Everyone needs a voice. In language development, the mand (i.e. learning to make requests) is a significant milestone and is the only verbal operant that increases the likelihood that the speaker contacts reinforcement (Sundberg and Michael, 2001). Research has shown that increasing an individual’s ability to mand correlates with decreasing rates of problematic behavior. If individuals have a functional way to communicate their wants and needs, it reduces and can eliminate the need to use problematic behaviors to try to communicate (Cornelius Habarad, 2015). This webinar will cover errorless teaching of functional communication to use with your students with ASD. Prompting and reinforcement, used in errorless teaching, met the criteria set forth by the 2014 review of evidence-based practices through The National Professional Development Center for Autism Spectrum Disorder. Attendees will gain an understanding of how to utilize the student's motivation to increase learning opportunities and decrease problem behavior.
Meggin Funk is the Western Region Coordinator for the Nebraska ASD Network. She provides support to ASD Network referrals, birth-21. Meggin graduated from Chadron State College in 1998 with a B.A. in Social Psychology and Communications. She went on to receive her M.S.Ed in Communication Disorders from the University of Nebraska at Kearney in 2003. She completed coursework through Florida Institute of Technology toward becoming a BCBA. With her dual education and expertise in communication disorders and autism, Meggin supports, families, professionals, and school districts to build capacity in educating students with ASD. In her free time, Meggin enjoys being with her husband and three children, volunteering at a local youth center, and listening to great music.
Ashley Meyer is a Behavior Specialist for the Nebraska ASD Network. She received her B.A. in Psychology from the University of Nebraska-Lincoln and her M.Ed. in Special Education, Consultation, and Collaboration with an emphasis in Autism from Arizona State University. She is a Board Certified Behavior Analyst (BCBA) and has over 10 years of experience with using errorless teaching, prompting and fading, and reinforcement to increase skill acquisition and decrease problem behaviors with very young learners through adults. Outside of work, Ashley enjoys caring for her chickens with her boyfriend, hiking, and traveling.