Teaching Students with Autism Spectrum Disorders

Chapter Four Managing Challenging Behaviour
motivating for the student. Using a small food reinforcer can be
immediately consumed and highly motivating for a student. Other
tangible reinforcers can be a novel toy, stickers, an activity reward or
a short break from task demands. For any reward to be effective,
reinforcers for the desired behaviour must be given immediately. Also,
the behaviour must be rewarded frequently. Be prepared to revise or
change your reinforcer. Also, any tangible reinforcer should be of modest
expense.
Token economy
A system of reinforcement for desired behaviour can be set up, in
which receiving a token is contingent upon the student performing the
desired response. Tokens, which can be poker chips, tickets, or points
recorded on a form or graph, are earned by the student for completion
of tasks or other appropriate behaviour. Earned tokens are then “cashed
in” for designated reinforcers known to increase
behaviours for that student, such as tangibles (food or other desired
objects) or preferred activities (time on the computer, use of a Walkman,
or access to a favourite person).
Tokens can provide an immediate pay-off for the student, which
is a stronger reinforcer than waiting until the end of a class or day. A
token system is more effective than social reinforcers for some students
with ASD who do not respond to social reinforcers such as praise. When
using a token system, teachers should still pair the awarding of token
with praise so that the tokens can eventually be phased out and replaced
by more natural reinforcers in the student’s life. Use of a token system
as punishment, by removing tokens is not advisable. A practical
application of a token economy is to have a picture of the reinforcer
cut into pieces, as in a puzzle. Then the student is given one piece at
a time for displaying the target behaviour. When he has all the pieces,
the reinforcer is offered.
Shaping behaviour
Teaching the new acceptable behaviour may involve shaping the
behaviour so that approximations of the desired behaviour are reinforced.
Once the student is reinforced for an approximation of the desired
behaviour, reinforcement is only provided for closer approximations.
For example, if the goal is for a student to stay on task for 15 minutes,
the following shaping procedure might be used.
64 Teaching Students with Autism Spectrum Disorders