This module is a celebration of families and what we can learn from them. The moving and thoughtful words of the families who made this module will help you to learn from the experience and understand the perspectives of the families that you work with.
On successful completion of this module, you will be able to:
– Understand the perspectives and experiences of families.
– Understand that there is no such thing as a difficult family.
– Explain the impact of stress on families.
– Understand and help to alleviate the difficulties that families may have as they transition into services.
– Help the people you support when there is a family illness or death.
– Improve how you communicate with families.
“Five Things You Can Do,” is a list of things you can think about and do when you are supporting a person whose behavior is troubling you.
This is not a list of “quick fix” strategies for stopping unwanted behavior. It is a list of ideas for uncovering the real things that a person might need so that you can be more supportive.
This module includes video presentations from David Pitonyak and Peter Leidy.
On successful completion of this module, you will be able to
– Explain the importance of getting to know the person.
– Understand that all behavior is meaningful.
– Describe the need for people to have a support plan.
The largest part of David Pitonyak’s work involves meeting people who are said to exhibit “difficult behaviors.” Most of these people exhibit difficult behaviors because they are misunderstood and/or because they are living lives that don’t make sense. Of they are lonely, powerless, or without joy. Often they feel devalued by others or lack the kinds of educational experiences that most of us take for granted. Too often their troubling behaviors are the result of an illness, or even a delayed response to traumatic events. You might say their behaviors are “messages” which can tell us important things about their lives. Learning to listen to the person’s difficult behaviors is the first step in helping the person to find a new (and healthier) story.
Peter Leidy has been learning from people with disabilities since 1983. Leidy is a consultant, facilitator, listener, learner, improviser, and speaker who focuses on personalized supports and community membership for people with disabilities. Leidy promotes positive support, inclusion, building healthy relationships and thinking differently about people who are called “challenging.”
Welcome to our latest module Intensive Interaction!
Intensive Interaction is an approach for teaching communication skills to people with autism and severe intellectual disabilities.
For these people who are still at early levels of development as communicators, Intensive Interaction progresses their abilities to interact, connect, and communicate with the people around them.
This module has been written by Dave Hewett and Graham Firth. This module features presentations from a range of leading professionals, including Dave Hewett, Graham Firth, Jan Gordon, and Ditte Rose Andersen.
On successful completion of this module, you will be able to:
Explain what Intensive Interaction is, whom it is for, and how it can help people.
Understand the fundamentals of communication and how Intensive Interaction can support their development.
Discuss the best practice approaches to providing quality Intensive Interaction interventions.
Explain how and why to record Intensive Interaction.
Describe how Intensive Interaction supports the needs of people who have autism.
Explain the organizational support you will need to implement Intensive Interaction with the people you support.
Answer concerns that others may have about age appropriateness and physical contact associated with Intensive Interaction practice.
