Functional Communication

TARGET:TEXASGUIDEFOREFFECTIVETEACHING
FUNCTIONALCOMMUNICATIONTRAINING
CHARACTERISTICSOVERVIEWCHART
VerbalSkills GradeLevels CognitiveLevel AreasAddressed
7Nonverbal 7PK 7Classic 7(Pre)Academic/Cognitive/Academic
7Mixed 7Elementary 7High 7AdaptiveBehavior/
Functioning DailyLiving
7Verbal 7Middle/High 7Behavior
7Communication/Speech
7Social/Emotional
BRIEFINTRODUCTION
Themajorityofstudentswithautism(AU)experiencesocialandcommunicationchallengesthat
requiredirectintervention.Strategiesthatarepositiveandfitwithinthechildstypical
environmentshavebeenshowntoincreasestudentskillsinthisarea.
DESCRIPTION
Functionalcommunicationisapositivebehaviorsupport(PBS)interventiondesignedtoreduce
problembehaviorsbyreplacingthemwithmeaningfulorfunctionalcommunicationwhether
verbalorgestural.Inotherwords,ratherthanstudentshavingatantrumordisplayingother
disruptivebehaviorswhenfrustratedatnotgettingtheirneedsmet,theycommunicatetheir
needsinamoresociallyacceptablewaythroughtheuseofwords,alternativecommunications
systems,suchasthePictureExchangeCommunicationSystem(PECS),orgestures,suchas
pointing.
Theemphasisofthecommunicationisonfunctionalityasopposedtoform.Functionalcommunication
trainingreliesonanaccurateunderstandingofthefunctionbehindtheproblembehavior(attention
seeking,accesstopreferreditems,escape/avoidance,etc.)inordertoeffectivelyeliminateit.
TexasStatewideLeadershipforAutism Updated12/31/2009 1

STEPS
Thefollowingstepsshouldbeusedwhenimplementingafunctionalcommunicationapproach.
1. Identifywhythebehaviorisoccurringoftheproblembehaviorthrough(a)interviewwith
thestudent,teachers,andparents;(b)observationofthestudentonseveraloccasionsina
varietyofsettings;and(c)collectionofdataregardingthefrequencyandspecific
circumstancesunderwhichthebehavior/soccur.Atthispointahypothesisisformedabout
thecauseorfunctionofthebehavior.

2. Matchthefunctionofthebehaviortothemessageofthealternativecommunicationthat
willbetaught.Forexample,ifthefunctionofastudentstantrumisdeterminedtobe
escape/avoidance,offerthestudentaneffectivewaytosignaltheneedforabreak.

3. Prompttheuseofthecommunicationandreinforcethedesiredbehaviorwiththedesired
outcome(attention,accesstopreferreditems,breaks).UseABA/PBSandotherstrategiesto
supportthecommunicationofindividualswithautism(seeAppliedBehavior
Analysis/PositiveBehaviorSupports,EnvironmentalSupports).

4. Ignoretheproblembehaviorandprompttheuseoftheappropriatecommunication.
BRIEFEXAMPLE
Andrewisa10yearoldwithautismwhohasfewverbalskillsandcommunicatesbyusing
objectsinsteadofpictures.Hisspeechlanguagepathologistandparentswantedtoprovide
additionalcommunicationoptionsforhimathomeandatschool.Andrewsspeechlanguage
pathologistcreatedaWhatDidYouDoinSchoolToday?packetthatcontainedactualitems
representingAndrewsday.Attheendoftheday,Andrewandhisparaprofessionalreviewed
thepacket,andwhenAndrewgothome,hisparentsandhewereabletocommunicateabout
thedayseventsbyreferringtotheobjectsinthepacket.OneofAndrewsWhatDidYouDoin
SchoolToday?packetsappearsonthenextpage.


FromSavner,J.L.,&Myles,B.S.(2000).MakingvisualsupportsworkinthehomeandcommunityforindividualswithAsperger
Syndromeandautism.ShawneeMission,KS:AutismAspergerPublishingCompany.Reprintedwithpermission.
RESEARCHTABLE
Number Ages Sample Area(s)Addressed Outcome

of (year) Size
Studies
35* 415 121 Functionalcommunicationtraining,reductionof +
problembehaviors,pictureschedules,Picturelabels,
gesturalcommunication,selfinjury,taskcompletion,
escape
*Note:Includesmetaanalysis,butdoesnotincludeotherinterventionsidentifiedsimplyas
behavioralintheresearcharticleeventhoughtheyusedthefunctionalcommunicationtraining
steps.
STUDIESCITEDINRESEARCHTABLE
1. Olive,M.,Lang,R.,&Davis,T.(2008).Ananalysisoftheeffectsoffunctionalcommunication
andavoiceoutputcommunicationaidforachildwithautismspectrumdisorder.Research
inAutismSpectrumDisorders,2(2),223236.
Thepurposeofthisstudywastoexaminetheeffectsoffunctionalcommunicationtraining

andaVOCA(VoiceOutputCommunicationAid)onthechallengingbehaviorandlanguage
developmentofa4yearoldgirlwithautism.Theparticipantsmotherimplemented
modifiedfunctionalanalysis(FA)andinterventionproceduresathome.Amultipleprobe
designacrossactivitieswasusedtoanalyzeinterventioneffectiveness.Functional
CommunicationTrainingswithaVOCA(VoiceOutputCommunicationAid)successfully
decreasedchallengingbehaviorandincreasedVOCAuse.Asecondaryanalysisrevealed
increasedpronounuse.

2. Casey,S.D.,&Merical,C.L.(2006).Theuseoffunctionalcommunicationtrainingwithout
additionaltreatmentproceduresinaninclusiveschoolsetting.BehavioralDisorders,32,46
54.
Thepremisebehindfunctionalcommunicationtrainingistoreplacemaladaptivebehaviorswitha
communicativeresponsethatiseitherverbalorgestural.Suchresponsesarethefunctional
equivalentofthemaladaptiveorselfinjuriousbehaviorexceptthattheyaremoresocially
acceptable.Inorderforthistobesuccessful,thecommunicativeresponsemustbereinforced
heavilywhilethemaladaptiveorselfinjuriousbehaviorisreinforcedminimally,ifatall.One11
yearoldstudentparticipatedinthisstudy.Resultsshowedadecreaseinmaladaptiveorself
injuriousbehaviors.
3. Drager,K.,Postal,V.,Carrolus,L.,Castellano,M.,Gagliano,C.,&Glynn,J.(2006).Theeffect
ofaidedlanguagemodelingonsymbolcomprehensionandproductionintwopreschoolers
withautism.AmericanJournalofSpeechLanguagePathology,15,112126.
Two4yearoldswithautismparticipatedinthisstudytodeterminetheefficacyofAided
LanguageModeling(ALM;PictureCommunicationSystemsandnaturallanguagestrategies)
toimprovereceptivelanguagesymbolcomprehensionandproduction.Resultsindicated
thatALMisaneffectiveinterventiontoincreasebothsymbolcomprehensionand
production.Theeffectsweremaintainedoverthe37sessionsofthestudy.
4. Mancil,G.R.,Conroy,M.A.,Nakao,T.,&Alter,P.(2006).Functionalcommunicationtraining
inthenaturalenvironment:Apilotinvestigationwithayoungchildwithautismspectrum
disorder.EducationandTreatmentofChildren,29,615633.
Thisstudyexaminedfunctionalcommunicationtrainingforone4yearoldboyover60
sessions.Resultsdemonstratedareductioninmaladaptiveordisruptivebehaviors,an
increaseincommunication,andareductioninresponsetimetodistracters.
5. Martin,C.A.,Drasgow,E.,Halle,J.W.,&Brucker,J.M.(2005).Teachingachildwithautism
andseverelanguagedelaystoreject:Directandindirecteffectsoffunctionalcommunication
training.EducationalPsychology,25,287304.
Thestudyexaminedtheeffectsofdirectfunctionalcommunicationtraining,involving
prompting,differentialreinforcement,anderrorcorrectionprocedures,inteachinga10
yearoldchildwithautismtorejectitemsbytouchinganicon.Resultsindicatedthatthe
trainingwassuccessfulatreplacingpushingawaywithtouchinganicontorejectitems,butit
hadvariableeffectsontheotherbehaviorsservingarejectingfunction.



6. Schindler,H.,&Horner,R.(2005).Generalizedreductionofproblembehaviorofyoung
childrenwithautism:Buildingtranssituationalinteractions.AmericanJournalonMental
Retardation:110(1),3647.
Theeffectsoffunctionalcommunicationtrainingonthegeneralizedreductionofproblem
behaviorwiththree4to5yearoldchildrenwithautismandproblembehaviorwere
evaluated.Interventionsincorporatingfunctionalcommunicationtrainingreducedproblem
behaviorinonesetting.

7. Bopp,K.D.,Brown,K.E.,&Mirenda,P.(2004).Speechlanguagepathologistsrolesinthe
deliveryofpositivebehaviorsupportforindividualswithdevelopmentaldisabilities.
AmericanJournalofSpeechLanguagePathology,13,519.
Thismetaanalysisof14studieswith19participantswithautismexaminedtheefficacyof
functionalcommunicationtrainingwithalternativeoraugmentativecommunicationaswell
astheuseofvisualssuchaspictureschedules.Allofthestudiesshowedpositiveresultsin
reducingdisruptiveorproblematicbehaviorsandimprovingcommunication.However,there
werenoreportsofgeneralizationormaintenance.
8. Polirstok,S.R.,Dana,L.,Buono,S.,Mongelli,V.,&Trubia,G.(2003).Improvingfunctional
communicationskillsinadolescentsandyoungadultswithsevereautismusinggentle
teachingandpositiveapproaches.TopicsinLanguageDisorders,23,146153.
Thestudyexaminedthetherapeuticinterventionprogramforyoungadultswithsevere
autismattheOasiInstituteinTroina,Sicily.Theprogram,whichintegratesgentleteaching,
humanisticappliedbehavioranalysis,andfunctionalcommunicationtraining,valueshuman
interactionsandprovidesopportunitiestoacquirefunctionalskillsthrougherrorlesslearning
activities.Eighteenadolescentswithautismparticipatedinthestudy.Resultsofan18month
studyindicatedsignificantimprovementsinfunctionalcommunicationskillsandan
accompanyingreductioninmaladaptive/stereotypicbehaviorsintheenvironmentusing
gentleteachingandpositiveapproaches.
9. Delprato,D.J.(2001).Comparisonsofdiscretetrialandnormalizedbehavioralintervention
foryoungchildrenwithautism.JournalofAutismandDevelopmentalDisorders,31,315325.
Thestudyexaminedaseriesof10controlledstudiesinwhichtraditionaloperantbehavioral
procedureswerecomparedwithmorerecentlydevelopednormalizedinterventionsfor
teachinglanguagetoyoungchildrenwithautism.Inalleightstudieswithlanguagecriterion
responses,normalizedlanguagetrainingwasmoreeffectivethandiscretetrialtraining.
Furthermore,inthetwostudiesthatassessedparentalaffect,normalizedtreatmentyielded
morepositiveeffectthandiscretetrialtraining.Therewere63participantsinthese10
studies.


10. Braithwaite,K.L.,&Richdale,A.L.(2000).Functionalcommunicationtrainingtoreplace
challengingbehaviorsacrosstwobehavioraloutcomes.BehavioralInterventions,15,2136.
Thestudyexaminedtheeffectivenessofaninterventionthatincludedextinctionand
functionalcommunicationtrainingtoreducemultiplycontrolled,selfinjurious,and
aggressivebehaviorsina7yearoldboywithautisminaschoolsetting.Analysisof
behavioralantecedentsandconsequencessuggestedthatselfinjuryandaggressionserved
thedualbehavioraloutcomesofescapefromdifficulttasksandaccesstopreferredobjects.
Treatmentconsistedofteachingtheboyanalternaterequest,whilechallengingbehaviors
wereconcurrentlyplacedonextinction.Acquisitionofthealternaterequestswasassociated
withadecreasetozerolevelsofselfinjuryandaggressionacrossthetwobehavioral
outcomes,whichwasmaintainedwhena5seconddelaywasimplemented.Resultsshowed
thatchallengingbehaviorswithdifferentbehavioraloutcomescanbereplacedwith
functionallyequivalentcommunication.
11. Buffington,D.,Krantz,P.,McClannahan,L.,&Poulson,C.(1998).Proceduresforteaching
appropriategesturalcommunicationskillstochildrenwithautism.JournalofAutismand
DevelopmentalDisorders,28,535547.
Fourchildrenwithautism,ages46years,participatedin72sessionsdesignedtoincrease
appropriateuseofgesturalcommunicationwithverbalandnonverbalprompting.All
participantsincreasedtheirrateofappropriateresponses,andgeneralizationwasreported
acrossotherenvironments.

12. Lalli,J.S.,Casey,S.,&Kates,K.(1995).Reducingescapebehaviorandincreasingtask
completionwithfunctionalcommunicationtraining,extinction,andresponsechaining.
JournalofAppliedBehaviorAnalysis,28(3),261268.
Theeffectsoffunctionalcommunicationtraining,extinction,andresponsechainingon
participants(10,13,15yearsofage)escapebehaviorbyevaluatingtheeffectsofresponse
chainingfollowingtheimplementationoffunctionalcommunicationtraining.Participants
weretaughtanescaperesponseandthenaresponsechainingproceduretoincreasetheir
participationinthetask.Resultsshowedthatthetreatmentreducedratesofaberrant
behaviorandthatthechainingprocedurewaseffectiveindecreasingtheavailabilityof
escape.
13. Carr,E.G.,&Kemp,D.C.(1989).Functionalequivalenceofautisticleadingandpointing:
Analysisandtreatment.JournalofAutismandDevelopmentalDisorders,19,561578.
Alessdesirableformofrequesting,leadingwasaddressedbystrengtheningamore
desirableformofrequesting,pointing.Thestudywasconductedwith4children(aged3and
5yrs)withautism.Interventionincludedverbalandphysicalpromptingofthepointing
responseaswellastangiblereinforcementforchildinitiatedinstancesofthatresponse.
Verbalrequestingwasalsotaughttoaccompanythepointing.Followingintervention,
generalizationwasobserved.


REFERENCES
Bopp,K.D.,Brown,K.E.,&Mirenda,P.(2004).Speechlanguagepathologistsrolesinthe
deliveryofpositivebehaviorsupportforindividualswithdevelopmentaldisabilities.
AmericanJournalofSpeechLanguagePathology,13,519.
Braithwaite,K.L.,&Richdale,A.L.(2000).Functionalcommunicationtrainingtoreplace
challengingbehaviorsacrosstwobehavioraloutcomes.BehavioralInterventions,15,21
36.
Buffington,D.,Krantz,P.,McClannahan,L.,&Poulson,C.(1998).Proceduresforteaching
appropriategesturalcommunicationskillstochildrenwithautism.JournalofAutismand
DevelopmentalDisorders,28,535547.
Carbone, V., Lewis, L., SweeneyKerwin, E., Dixon, J., Louden, R., & Quinn, S. (2006). A
comparison of two approaches for teaching VB functions: Total communication vs.
vocalalone.JournalofSpeechLanguagePathologyandAppliedBehavioralAnalysis,1,
181191.
Carr, E. G., & Kemp, D. C. (1989). Functional equivalence of autistic leading and pointing:
Analysisandtreatment.JournalofAutismandDevelopmentalDisorders,19,561578.
Casey,S.D.,&Merical,C.L.(2006).Theuseoffunctionalcommunicationtrainingwithout
additionaltreatmentproceduresinaninclusiveschoolsetting.BehavioralDisorders,32,
4654.
Delprato,D.J.(2001).Comparisonsofdiscretetrialandnormalizedbehavioralinterventionfor
youngchildrenwithautism.JournalofAutismandDevelopmentalDisorders,31,315325.
Drager,K.,Postal,V.,Carrolus,L.,Castellano,M.,Gagliano,C.,&Glynn,J.(2006).Theeffectof
aidedlanguagemodelingonsymbolcomprehensionandproductionintwopreschoolers
withautism.AmericanJournalofSpeechLanguagePathology,15,112126.
Lalli, J. S., Casey, S., & Kates, K. (1995). Reducing escape behavior and increasing task
completionwithfunctionalcommunicationtraining,extinction,andresponsechaining.
JournalofAppliedBehaviorAnalysis,28(3),261268.
Mancil,G.R.,Conroy,M.A.,Nakao,T.,&Alter,P.(2006).Functionalcommunicationtrainingin
thenaturalenvironment:Apilotinvestigationwithayoungchildwithautismspectrum
disorder.EducationandTreatmentofChildren,29,615633.
Martin,C.A.,Drasgow,E.,Halle,J.W.,&Brucker,J.M.(2005).Teachingachildwithautismand
severelanguagedelaystoreject:Directandindirecteffectsoffunctionalcommunication
training.EducationalPsychology,25,287304.

Olive,M.,Lang,R.,&Davis,T.(2008).Ananalysisoftheeffectsoffunctionalcommunication
and a voice output communication aid for a child with autism spectrum disorder.
ResearchinAutismSpectrumDisorders,2(2),223236.
Polirstok, S. R., Dana, L., Buono, S., Mongelli, V., & Trubia, G. (2003). Improving functional
communication skills in adolescents and young adults with severe autism using gentle
teachingandpositiveapproaches.TopicsinLanguageDisorders,23,146153.
Schindler,H.,&Horner,R.(2005).Generalizedreductionofproblembehaviorofyoungchildren
with autism: Building transsituational interactions. American Journal on Mental
Retardation:110(1),3647.
RESOURCESANDMATERIALS
CenterontheSocialandEmotionalFoundationsforEarly
Learning:www.vanderbilt.edu/csefel/briefs/wwb11.html
Thissiteprovidespracticalinformationonfunctionalcommunicationskillsusedwithyoung
childrenwithAU.
FunctionalCommunication
Training:www.asatonline.org/resources/procedures/functional2.htm
ThiswebsitediscusseshowtoteachfunctionalcommunicationskillstostudentswithAU.
Durand,V.M.(2002).Severebehaviorproblems:Afunctionalcommunicationtraining
approach(Treatmentmanualforpractitioners).NewYork:GuilfordPress.
Thisarticleoffersinformationonteachingfunctionalcommunicationskills.
Preis,J.(2007).Strategiestopromoteadaptivecompetenceforstudentsontheautism
spectrum.SupportforLearning,22,1723.
Thisarticleoffersinformationonteachingfunctionalcommunicationskills.

GENERALRESOURCES
AutismInternetModules(AIM)www.autisminternetmodules.org
TheAutismInternetModulesweredevelopedwithoneaiminmind:tomake
comprehensive,uptodate,andusableinformationonautismaccessibleandapplicableto
educators,otherprofessionals,andfamilieswhosupportindividualswithautismspectrum
disorders(ASD).WrittenbyexpertsfromacrosstheU.S.,allonlinemodulesarefree,andare
designedtopromoteunderstandingof,respectfor,andequalityofpersonswithASD.
Currentmodulesare:
o AssessmentforIdentification

o HomeBase
o PeerMediatedInstructionandIntervention(PMII)
o PictureExchangeCommunicationSystem(PECS)
o PivotalResponseTraining(PRT)
o PreparingIndividualsforEmployment
o Reinforcement
o RestrictedPatternsofBehavior,Interests,andActivities
o SelfManagement
o SocialSupportsforTransitionAgedIndividuals
o StructuredTeaching
o StructuredWorkSystemsandActivityOrganization
o SupportingSuccessfulCompletionofHomework
o TheIncredible5PointScale
o TimeDelay
o TransitioningBetweenActivities
o VisualSupports

InteractiveCollaborativeAutismNetwork(iCAN)http://www.autismnetwork.org
iCANoffersfreeonlineinstructionalmodulesonautismspectrumdisorder(ASD).Modules
havebeendevelopedintheseareas:
o Characteristics
o Assessment
o AcademicInterventions
o BehavioralInterventions
o CommunicationInterventions
o EnvironmentalInterventions
o SocialInterventions
IndianaResourceCenterforAutism(IRCA)http://www.iidc.indiana.edu/irca/fmain1.html
TheIndianaResourceCenterforAutismstaffseffortsarefocusedonprovidingcommunities,
organizations,agencies,andfamilieswiththeknowledgeandskillstosupportchildrenandadultsin
typicalearlyintervention,school,community,work,andhomesettings.
o IRCAArticleshttp://www.iidc.indiana.edu/irca/ftrainpapers.html
o IRCAModules http://www.iidc.indiana.edu/irca/fmodules.html

TexasStatewideLeadershipforAutismwww.txautism.net
TheTexasStatewideLeadershipforAutisminconjunctionwiththenetworkofTexas
EducationServicecenterwithagrantfromtheTexasEducationAgencyhasdevelopeda
seriesoffreeonlinecoursesinautism.Pleasecheckthetraining
page,www.txautism.net/training.html,forupdatelistsofcourses,coursenumbersand
registrationinformation.Currentcoursesincludethefollowing:
o Autism101:TopTenPiecestothePuzzle
o Autismo101:Las10piezasprincipalesdelrompecabezas
o AspergerSyndrome101Online

o AspergerSyndrome101Online
o NavigatingtheSocialMaze:Supports&InterventionsforIndividualswithAutism
SpectrumDisorders
o Communication:ThePowerofCommunicationforIndividualswithAutism
SpectrumDisorders
o Communication:ThePowerofCommunicationforIndividualswithAutism
SpectrumDisorders

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TARGET:TEXASGUIDEFOREFFECTIVETEACHING

Number Ages Sample Area(s)Addressed Outcome

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