Discrimination

ICON EXCHANGEDiscrimination Phases

Created By: Jennie ShooltzBehavior Analysis Training System

Western Michigan University

What is discrimination?

We’re not talking about race and gender, what we are referring to is being able to choose between a preferred item and a non preferred item. Which icon will get me something cool, and

which one will get me something crappy?

General Info

Always have the correct icon for each item If you do not have the correct icon, ask for it

Reinforce the response within ½ second Use a variety of tutors and items, both

prefered and non-prefered Tutor should set up for next trial while child

is engaging with the item Number of icons on bottom strip is phase

specific

General Info

Always have the correct icon for each item If you do not have the correct icon, ask for it

Reinforce the response within ½ second Use a variety of tutors and items, both

prefered and non-prefered Tutor should set up for next trial while child

is engaging with the item Number of icons on bottom strip is phase

specific

Remember kids: There should never be more than 4 icons on the bottom strip for discrimination phases

Preferred Vs. Non-preferred

A preferred item is an item the child consistently likes and eats/engages with for a 10 – 15 second interval Eating goldfish Putting a puzzle together Flipping through a book

A non-preferred item is an item the child consistently does not like, and will not engage in for the 10 – 15 second interval of time A spoon A shoe A piece of paper

Non-preferred Vs. Neutral Again a non-preferred item is an item the child

consistently does not like and rejects by either not taking it from you or pushing it away. Paper towel A sock

A neutral item is an item that is non-preferred but used functionally: Using a fork to eat Drinking from a cup Putting on a shoe

If you find a neutral item for your child do not use it in the discrimination trials.

Non-preferred Vs. Neutral Again a non-preferred item is an item the child

consistently does not like and rejects by either not taking it from you or pushing it away. Paper towel A sock

A neutral item is an item that is non-preferred but used functionally: Using a fork to eat Drinking from a cup Putting on a shoe

If you find a neutral item for your child do not use it in the discrimination trials.

Phases 3 and 3A

In phases 3 and 3A of the icon exchange, we start teaching the child how to discriminate between a reinforcing preferred item and a non-preferred item Previously the child always got something good

from exchanging the icon, now they have to look at the icons to make sure they are getting what they want

Bob Hope

Phases 3 and 3A

In phases 3 and 3A of the icon exchange, we start teaching the child how to discriminate between a reinforcing preferred item and a non-preferred item Previously the child always got something good

from exchanging the icon, now they have to look at the icons to make sure they are getting what they want

Question #1: What is the

maximum number of icons that can be on the bottom strip of the PECS book?

Enticing vs. Prompting

Enticing a child to “want” an item is different from prompting a child to ask for an item

Examples of prompting with an item: “WOW look at this COOL car!” “OOO this is a YUMMY cheeto!”

Examples of enticing with an item: Pretend to eat an edible without attending to

the child Play with the car by yourself

Enticing vs Prompting

Which is which?

Enticing vs Prompting

EnticingPro

mptin

g

What does an incorrect trial look like?

An incorrect trial happens when the child chooses a non-prefered icon and rejects it when it is presented to them Examples of rejection include:

Not taking the item from you Throwing the item Pushing the item away Dropping the item

If rejection of the item occurs, move into the 4 Step Error Correction

Tips for Emotional Responding In certain instances of rejection the child

may respond emotionally or aggressively If the child cries or tantrums:

Do not give the child a different prefered item to calm them

Work through the rest of the trial, giving prompts as needed

After completing the trial do as many ELOs as necessary to get compliance and move on to the next trial

If the child aggresses: Block it and continue to work through the trial After completing the trial do as many ELOs as

necessary to get compliance and move on to the next trial















Question #2: Which is an example of rejection?A. The child grabs the sock and makes a hand puppet.B. The child eats the cheetoh.C. The child ignores the item and pretends to sleep.

Phase 3

Allow the child to play with the preferred item for 10–15 seconds before the trial begins

1 preferred item and 1 non-preferred item is used Do preference assessments every few trials to

find both preferred and non-preferred items “OOO the new”

Reinforce the childs correct reaching response Make a reinforcing “OOO” sound as the child reaches

for the correct icon during the trial For incorrect trials go straight into the 4 Step

Error Correction

Question #3: The tutor silently reading a child’s book in

front of the child is an example of what? Question #4:

Exclaiming “VROOM VROOM, this car is so much FUN!” in front of the child is an example of what?

Phase 3A

Again allow the child to play with the reinforcer for 10-15 seconds or allow them to eat the edible

2 preferred icons and 1 non-preferred icon Pay attention to amount of icons used

Remember number of icons on bottom strip is phase specific

Do preference assessments every few trials No longer “OOO the new” For incorrect responses go directly into the 4

Step Error Correction

Question #5: If a child is given a sock and puts in on

his/her foot, what kind of item is it? A: Prefered B: Non-prefered C: Neutral

Question #6: What phase do we “OOO” the new?

The 4 Step Error Correction

Step 1: Model Step 2: Practice Step 3: Distract Step 4: Repeat

Step 1: Model

Gesturaly prompt to the correct icon If gestural prompt is

not effective, move to partial physical prompt and full physical prompt if necessary

That is all step one requires move on to step 2

Step 1: Model

Gesturaly prompt to the correct icon If gestural prompt is

not effective, move to partial physical prompt and full physical prompt if necessary

That is all step one requires move on to step 2

Step 2: Practice

Let the child give you the icon you prompted towards

Label item but do not give it to the child, this is just for practice

Move on to step 3

Step 3: Distract

Flip the book over and do an ELO: Clap hands Tap table Touch nose

Move on to step 4

Step 4: Repeat

Flip book back over Wait for the child to

make an independent response. Entice if necessary

If child makes incorrect response, repeat the 4 Step Error Correction

"If you go through the 4 step error correction 3 times in one trial, remove the incorrect icons so the child has to make a correct response during step 4"

What problems could occur?

Children’s preferences may change often If the child changes reinforcers often, make

sure you do frequent preference assessments to ensure that you have what the child will be motivated enough to ask for

Finding a non-prefered item can sometimes be difficult If you are having trouble finding a non-

prefered item, keep doing a preference assessment until you find one, or ask a supervisor for help






Question 7: What are the 4 steps

in the 4 Step Error Correction?No Motivation






Question 7: What are the 4 steps

in the 4 Step Error Correction?

Tips

Switch icon positions only after a correct trial on the initial trial DO NOT switch icons after a correct response

on the “repeat step” of the 4 Step Error Correction

After 3 incorrect initial trials, which include the 4 Step Error Correction, stop the procedure Continuing the procedure then punishes

responding

Tips




responding

Get a supervisor to code the data sheet, end that PECS session and move on using the reinforcer the child tried to grab for another procedure

Tips




responding

How should the supervisor code

it?

Tips




responding

Your supervisor should use the Implementation Problem code (IP) or the Off Task Code (OT)

Tips on Coding Data Sheet

The 4 step error correction cycle can be repeated up to a total of 3 times if necessary If you do complete 2 full cycles of the 4 step error

correction & the child still has not responded correctly, remove the incorrect icon and repeat the 4 steps so the child can only make a correct response. Replace the incorrect icon move on to the next initial trial

This means in 3 initial trials, if you had to go through the 4 step error correction you could have gone through a total of 9 cycles of 4 step error correction (3 full cycles for each of 3 initial trials)





Note: If you do 3 consecutive initial trials & have to go through the 4 step error correction each time, STOP THE PROCEDURE & GET IT CODED BY A SUPERVISOR





If you have to go through the 4 step error correction a few

times, you still only take data on the initital trials.

Example Data Sheet

What do we mean by the Initial Trial?

The initial trial is the chance when the child gets to independently make a response and choose what item they want. If they reject the item they chose only then do

you go into the 4 step error correction. Although the 4 step error correction comes

right after an incorrect response it is not part of the initial trial, it is the correction procedure When the child rejected the item they received a

– on the data sheet and that was the end of the initial trial.






So, if I start the initial trial and the child rejects the item, I mark the

data for the initial trial as - and do the 4 step error correction, with

the possibility of doing the 4 steps up to three times






That’s right!






Then what do I do?






You start the next initial

trial, and take your next data

mark.

4

4

4

3

3

3

2

2

2

1

1

1

4-Step Error CorrectionChild chooses icon

Correct on data sheetIncorrect on data sheet

Practice-Child exchanges preferred icon

-Label, but do not give item

Distract-Turn book over

-Do ELO

Repeat-Turn book back over

-Child independently chooses icon

-Label and give item

Model-Gestural prompt to preferred icon

Model Practice Distract Repeat


Go onto next trial

Go onto next trial

Go onto next trial

Do preference assessment

Go onto next trial

Rejects item

Rejects item

Accep

ts it

em

Accepts item

Accepts item

Rejects item

Accepts itemRejects ite

m

On repeat they get the treat!

TAKE DATA HERE

Read from top to bottom following

the arrows as necessary

Remove the incorrect icon and repeat the 4 steps

4

4

4

3

3

3

2

2

2

1

1

1

4-Step Error CorrectionChild chooses icon





-Do ELO



-Label and give item




Go onto next trial

Go onto next trial

Go onto next trial


Go onto next trial

Rejects item

Rejects item

Accep

ts it

em

Accepts item

Accepts item

Rejects item

Accepts itemRejects ite

m


TAKE DATA HERE


Phase 3B and 3C

Phases 3B and 3C teach discrimination between preferred items

For incorrect responses you still use the 4 Step Error Correction

Correspondence checks are necessary for 60% of the trials

Phase 3B and 3C




We do not label the items during correspondence checks in phases 3B and 3C

Phase 3B and 3C




What do I do during a

correspondence check?

Phase 3B and 3C




Instead we offer them both items at once to check that they want the item that

they did the icon exchange for

Correspondence Checks

After the icon exchange the tutor holds out both preferred items and says “Go ahead, take it” Trial is correct if the child chooses the item

corresponding to the icon they gave you Trial is incorrect if the child chooses the item that

does not correspond to the icon they gave you Block the incorrect response and go directly into the

4 Step Error Correction Start with pointing to the item the child should have

taken( Teach to their reach)







So we can label the

item during a

correspondence check

right?







Absolutely NOT!REMEMBER!!! We do not label the item

Phase 3B

2 preferred items Do correspondence check to make sure child

is discriminating between preferred items If the child chooses the item they didn’t ask for,

go into the 4 step error correction

Phase 3C

4 preferred items Do correspondence checks using all 4 items

For this phase it is easier to put the items on a bin lid so that they are spread out and easily accessible to the child

When items are not spread out and accessible, tutors can easily mistake which item the child is reaching for

Trial is correct when child chooses the item they asked for

Trial is incorrect if child chooses a different item then what they asked for Use 4 step error correction for incorrect trials

Phase 3C

4 preferred items Do correspondence checks using all 4 items

For this phase it is easier to put the items on a bin lid so that they are spread out and easily accessible to the child

When items are not spread out and accessible, tutors can easily mistake which item the child is reaching for

Trial is correct when child chooses the item they asked for

Trial is incorrect if child chooses a different item then what they asked for Use 4 step error correction for incorrect trials

Question 8: True of False: We label the item before saying “go ahead take it” during correspondence checks?

Question 9: True or False: You have to run 10 trails for every PECS session

Question 10: How often should you do correspondence checks in phases 3B and 3C? A: Never B: 20% of the trials C: 40% of the trials D: 60% of the trials

4

4

4

3

3

3

2

2

2

1

1

1

4-Step Error CorrectionChild chooses item





-Do ELO



-Correspondence check




Go onto next trial

Go onto next trial

Go onto next trial


Go onto next trial

Incorrect item

Incorrect item

Corre

ct it

em

Correct item

Correct item

Incorrect item

Chooses correct itemChooses incorrect ite

m


TAKE DATA HERE


Tips

Remember we do not take data on the 4 step error correction, we only take data on the initial trial Note: If you get three consecutive incorrect

responses on the initial trials, stop the procedure and get it coded by a supervisor

Still have questions?

Contact the Icon Exchange system manager: [email protected] or ask a Croyden supervisor.

mailto:[email protected]

Discrimination

Technology

reinforcing preferred

child cries

item awaydropping

booka nonpreferred item

nonpreferreda preferred

different prefered item

nonpreferred itempreviously

nonprefered icon