Making Connections:

Bridging PBIS Programs to Visual and Communication Supports for

Students on the SpectrumMonica Addison-Walker and Maureen Meekins

Needs of students in the Communication and Learning Support Program

• Visuals• Consistency• Sensory stimulation

What educators and support staff need to know

• Students can only work on one rule at a time

• Weak generalization between settings

• Attention is not monitored in traditional methods

• For every step forward there are 1-2 steps back

• Behavior means something

Bridging PBIS to CLS

Materials1. Use the same materials for the entire school

2. Create additional visual supports for students with communication needs in their familiar method (e.g. pictures, photographs, Writing with Symbols, Boardmaker, etc.)

PBIS to CLS

– Differentiation- some students will need additional visual and/or verbal prompts

– Incentives- think about your students’ interests (crafts, computer,, dance, yoga, gym, recess, games, movies)

PBIS to CLS

– Social stories (title, introduction- clearly state topic, body- describes situation and has conclusion), taught as situation arises

• Address specific behaviors• Changes in routines or situations

– songs and scripts- taught during circle time

– Standard class supports (visual schedule, timers, self monitoring)

Character Education

Place adapted materials on the reversed side of the original poster.

• Caring

• Responsible

• Trustworthy

• Fairness

• Respectful

• Citizenship

Questions?

• Contact• Maureen Meekins• mmeekins@bcps.org

• Monica Addison-Walker• maddisonwalker@cps.org

Thank You!