Building Employment Skills for Adults with ASDs Using
Theatre Techniques
Presenter: Christina Whalen, PhD, BCBA-D
Vice President, Director, Vocational & Life Skills Academy (SARRC)
Consulting Assistant Professor (Stanford School of Medicine)
Increasing Number of Adults Needing Services
(ref. Laura Grofer Klinger, UNC TEACCH)
• Autism prevalence rate in 2002 was 1 in 150
•The prevalence rate now is 1 in 88 (since 2008)
•Prevalance reports are typically on children (8 years old avg), so 8 year
old children from 2002 are now 20 year old, and in 6 years, the
children from 2008 will be 20 year olds
•We can expect to see a 78% increase in demand for services for adults
•About 50,000 individuals with ASDs will turn 18 this year
•ASD adults needing VR services rose 121% from 2002-2006 (Cimera &
Cowan, 2009)
Employment for ASDs
•Studies show 15-25% employment for people with ASDs
(compared to 40-80% for other types of disabilities) (NLTS2
Study; Roux et al., 2013)
•Individuals are often placed in jobs below their education
level
•Maintaining employment is often difficult for individuals
with ASDs
Employment & Education
Post High School
National Longitudinal Transition Study 2 (NLTS2)
Shattuck, Narendorf, Cooper, Sterzing, Wagner, & Taylor, 2012
• 9-year study of adolescents who were enrolled in
special education with over 500 surveys completed
by parents
• 35% of those with ASDs had no employment or
education for the first 6 years following high school
• 50% of those with ASDs had no engagement for the
first 2 years following high school
NLTS2 Research (cont’d)
• 28% attended a community college, 12%
attended a 4-year college, and 9% attended a
technical or vocational program
• Individuals with ASDs were consistently less
engaged than those with other disabilities &
even less engagement for African-American,
Hispanic, and low-income families
Barriers to Employment
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Executive Function Skills
Social Skills – “The Hidden Curriculum”
Communication Skills
Functional Independence
Emotion Regulation
Anxiety/Depression
Transportation!!
Middle School Years
• Focus on generalized employment skills:
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SOCIAL SKILLS
INDEPENDENCE
Typing
Customer Service
Phone Skills
Computer Skills
Organization
Problem Solving
Conversations
Planning/Scheduling
Following Directions
Community Safety and Awareness
Middle School Years
• Participate in social groups or community activities (e.g. theatre,
sports, SARRC summer programs)
• Engage in career exploration – what kinds of jobs are out there
• Identify strengths and limitations and focus on improving weaker
areas
• Register with DDD (diagnosis before 18)
High School Years
• Focus on areas from middle school
that still need work
• Learn to use transportation
• Explore post-secondary education
opportunities
• Develop post-high school goals and a
plan for how to get there
• Get work experience (e.g. volunteer,
SARRC Community Works, intern, etc.)
• Register with VR/DDD
Vocational Rehabilitation (VR)
• Provides employment services to those whose disabilities are
barriers to employment
• Direct Contact with Local RSA Offices: Please call the office
nearest you to set up an appointment to attend a regularly
scheduled orientation session.
• When to call??
– When transition services are included in high school IEP, find
out if school has TSW (Transition School to Work) contract
with VR
• If YES, register ASAP
• If NO, contact local VR office to register
Vocational Rehabilitation (VR)
• Services VR can provide may include:
– -Post-Secondary education
– -Work Exploration
– -Job Training
– -Job Development & Placement
– -Driving Training
– -Vocational Evaluation
Post-Secondary Education/College
• Contact disabilities office for support at college
to set up an action plan BEFORE starting school
• Disabilities counselors can be critical to the
success of a student with ASD
• Meet with admissions and department chair to
ensure that it’s a good fit
• Know expectations and accommodations ahead
of time
Types of Employment
• Transition Programs (Project
SEARCH; Riehle, 2006) (TEACCH TSTEP)
• Supported (TEACCH)
• Enclave
• Internships (paid or unpaid)
(SARRC)
• Independent (Train with a Job
Coach and fade to independent)
(SARRC)
• Self-Employment (SARRC)
Getting Started
• Get training whenever possible (e.g. SARRC
Employment Classes; certificates in area of
interest)
• Get experience whenever possible (e.g. SARRC
Academy of Classes, GardenWorks,
CulinaryWorks programs, volunteer)
• Take care of funding (e.g. DDD or VR)
• Secure a job coach
Self Employment
• Start your own business!
• SARRC’s Home Baking Entrepreneur
Program
– 10 week program
– Class time, home visits, and “lab” time
– Must have a support person/caregiver
to assist at home and attend the
classes
• Other ways to get started…
– Have a business plan before you begin
– Have a support/caregiver person to
assist through process
Road to Employment
Intake
Not ready
ABA
Counseling
Social Skills
Ready
Life Skills
Culinary Works
Garden Works
Voc.
Assessment
Employment
101
Employment
201
Job Coaching &
Placement
Rising
Entrepreneurs
SARRC Employment Services
• Vocational Assessment
– Basic, Moderate, Comprehensive
• Job Coaching/Employment Placement
• Employment Classes 101 and 201
• Technology Workshops
• https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HsrPqDy8lfE
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9j-EXPEcgPE&feature=youtu.be
Employment Classes
SARRC’s Employment Program
Employment 101
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© 2011 SARRC
Hygiene and grooming for the
workplace,
Basic communication/
interaction in the workplace,
Workplace relationships,
Problem solving
Attendance/punctuality,
Organization, time
management,
Frustration
tolerance/managing changes,
Basic organization.
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Basic computer skills.
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Community visits will be to
various employers in the
Valley to allow participants a
basic knowledge of available
employment.
Employment Classes
SARRC’s Employment Program
Employment 201
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© 2011 SARRC
Apply for employment,
Develop/update a resume,
Complete job applications,
Interview for jobs,
Complete required
documents to begin work,
Maintain employment.
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Advanced computer skills
will be taught.
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Community visits will be to
employers in the Valley who
have agreed to orient and
interview participants in their
business to allow for
experience in the natural work
setting.
What Does Theatre Have to do with
anything???
•Acting classes and role-playing can result in
improved Theory of Mind skills (Goldstein &
Winner, 2010)
•Participation in a musical theatre production can
result in improved facial recognition and Theory of
Mind (Corbett, et al., 2011)
•Graduated guidance and script fading are
effective strategies for teaching pre-vocational
skills (Dotto-Fojut, Reeve, Townsend, & Progar,
2011)
•Role-playing can improve play skills
•Murdock & Hobbs, 2011
•UCLA PEERS program (Laugeson, et al., 2012)
•Role-playing can improve social skills
•UCLA PEERS program (Laugeson, et al., 2012)
The process of teaching social skills
ABA vs Theatre
Using Theatre in Employment Classes
Target Skills
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Conflict Resolution
Working with others
Interviews
E-mail communication
Social media
Resumes
Job searches
Job training & Career
tracks
• Customer Service
Theatre Strategies
• Modeling
• Imitation
• Role-Playing
• Script Memorization
• “Acting” Skills
VIDEOS: Theatre Games
Interview Skills: Spring, 2013
2.5
N=8 students
Likert Scores
2
1.5
1
0.5
0
Interview Skills: Fall, 2013
3
2.5
N= 12
2
1.5
Baseline
1
0.5
0
Post
VIDEOS: Interview Skills
Typing Skills (WPM): Fall, 2013
70
60
50
40
Baseline
Mid
Post
30
20
10
0
CHCA
KERU
MAHO
MAWO
JEMC
WIFI
RYKR
JESC
Average
Employment Coaches
• Help to facilitate relationships with
employers and coworkers & set up client for
independent success:
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On-the-job-training and coaching
Identify barriers
Provide visual supports
Monitor placements
Facilitate independence
Support & train employers and staff
Provide follow-up and re-training as needed.
Coaching Phases
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1: Client has recently started employment services. Still within the first two sessions. Working on
identifying employment goal and potential barriers/ challenges. OR client is working on RIS goals (
before employment phase)
2: Client has started practicing interviewing skills. They have started their flash cards and resume.
3: Clients interviewing skills have improved, resume is completed, and is learning how to search and
apply for jobs. Client starting to look toward employment readiness.
4: Client is ready for employment. Has been actively searching for a job.
5: Has been in phase 4 for over two months. Needs to be placed immediately.
6: Client has been placed successfully, and has an assigned JC for first two weeks of employment/ or as
needed.
7: Client has been placed successfully, weekly/biweekly maintenance check-ins only. Beginning to fade
out JC as needed, client may return to Phase 6 if necessary.
8: Client Placed successfully, check in periodically with client and employer to address any concerns/
continue relationship.
Employment Coaching Data
Southwest Autism Research & Resource Center (SARRC)
Client Name: ______________________________________
Employment- 101 or 201 VOICE- VLSA or On Site (Circle)
Reporting Period: ___________________________________
Progress Report
SARRC Staff Providing Services: ________________________
5
6 7
PHASE: 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8
8
**Indicate client's progression in skill development by entering 0, 1, 2 or 3 skill levels each week in columns B-I and write brief description of
services provided.
**All skills are evaluated while attending VOICE Employment Services.
**LEVEL of ATTAINMENT 0 Unattained, 1 Somewhat able to demonstrate skills, 2 Attained, 3 Exceeded
Baselin
e
SKILLS
Maintained a clean-cut, groomed appearance and consistently wore
appropriate attire
WE
EK:
Exhibited as having conducted appropriate hygiene
Was punctual and attended class, as well as returned from breaks on time
Demonstrated dedication to learning by participating in class
Demonstrated dedication to learning by completing homework assignments
on time
Followed instructions and accepted direction respectfully and willingly
Communicated needs, thoughts, comments, concerns, and questions
professionally
Demonstrated appropriate social etiquette at all times
Created a professional resume
Searched and applied to at least one job
Conducted a professional interview with a facilitator
Presented effectively about desired career path
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Building Blocks
Resume
Building
Filling out an
Application
Social Rules in
the Workplace
Professional
Dress
Organization
Hygiene
Job Searches
Interview Skills
Job Searches
• Identify career interests
• Mind-mapping
• Identify schedule conflicts and # of hours you can
work
• Identify what you are most comfortable doing and
most uncomfortable doing
• Search online with help of job coach and on your
own
What NOT to wear! Find it!
Setting up for Success
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Items labeled or color coded
Visual markings on specific work areas
Picture directions
Written schedule of daily work activities
Timers used for breaks / lunches
Self-Management/ABA
A - Antecedent
B – Behavior
Customer/co-worker is rude to 1.
you
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3.
You don’t remember or
understand directions given to
you
1.
2.
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C - Consequence
Smile, keep your
1.
comments to yourself and
try to resolve the problem 2.
Ask your supervisor to
help the customer
3.
Be rude back to the
customer
Happy customer and
supervisor
Happy customer and
supervisor
Unhappy customer and
supervisor; possible
disciplinary action
Ask them to repeat
instructions
Ask them to write
instructions down
Ask a co-worker for help
Sit at your station and do
nothing
You are able to complete
the project
You are able to complete
the project
You are able to complete
the project.
Unhappy supervisor:
possible disciplinary action
1.
2.
3.
4.
SARRC Employment Placements
• 97 Successful Placements since 2008
30
25
20
Fired
Laid off
Quit
15
Other
# placed
# still employed
10
5
0
2008
2009
2010
2011
2012
2013
Conclusions
• More services for adults are needed
• Employment programs need to be a priority
• Employment readiness programs need to teach
skills that are barriers to employment that are
related to core deficits (not just work skills)
• Theatre games are 1 strategy for practicing social,
communication, and work skills
• More research is needed on effective programming
for employment and generalization of training into
work environments
Employment is Exciting!
(Jeff Video)
Contact Information
Christina Whalen, PhD, BCBA-D
602-218-8223
cwhalen@autismcenter.org
www.autismcenter.org