VB at school - responses

[Guest guest]

Hi,

I feel lately like an investigative reporter. Some of the wonderful people

on this list have emailed me personally at times and thank me for asking

the questions that they are uncomfortable asking or talking about topics

that they would like to but don't quite want to get into the fray. They

call themselves the " lurkers " I call them the silent, but important,

majority, and I applaud all of you.

I would like all of you to throw your thoughts out here, sometimes you have

to be willing to take the heat, but your thoughts are all very important,

and your experiences as well. We all grow from the experiences from each of

our lives with our kids. We all need to question as a group techniques and

theories presented by the variety of professionals currently working in the

field. We are still the most valid testing ground I believe. We know

instinctively what works, what doesn't and what despite the highest of

praise by the authorities is just not worth trying. Don't ever

underestimate what conclusions scientific or not you as a parent make about

teaching a child with autism. You are now and always will be your child's

best teacher, mainly because you are committed, you are dedicated to

finding the best ways to reach these elusive kids, and because your quest

for knowledge is based on love and deep committement.

Before I ramble let me get to the point. I posted questions of HOW the VB

programs work for the older school aged kids and especially for the more

severe kids, like mine. I only received a few responses, and those were

posted to the list so you could all read them.

What I am hearing, (and consultants please jump in and comment) is that so

far only a few persons are using some VB techniques officially in schools?

All are using a combination of techniques from the " traditional "

approaches, visual assistance, schedules, tokens etc. I was trying to find

out IF there is a protocol that VB consultants use in school to tackle the

tough issues, but I did not hear back yet as to this specific protocol. IF

we are using " traditional " supports mixed in with a VB program, I'd have to

tender the question WHY? I don't know the answer. ONe would have to

surmise that there is a valid reason to keep these

" traditional " protocols in place, and as parents who are knowledgeable as

these parents are, they know they need these to get the best results for

their child. There could be many reasons, the child is not verbal enough

to be able to be directed solely with verbal prompting, the child is more

severe and language is not the primary means of communication? But then I

have to ask what the VB approach provides for these kids. Because my

concern is IF this philosophy does not factor in the kids who do not

improve enough with verbal technique methods to become highly

communicative, what do they suggest instead for this particular child?

Should I make the assumption then that when we get into the school settings

VB is interspersed with traditional supports? But I don't think it is with

the blessing of Drs. S/P/Carbone, but those of you who are better informed

than I am please correct me if I am wrong. I know Dr. Carbone lectures

quite a bit, is he yet lecturing on the older children, the more severe,

and the school aged permanently language challenged kids who need a

specific set of supports to get them through the day and varied

settings? I also know that he does not seem to support the use of

techniques by PCDI for instance, (activity schedules, tokens etc), my

specific question then is what do they suggest then for these kids who need

more ?

I am really trying to get to the bottom of my question which is: For those

kids who are NOT going to be conversational, not going to mainstream

without a lot of support, where does the VB programming go with them? What

form of supports do Drs. Sundberg/Partington, et al put into place when

the realization is that this child will not use verbal language as the main

means of communication, but will need other techniques to support

independence and communication. What compliance procedures are utilized

when children who are older and more savvy are not interested in any of the

reinforcers offered, and are smart enough to know no matter how you

disguise it, work is work. For these kids a different means other than

pairing is required to reach them and secure compliance.

I am having questions and keep hitting a wall as far as these particular

questions are concerned. No answers really. I have always tried to

ferret out the pros and cons of approaches to ABA and while I support VB in

its philosophy, I am beginning to feel more and more that as a parent of a

child with more severe spectrum autism that this approach is not enough for

us to secure ongoing compliance in a variety of situations, and most

especially in a challenging school situation. Those of you who have replied

to my post have also indicated that you use a variety of techniques to get

the best results, which I am totally in favor of. BUT big question is it an

all or nothing approach with VB consultants. If you use the VB approach,

then these other techniques not used ? Or do they give their blessing for

the continuation of supports that will allow a better level of

function based on the child's individual need?

While I support VB I also have to wonder if it is wise for us as parents to

put our " eggs in this one basket " as an approach, since for my more severe

child these approaches alone I don't feel will get us where we need to

go. I think a number of us have said on more than one occasion that mixing

a variety of techniques and individualizing per child is Key and I

wholeheartedly second that notion, but then the question is does the VB

philosophy support this as well? To have a VB consultant who also

acknowledges that other techniques may be necessary and should be used I

would say for me would be ultimately the best approach.

So what do you as parents say, I invite your comments, flames and

thoughts. I hope you all have lots to say!

Cate