50(3), 285-291.
Volkmar, F. R., Lord, c., Bailey, A., Schultz, R. T., & Klin, A. (2004). Autism and pervasive
developmental disorders. Journal of Child Psychology and Psychiatry, 45(1), 135-170. Doi:
org/10.1046/j.0021-9630.2003.00317.x
Wainer, A., & Ingersoll, B. (2011). The use of innovative computer technology for teaching
social communication to individuals with autism spectrum disorders Research in Autism
Spectrum Disorders, 5(1), 96-107. doi:10.1016/j.rasd.2010.08.002
Welch., K, Uttama., L. & Warren., Z. (2010). An approach to the design of socially acceptable
Robots for children with Autism spectrum disorder. International Journal Social
Robots 2, 391-403. doi.org/10.1007/s12369-0063.
32
References
Welch, K., Lahari, U., Liu, Changchun., Weller, R., Sarkar, N., & Warren, Z. (2009). An
Affect-sensitive social interaction paradigm utilizing virtual reality environments for autism
intervention. Nashville, Tenn: J.A. Jacko(Ed.): Human-Computer Interaction.
Williams, B., Gray, K., & Tonge, B. (2012). Teaching emotion recognition skills to young
children with autism: a randomised controlled trial of an emotion training programme.
Journal of Child Psychology and Psychiatry, 53(12), 1268-1276. doi:10.1111/j. 1469-
7610.2012.02593
Whalen, C., Moss, D., Ilam, A., Vaupel, M., Fielding, P., MacDonald, K., Cernich, S. &
Symon, J. (2010). Efficacy of TeachTown: basics computer-assisted intervention for the
Intensive comprehensive autism program in Los Angeles unified school district. Sage
Publications and the National Autism Society, 14(3), 179-197.
Young, R., & Posselt, M. (2012). Using The Transporters DVD as a learning tool for children
with autism spectrum disorders (ASD). Journal Autism and Developmental Disorders,
42, 984-991. doi:10.1007/s10803-011-1328-4
33
Special Thanks
Christine DeMarco, BBLC Elementary Teacher
Noa Elbaum, Speech Therapist
Ettie Luban, Speech Therapist
Cristina Pallone, Elementary Teacher
Chris Dudick, SiLAS Founder