Workshop Descriptions

This comprehensive three-day workshop provides participants with detailed examples and practice activities on how to implement the evidence-based practices identified in the National Standards Report (2009). The STAR Program (Arick, Loos, Falco and Krug, 2004), a research-based curriculum is used to provide examples. Appropriate content connected to the common core curriculum is presented and detailed information on the three evidenced-based instructional methods of discrete trial training, pivotal response training and teaching through functional routines are shared. Participants will learn how to implement these strategies through structured lesson plans and a curriculum scope and sequence. The workshop will include extensive data collection systems and participants will learn to collect and use data for instructional decision making. 

Day three of the workshop includes extensive information on implementation in both special and inclusive classrooms, use of environmental supports for student success and individualizing the program for specific learner needs. Presenters will assist the participants to assess their students and develop a set of appropriate instructional lessons and routines to teach skills and independence. Practical, "real-life" solutions to assist teachers with implementation will be provided. Workshop topics will include the use of a power point lecture, video examples, presenter demonstration and participant "hands-on" practice.

This one-day workshop provides participants a review of how to implement the evidence-based instructional strategies identified by the National Standards Project (2009) using the curriculum content and lesson plans from the research-based STAR Program. The focus of the workshop is on fidelity of implementation of the evidence-based practices and use of data collection for instructional decision making. The workshop will engage participants in hands-on practice activities to become fluent in the instructional strategies of discrete trial training, pivotal response training and teaching functional routines as described in the STAR Program. Participants will also be provided with detailed handouts to assist them to obtain fidelity of implementation in their school programs. Participants at this workshop should have attended the two or three day STAR comprehensive workshop or be very familiar with the implementation of the strategies included in the STAR Program.

This one-day workshop provides participants with information on how to implement evidence-based practices for secondary students using the Links Curriculum (Arick, Hoffman and Magee-Arick, 2012). Participants will learn to use a process for assessing and teaching functional routines that has been documented in the research. Extensive information will be given on selecting and individualizing routines and teaching specific skills to support success during routines. The Links Curriculum includes extensive data collection systems and participants will learn to collect and use data for instructional decision making, tracking student progress and writing IEP Goals. Video examples and video practice activities will be incorporated into the workshop. An on-line computerized system will be demonstrated with hands-on practice by the participants.

This two-day workshop provides participants with information on how to implement evidence-based practices for secondary students using the Links Curriculum (Arick, Hoffman and Magee-Arick, 2012). Participants will learn to use a process for assessing and teaching functional routines that has been documented in the research. Extensive information will be given on selecting and individualizing routines and teaching specific skills to support success during routines.

Participants will learn how to use the evidence-based strategies of discrete trial training, use of visual supports and the use of modeling strategies to teach critical skills necessary to support success during daily functional and academic routines. Presenters will identify specific skills to teach using a research-based assessment system and will then demonstrate how to teach these skills using the most appropriate instructional strategy. The Links Curriculum includes extensive data collection systems and participants will learn to collect and use data for instructional decision making, tracking student progress and writing IEP Goals. Video examples and video practice activities will be incorporated into the workshop. An on-line computerized system will be demonstrated with hands-on practice by the participants.

This half day presentation uses a multimedia presentation format to provide administrators with an overview on how to implement the evidence-based practices identified in the National Standards Report (2009) for students with ASD in both special and general education classrooms. Participants will receive extensive handouts and information on what to look for at both the classroom and student level to ensure positive outcomes for students with ASD. Information on classroom environmental arrangement, instructional strategies and use of positive behavior interventions and supports will be shared.

Direct consultation with teachers, paraprofessionals and related service staff on the implementation of evidence-based practices using the STAR Program and/or Links Curriculum. Consultation can include general classroom implementation of the curriculum as well as individual student planning and progress monitoring. Modeling of fidelity of implementation of lessons and use of positive behavior supports will be provided. Classroom consultation activities focus on active learning including observation, practice and collaboration.

Ensuring district or region-wide successful implementation of a curriculum can be one of the most challenging tasks for special educators. STAR Support has developed a successful model whereby districts and regions can become self-sufficient in how evidence-based curricula are implemented throughout the district. This resource, for new and existing teachers, can be accomplished by setting up a network of classrooms implementing effective programs for students with ASD and local coaches supporting those classrooms to train others.

SAS has experience working with state agencies and school districts to conduct comprehensive needs assessments related to implementing evidence-based practices for students with autism and/or other disabilities. The needs assessment can be individualized to the specific goals of the state or school district. The assessment includes the use of an on-line system to collect information on implementation levels of evidence-based practices across school districts, specific schools or individual school programs. The assessment also collects information on priorities staff have for training and gathers information about their proposed “action plan” to improve their services. The information collected is held confidential within each school district but can be aggregated to show state-wide training needs.

SAS has experience training teams of school district staff to implement effective parent training. The parent training uses the research-based program “Teaching Social Communication to Children with Autism” (Ingersoll and Dvortsak, 2010). There are three components to the SAS training activities. Component one trains early childhood educators to provide a systematic parent training program. Component two involves on-site support to the parent training teams to conduct a series of parent training workshop sessions. Component three includes in-classroom coaching of the parent training teams to coach parents to implement the strategies.

This workshop provides educators with information and training to conduct an assessment of autism characteristics, an assessment of the learning characteristics that may impact student learning, an assessment of the students’ current developmental level and a process to conduct on-going student progress monitoring. The workshop provides training in conducting standardized assessments of characteristics, communication levels, adaptive skills, social interaction skills and academic skills using the ASIEP-3 and other appropriate assessments. The workshop also provides training in curriculum-based assessments to monitor student progress in receptive and expressive language, spontaneous language, play/social skills, academics and functional routines using the STAR Program Student Learning Profile.

This workshop and on-site follow-up training is designed to train certified school district staff to coach others in the evidence-based strategies and instructional content as used in the STAR Program. SAS provides a series of coach workshops for staff to learn to coach others along with on-site follow-up training at their school district sites. SAS has a fidelity of implementation checklist that is used to identify specific training needs for each coach. Once a trainee has completed all aspects of the training and is able to demonstrate the needed skills, they are eligible to receive a certificate as a STAR Coach that is provided by SAS.

This workshop reviews in detail the evidence-based practices identified by the National Standards Report (2009) and the National Professional Development Center (2013). The workshop presentation includes handouts, video examples of each evidence-based practice, demonstrations and practice activities. In addition to the evidence-based practices this workshop also focuses on the appropriate instructional content needed for pre-school, elementary and secondary students.