For Students with ASD and Visual Impairment

Options and Strategies to Address Critical Social Skills

Social skill deficits may be separated into four broad

categories of social functioning: nonverbal communication, social

initiation, social reciprocity, and social cognition.

First Step: Assessment Range of Typical Expectations

Strengths and weaknesses Establish baseline of

performance

Opening and closing a conversation Initiating peer interaction and joining

play Decoding facial expressions and body

language Observing and mimicking appropriate

social behavior in specific situations Predicting and understanding the

emotions and reactions of others

Some examples…

Process1. Match social interaction instruction to

students’ needs and settings.2. Prioritize3. Task analyze social interaction skills4. Provide opportunities as well as evidence-

based instruction5. Provide instruction and data analysis6. Use reinforcement

1. Acquisition

Accurate Performance

Able to implement the steps and skills

of the target behavior

Acquisition … instruction

Show, tell, model, describe Guide, lead, coach the student High rate of positive reinforcement Teach the connection

2. Fluency Able to express oneself readily and

effortlessly

Accurate, smooth, even performance in relationship to the situation at an

appropriate rate

Fluency … instruction

Multiple opportunities to practice High rate of positive reinforcement for

fluency

3. Generalization Accurate, fluent use of social skills

beyond classroom or instructional setting

Generalization … instruction

Teach with multiple representative examples from universe of situations where skill will and will not be required

Teach in setting where required Use forms of positive reinforcement

from non-instructional settings Incorporate relevant features from

required settings People Materials Activities

4. Maintenance Continued performance of social skills

when instruction has been discontinued in educational setting

Maintenance … instruction Systematic fading or removal of

instructional prompts/assistance Decrease amount and/or rate of

instructional positive reinforcement Increase naturally occurring type/rate

of positive reinforcement

5. Adaptation … instruction

Use social skills variations that have been taught but are in non-instructional and/or novel situations

Adaptation … instruction

Teach representative multiple variations of social skills and behaviors

Teach and link behaviors to the defining features of the required settings

Possible Solutions:Area of Concern:1. Conversations2. Inappropriate Social

Interactions

Possible Strategy: 1. Social Narratives2. Problem Solving

Strategies

3. Incredible 5-Point Scale

Social NarrativesSocial narratives can be used: after a social "error" has occurred (e.g., saying

something rude to a classmate, hitting, yelling) prior to a transition or new experience (getting a

haircut, changing schools, going to the Dr.'s office, etc.)

as an intervention to reduce existing recurring behaviors (nose picking, blurting out in class, etc.)

The use of social narratives strategies by the individual must be taught through direct instruction.

http://www.txautism.net/docs/Guide/Interventions/SocialNarratives.pdf

Possible Solutions:Area of Concern:1. Conversations2. Inappropriate Social

Interactions

Possible Strategy:1. Social Narratives2. Problem Solving

Strategies

3. Incredible 5-Point Scale

Social Problem SolvingSix Steps of Analyzing Social Situations1. Describe the social scenario, setting, behavior, or problem

(What's happening or what has happened?).2. Recognize the feelings/thoughts of participants (How does

he/she/you feel? What is he/she thinking?).3. Understand the feeling of participants (Why is he/she/you

feeling/thinking that way? Ask child to provide evidence).4. Predict the consequences (What do you think will happen next?

What will be the consequences of this behavior?).5. Select alternative behaviors (What could he/she/you have done

differently).6. Predict the consequence for alternative behaviors.

Bellini, 2006, p. 157

Possible Solutions:Area of Concern:1. Conversations2. Inappropriate Social

Interactions

Possible Strategy:1. Social Narratives2. Problem Solving

Strategies

3. Incredible 5-Point Scale

http://ww

w.5pointscale.com

/

A 5 Is Against the Law! Social Boundaries:

Resources Autism Spectrum

Disorder and Visual Impairments: Meeting Students Learning Needs

The Incredible 5-Point Scale

Navigating the Social World

Model Me Kids Video

Autism Asperger Publishing Company

Social Thinking National

Professional Development Center on ASD - http://autismpdc.fpg.unc.edu/