vbntraining.com — What makes VBN Training stand out? Training teachers to work with children with autism and other developmental disabilities is all we do! Each of VBN Training’s workshops was developed by teachers for teachers Our teachers/trainers understand the unique challenges of educating children with autism in a classroom setting We work hands-on with your staff to help ensure that the principles and procedures demonstrated during training are applied effectively with your students in the classroom VBN Training provides a series of workshops and hands-on training for school districts. The workshops include numerous video examples of the concepts and procedures being taught, as well as opportunities to practice the procedures with guided feedback from the instructors. Follow-up classroom consultations are then utilized to make recommendations specific to particular students, scheduling issues, staff ratios, etc. Our training is based upon the research of applied behavior analysis ( ABA ) and B. F. Skinner's classification of language by its functions. The program begins by pairing staff, peers, materials, and educational environments with a student's existing reinforcers so they become conditioned as reinforcers, as well. Having a positive rapport with the student reduces the likelihood that he or she will engage in escape-motivated behavior and thereby maximizes the time available for instruction. The first skill taught is functional communication (manding) either through vocalization or an augmentative system such as sign language. Guidelines for selecting an appropriate response form, setting initial targets, and teaching sign are provided in the VBN workshops. Time is also spent discussing how to capture and contrive motivation to increase each student's manding opportunities throughout the day. The following research-based procedures for teaching readiness and early academic skills are provided to participants: demand fading in terms of number and difficulty, varying task presentation as opposed to mass trialing, requiring fluent responding, presenting demands at a quick pace, interspersing easy demands with those that are more difficult, and providing reinforcement on a variable-rate schedule. Each of these strategies is an antecedent manipulation that serves to decrease the value of escape as a reinforcer during instruction. Direct instruction programs, which have also been proven effective by research, are suggested for more advanced learners to teach subjects such as reading and mathematics. Protocols for addressing inappropriate behaviors that function to gain attention or tangible reinforcement, avoid having to wait for the delivery of reinforcement or transition to a less preferred activity, and escape demands are based upon the ABA principles of extinction and differential reinforcement. These procedures are explained in the trainings for staff, as well as those conducted for parents.