VCU RRTC

Initiations, including question-asking, have often been suggested as a crucial variable in predicting positive long-term outcomes in individuals with autism spectrum disorder (ASD). However, children with ASD experience significant deficits in the quality and quantity of verbal and nonverbal initiations compared to typical language developers. This presentation will describe specific procedures for teaching verbal initiations to children with ASD and preliminary work using artificial intelligence (based on face-to-face interventions) to teach question-asking to adolescents and adults.

• High Leverage Practices: 1-6, 11-13, 19, 20
• Evidence-Based Practices:  PRT, modeling, reinforcement, naturalistic intervention