Thread: TEACCH vs ABA

Originally Posted by Jens Agerskov

In all fairness I would expect TEACCH, Floor Time, Facilitated Communication to have positive reports of parents being pleased. TEACCH has done several studies that shows that parents are happy and that is one of their most prominent proofs used to claim effectiveness.

Here is a such account, and I have heard positive accounts as well - albeit, without quantifiable benefits.

[url="http://www.wrightslaw.com/advoc/ltrs/debate_teacch_lovaas.htm"]http://www.wrightslaw.com/advoc/ltrs/de ... lovaas.htm[/url]

Visual supports work for children period. Families are being told that ABA is the only evidenced based research they are totally wrong. What they fail to tell parents is that ABA is discrete trial in terrible programs. Yur child will be taught how to communicate self regulate by 20 year olds making 8 dollars an hour. You will have high turn over rate with staff. Your chidl's teeth will rot by the time they reach 3rd grade due to the constant candy edibles they will receive. Your child's ability to communicate any spontaneous expression without prompts will be non-existence. Your child will become totally dependent on adult support draining your families finances your schools your states your insurance and the federal government.
They are not being told that Autism is a social communication disorder and that noone with this background will be working with your child except the slp consultant 4 hours a month!
I consulted to a program in a school that for one year had a BCBA working with a child to alleviate aggressive behaviors. In two days I taught the child to express asking for a break, following school expectations and how to follow a visual schedule. Amazingly the child reduced his aggressive behaviors to once or twice a week. No rewards no candy no video games just teaching a child what his expectations were how to communicate and self regulate.
TEACCH is not the only method but when taught with SCERTS, Communication, whole child therapy, visual supports and pure respect it works! I work in RI where children are independent and have learned to read and write, care for themselves because they were involved in eclectic programs. Most of these children had aggressive behaviors. ABA programs expect all children to fit their mold-missing the idea of IEP's. I was told by a BCBA Supervier that she didnt think kids with Autism can feel joy so that putting them in groups or recreation programs would not work! Wow that's what you get for your $100 plus something an hour-stupidity. In MA at NECC and Nashoba Learning Center kids are not toilet trained, they cannot read, they do not communicate effectively, they are prompt dependent, cannot be a part of a group but they are compliant. (In fact just the other day a parent told me how compliant her son was as the male babysitter fondled him! Thank God he had behaviors when the man arrived at his house again because his ability to communicate without a prompt is diminished. Do we want a world of compliant adults that are prompt dependent and cannot self advocate or experience joy? I think not. We want socially competent adults who can care for themselves, self advocate and be life long learners. The CDC and Autism Society of America are pushing forth grants for new research on new strategies and the efficacy of ABA on adult programming. Thank Goodness! The CDC lists all research based strategies. Lovaas study by the way has never been replicated. I think if researchers can hand pick their subjects as was done with ABA we would see "recovery" everywhere.