Ms. Rao felt it was important that George learned to both initiate and complete tasks. Because Ms. Rao wanted George to learn different responses (i.e., different tasks), she focused on response generalization. She operationally defined a single objective to measure the efficacy of her generalization lessons:

• During structured work time, George will initiate and complete a task consisting of at least four steps on four consecutive school days per task, with five tasks total.

With his operationally-defined objective in mind, Ms. Rao needed to identify an instructional setting and method. Ms. Rao decided the individualized nature of the skill meant it would be best taught in a 1-1 setting. She decided she would use direct instruction to teach each skill over a period of days.

• Instructional Setting: One-on-one
• Instructional Method: Direct instruction

Ms. Rao knew that beginning and completing multi-step tasks was not naturally reinforcing, so she would have to contrive reinforcement to support generalization. She decided she would use George’s existing token system and a shaping and forward chaining procedure to teach George to generalize the skill. In other words, she would reinforce George first for initiating tasks independently, and would prompt subsequent steps of the task. Then, she would reinforce George for completing an increasing number of steps for each task independently. 

Ms. Rao also knew that visual schedules (i.e., visual supports) were an evidence-based practice for students with autism. She decided she would use a visual schedule to promote independence in each of the selected tasks. Finally, she would train George’s paraprofessional, Mr. Tristan, to prompt and reinforce the targeted skills in general education settings.

• Generalization Tactic: Train others to prompt and reinforce
• Support Strategy: Visual supports, prompting, reinforcement

Ms. Rao’s Lesson on “Initiating Tasks Independently and Completing Tasks / Assignments”

Preparing the Direct Instruction and Visual Supports

Prior to beginning his 1-1 direct instruction lessons, Ms. Rao identified five tasks consisting of at least four steps. She prepared simple visual schedules with images of each step of each task. She attached these visual supports to the top of George’s desk. Ms. Rao decided she would teach each task independently. When George met criteria for one task, she introduced the next task. Ms. Rao used the following instructional sequence:

1.) Ms. Rao used a forward chaining procedure to each skill. This meant that she taught tasks beginning with the first step and prompted all subsequent steps. For example, Ms. Rao operationalized a classroom cleaning task where George needed to (1) get cleaning wipes, (2) wipe the classroom tables, (3) stack the chairs on the tables, and (4) put away the cleaning wipes.

2.) Ms. Rao would say, “It’s the end of the day. Time to clean the room” or something similar (a natural cue to initiate and complete the multi-step task), and she would point to the visual schedule. If George initiated the task independently (e.g., he got cleaning wipes without being prompted), he would earn a token. 

3.) Then, Ms. Rao would use the least intrusive prompt to help George complete the subsequent steps of the task (steps 2-4). The least intrusive prompt was pointing to the visual schedule, but Ms. Rao used gestural prompts (e.g., pointing to the classroom table) when the visual supports were unsuccessful. 

4.)When George completed the first step of the task independently on four consecutive school days, Ms. Rao began reinforcing George only when he completed the first two steps of the task independently. She then used the least intrusive prompt to help George complete steps 3-4 of the task. Ms. Rao repeated this process until George initiated and completed the task with only the visual schedule for four consecutive school days.

Recruiting Support from the Paraprofessional

After George met criteria for the operationally-defined objective in the special education setting, Ms. Rao met with Mr. Tristan to teach him to prompt and reinforce the skill using George’s token system. Ms. Rao knew that many of the multi-step tasks she had taught George would also be relevant in the general education setting. She trained Mr. Tristan on the natural cues for initiating these tasks, and taught him the prompting and reinforcement procedures that would support George in completing these tasks.