Common Instructional
Practices for Students
on the Autism
Spectrum
Lorien Quirk, M.Ed., BCBA
Behaviorist Program Manager
Mt. Diablo Unified School District, 2013
Discrete Trial Training (DTT)
DTT is a teaching method based on the principals of ABA:



Involves breaking tasks down into basic elements and
teaching a child through clearly defined, repeated trials.
Each learned skill is a building block to learn subsequent skills
and is needed to create a repertoire of prerequisite and
functional behaviors.
DTT applies to many contexts and is the best research-based
method for teaching new skills to young children with autism
(“best practice”).
Examples of skills best taught using
DTT:






Gross motor imitation
Direction-following
Object identification
Matching
Letter or Number identification
Verbal imitation
Prompting Hierarchies




Depending on the skill being taught and the student’s
functioning level, there are different types of prompting
systems.
Least-to-most:
 Independentgestureverbalmodelpartial
physicalfull physical
Most-to-least (“errorless learning”)
 Start with most intrusive prompt then fade over sessions
Graduated guidance
 Start with most intrusive prompt and fade within
session/trials
Prompting Hierarchies cont’d



Other types of prompts:
 Positional: place the correct response closer to the student
 Within-stimulus: highlight the relevant aspect of the item
 Extra-stimulus: add something to make the correct
response more prominent
When using prompts, give only ONE at a time, according to
the hierarchy.
Be aware of inadvertent prompts because students with
autism may be attending to the WRONG thing and will learn it
incorrectly after only one trial! (“stimulus over-selectivity”)
“How to” do a Discrete Trial
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
9.
10.
11.
12.
Define environment according to skill being taught.
Know what the reinforcer is (by preference assessment/offering
choices, or using the item the child is currently engaged with)
Get student’s attention: hands down, eye contact, feet on the floor,
sitting still—only proceed when you have the student’s full
attention. Proceed quickly as soon as you have his/her attention
Give instruction (ideally from teaching plan) ONE TIME
If it is a brand new skill being taught for the first time, immediately
prompt a response (see teaching plan for specific prompts to use)
If the skill has been practiced before, allow 2-3 seconds for an
independent response, then prompt using least to most intrusive
prompts one at a time (see teaching plan)
As soon as the correct response is performed (with prompting or
independently), give reinforcement (always paired with praise)
Remove task materials from student’s view
Allow 5 seconds with the reinforcer (or until it is consumed)
Record data
END OF ONE TRIAL
Start over again
Natural Language Paradigm (NLP) and
Pivotal Response Treatments (PRT)





Research-based methodologies based on the principles of ABA and
teaching language skills in natural, student-driven contexts.
 For example, if teaching a child to make requests, any time he
shows an interest in something, the staff would offer a prompt
such as, “What do you want?” and ensure he requests the item
before receiving it.
Based on the concept that students will generalize knowledge more
efficiently if taught in the natural environment.
DTT methodology in the natural setting.
Similar to “Incidental Teaching” in that every interaction is an
opportunity to teach communication (in a programmed/ structured
way).
Focuses on teaching children natural “pivotal” cues in the
environment as prompts to encourage independence and awareness.
TEACCH: Treatment and Education of Autistic
and related Communication-handicapped
Children



A highly structured program based on ABA, designed
to facilitate independence and social interaction for
students with Autism. The TEACCH method allows each
student to have their own daily visual schedule as well
as an independent work station. Students are also
provided with additional visual support throughout the
day to promote both independence and social interaction
with other peers and adults.
A model for classroom structure and organization to
maximize the learning of students with autism.
Physical structure supports individualized independence
and naturalistic learning opportunities.
TEACCH workstation
Visual Support Systems

Many students with ASD learn best through
visual prompts, cues, and strategies:



Picture schedules
PECS systems
Token Economies
Visual Schedules





Assists with
transitioning
Makes life more
predictable
Shows preferred
activity following lesspreferred activity
Increases
independence
Varying forms based
on age, functioning
level, and experience
PECS: Picture Exchange
Communication System





Based on DTT methodology
Intended for early nonverbal
symbolic communication training
Focus on getting student’s needs
met as efficiently as possible
Specific process intended to
generalize over time to multiple
settings
Facilitates vocal language
development
Token Economies





Based on principals of ABA (teaching contingency of “you do
what you’re told, you get what you want” strategically)
Can prevent problem behavior if implemented correctly
Must be student-specific, contingent, and immediate
Relies on strong visual interest
Can be used to meet a number of educational and behavioral
goals for children:
 Increased ability to delay gratification
 Increased sense of time
 Increasing the number of responses necessary to obtain a
primary reinforcer (or strong secondary)
Token Economies cont’d
Functional Communication Training
Research-based method ideal for preventing problem
behavior through teaching language skills based on
student behavior.
Identify purpose of student behavior (appropriate and
inappropriate)

1.
•
•
•
•
Determine more socially-acceptable communicative
response to serve same purpose
Teach response in and out of context in structured format
2.
3.
•
•

Getting attention?
Escaping demands?
Access to desired items?
Sensory stimulation?
DTT
NLP/PRT
Most powerful “replacement behavior”