Registration is OPEN for 10th Speakers’ Series with Dr Andy Bondy

Posted on by Alastair Dodwell

Registration is now OPEN for our 10th Speakers' Series Event with Dr Andy Bondy.

Andy Bondy is president and co-founder of Pyramid Educational Consultants. Dr. Bondy is an innovative leader in the field of autism and applied behavior analysis. He directed a statewide public school system for students with autism for fourteen years. He is co-author of the PECS Training Manual. He also wrote the Pyramid Approach to Education, a training manual that offers an integrated orientation to developing effective educational environments blending applied behavior analysis with functional activities and creative communication strategies. Dr. Bondy received his MA and Ph.D. from the UNC Greensboro, and completed his clinical internship in 1976 at the University of Kansas Medical Center. Dr. Bondy has presented numerous papers, lectures and workshops in regional, national and international conferences and conventions on behavior analysis, PECS and the Pyramid Approach to Education. He has remained active in research and writing, and continues to develop new and innovative methods of helping children with autism and related developmental disorders.

Day 1: The Picture Exchange Communication System (PECS): Protocol, Evidence, and Myths

The Picture Exchange Communication System (PECS) is an evidence-based strategy developed by a behavior analyst and a speech-language pathologist and derived from Skinner’s analysis of verbal behavior (1957). This presentation will briefly describe how key elements of behavior analysis, organized by The Pyramid Approach to education, form the foundation of the PECS protocol. We will review the core six Phases of the protocol, as well as attributes. Key research regarding PECS from around the world, both single subject designs and RCTs, will be reviewed. Next, we will review some common misinterpretations and myths associated with PECS. Finally, we will discuss some of the important issues associated with transitioning from PECS to speech or SGDs.

Day 2: Evidence-based Communication Strategies in ASD – A Contrarian’s Perspective

A core deficit in Autism Spectrum Disorder involves communication. Issues arise regarding specific target skills, prerequisite and sequential factors, specific teaching strategies and modality, especially when working with very young children with ASD. This talk will review these issues, with particular emphasis on Skinner’s analysis of verbal behavior. We will review strategies both within and outside of the field of applied behavior analysis. We will review some recent concerns regarding modality selection (including the explosive use of SGDs) in terms of both logic and research regarding effective teaching strategies. We also will review the type of evidence that supports various strategy packages as well as modalities. Finally, we will review several recent publications and point out what is still missing from the evidence-based literature.

Learning Objectives

  • Describe the key phases of the PECS protocol.
  • Describe at least three common misconceptions about PECS and appropriate counter-points.
  • Describe key factors influencing transitioning from PECS to speech or an SGD.
  • Describe current factors limiting research regarding the use of SGDs in autism.
  • Describe key factors involving a behavioral analysis of prompt, cue, error correction and errorless-teaching strategies.

* The BACB does not warrant, endorse, sponsor, or approve or partner with this event, organization, or instructor.