Coaching paraeducators to implement functional communication training involving augmentative and alternative communication for students with autism spectrum disorder

Abstract

Paraeducators play an important role in assisting teachers and other professionals to support students with autism spectrum disorder (ASD), including delivering positive behavioral supports to those students who engage in persistent challenging behavior. The purpose of this multiple baseline design across participants study was to support paraeducators to implement functional communication training (FCT) to address challenging behavior among three students with ASD who used augmentative and alternative communication (AAC). Paraeducators implemented FCT with high levels of fidelity after participating in an initial training session and follow-up coaching and generally found the initial training and coaching strategies to be effective and feasible. Reductions in challenging behavior were variable across student participants. Implications for practice and future research directions are discussed in relation to FCT for students with ASD who use AAC and paraeducator training.

Keywords:

• Augmentative and alternative communication
• autism spectrum disorder
• behavioral intervention
• coaching
• functional communication training
• paraeducator

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).

Notes

1 GoPro^® is a registered trademark company. gopro.com/en/us

2 Sony^® is a registered trademark company. www.sony.com

3 Picture Communication Symbols is a product of Tobii Dynavox, www.tobiidynavox.com/support-training/pcs-symbols

Additional information

Funding

Funding for this research was provided by the Organization for Autism Research (OAR). The contents of this article do not necessarily represent the policy of OAR and endorsement by OAR should not be assumed.