Community Participation

THE ASSESSMENT OF FUNCTIONAL LIVING SKILLS

(The AFLS™)

An assessment skills tracking system, and curriculum guide for skills that are essential for independence

Community Participation SIcllls Assessment Protocol

by

James W. Partington, Ph.D., BCBA-D

and

Michael M. Mueller, Ph.D., BCBA-D

May 2012

Version 1.1

Community Participation Siciiis Assessment Protocol An assessment, skills tracking system, and curriculum guide for skills that are essential for independence

May 2012 Version 1.1

Partington, James W., and Mueller, Michael M.

This book is intended to be sold only to individuals as a part of a two-book set that includes the Assessment of Fimctional Living Skills Guide (The AFLS”^^ Guide) or to individuals who have previously purchased The AFLST^i Guide. If you have obtained a copy of this AFLS’^’^’ Community Participation Skills Assessment Protocol without The AFLS”^’ Guide, you are advised to obtain a copy of it so that you will have a better understanding of the content of this AFLS”^’ Protocol and its intended purpose. The AFLS Guide provides critical information regarding how to conduct the assessment. It also contains important information regarding precautions that must be observed during the assessment process, when determining a learner’s current skill level, and when attempting to teach new functional skills.

The AFLS^^is an assessment tool based on a criterion-referenced set of skills that can demonstrate a learner’s current functional skill repertoire and provide tracking mfoi-mation for the progressive development of these skills throughout the lifespan. Although the skills listed in this tool are important life skills that will lead to greater levels of independent functioning, many individuals with developmental delays will not be able to learn and competently master all of these sldlls. Additionally, the attamment of all the skills by a person with a developmental disability does not mean that the individual will necessarily be able to live independently. This protocol is not a diagnostic tool and should not be used for determming diagnostic labels, eligibility for services, and should not be used as the sole source of information for educational decision making or placement. It is not within the scope of this instrument to determine the appropriateness of any educational goals and objectives, nor the priority of a learner’s needs. Rather, it is recommended that users confer with a trained and experienced professional to evaluate wliich skills can safely be directly assessed, to determine appropriate educational priorities, and to assist with teaching and other programming decisions.

Copyright © 2012 by Behavior Analysts, Inc. and Stimulus Publications ALL RIGHTS RESERVED

Printed in the United States of America

No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording or otherwise without the prior written permission of the publishers.

ISBN: 978-0-9847048-9-7

Publisiiers: Behavior Analysts, Inc. P.O. Box 23695 Pleasant Hill, CA 94523-0695 partingtonbehavioranalysts.com (925)210-9378 FAX (925) 210-0436

Stimulus Publications 2470 Windy Hill Rd., Suite 300 Marietta, GA 30067 mvw.stimuluspublications.com

(877) 221-6099 FAX (770) 956-2919

PLEASE READ THIS WARNING

It is very important that tlie user of this assessment protocol reads TheAFLS ‘ Guide prior to attempts to assess or teach any of the skills Usted in this protocol. Eveiyone faces some inherent risks while performing most daily activities. We come into contact with situations that require quick judgment, “reading” split-second sources of information while making decisions in complex situations, and weighing risks in order to avoid danger. From the time we wake in the morning until the time we go to bed at night, constant risk and danger is present, but avoided, for most of us because of our experiences, training, and cognitive abilities, hidividuals with autism and developmental delays face increased risks of injury because they might not be aware of, understand, or maintain focused attention during potentially dangerous situations or while performing certain activities. As such, caregivers must always be responsible for ensuring the safety of individuals with developmental delays. Some of the activities that are included in the assessment protocols may not be safe to directly assess for some individuals. Furthermore, attempts to assess or teach some of the skills may also have potential safety risks for the caregiver. Therefore, any attempt to determine a learner’s level of skills, or to teach such skills, must ensure the safety of both the learner and the caregiver. Your knowledge of the learner, the learner’s history, your own level of comfort in various situations, and common sense should help determine your approach. Never place a leamer at risk, even momentarily, to obtain assessment data.

BECAUSE SOME LEARNERS MAY NOT HAVE THE COGNITIVE SKILLS AND SUBSEQUENT JUDGEMENT ESSENTIAL FOR THEM TO BE ABLE TO SAFELY ENGAGE IN CERTAIN ACTIVITIES, SOME OE THE ITEMS IN THIS PROTOCOL MAY NOT BE APPROPRIATE TO DIRECTLY ASSESS OR TEACH TO SOME INDIVIDUALS. IT IS THE RESPONSIBILITY OE PARENTS, CAREGIVERS, AND TEACHERS TO ALWAYS ENSURE THAT AN INDIVIDUAL IS PROTECTED FROM HARM.

• DO NOT PLACE LEARNERS AT RISK

• DO NOT LEAVE LEARNERS UNATTENDED

• DO NOT EXPOSE LEARNERS TO DANGEROUS SITUATIONS

• CLOSELY SUPERVISE LEARNERS THROUGHOUT ENTIRE ASSESSMENT

Overview of The AFLS^’^

The Assessment of FimciiongI Living Skills (The AFL^^^) is an assessment, skills tracking system, and curriculum guide for the development of essential skills for achieving independence. Thus, contains task analyses of many of the skills essential for participation in a wide range of family, school, community, and work environments. The is comprised of multiple documents including The AFLS Guide and six unique assessment modules: Basic Living Skills, Home Skills, Cormnunity Participation Skills, School Skills, Vocational Skills, and Independent Living Skills. Each assessment module contains eight different skill areas to thoroughly assess the functional skills across a wide range of settings and throughout a learner’s lifespan. Finally, a forthcoming set of companion teaching manuals will contain task analyses, teaching strategies, and prompting techniques for each assessment module beneficial to optimize instruction of the skills in each area.

Functional skills are commonly thought of as skills that if not mastered by the learner, will have to be done for the learner. These are essential, practical, eveiyday skills of daily living. Although some functional skills are routine and even mundane at times, without the demonstration of these skills, a person is dependent on others for care. On the other hand, the more a learner can master, a greater level of independence is possible and additional opportunities open up in academic achievement, school options, academic placement choices, peer relations, social interactions, self reliance, self esteem, sports, leisure, community participation, living and housing aiTangements, job choices, etc. Every module of TheAFL^^ is designed to ensure that caregivers and professionals provide learners with the very best opportunities to learn how to do tasks for themselves in a broad array of real-world settings.

The AFL^^^ Giiide provides infoimation regarding the background, development, target populations, ages, and requirements for conducting the assessment. Descriptions and examples of the language used in the assessment, tenninology, and intent of different sections are described in The Oiiide and should be read prior to completing this assessment protocol. Most importantly, The AFL^^^ Guide provides detailed information required for conducting the assessment, accurately scoring the assessment, and completing the skills tracking giid for easy analysis and comparison of learner outcomes. The AFLS^^^ Guide also provides critical information regarding learner and caregiver safety. Additionally, The AFLS Guide provides strategies to assist parents, caregivers, educators, and other professionals to use the infoitnation obtained firom the completed assessment protocol to develop an effective individualized functional skills development program.

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About The AFLS™ Community Participation Skills

Assessment Protocol

The current assessment module, The AFLS Community Participation Skills Assessfnent Protocol provides caregivers and professionals with criterion-referenced information regarding a learner’s ability to be an active participant in a variety of community activities. These skills are essential in striving for independence and successfol functioning in a various settings such as restaurants, department and grocery stores, etc. There are eight skill areas covered in this module. They include Basic Mobility, Community Knowledge, Shopping, Eat in Public, Money, Phone, Time, and Social Awareness and Manners.

The AFLS Community Participation Skills Assessment Protocol reviews skills that, when acquired, will allow the learner to participate either independently or with others in shopping, eating at a variety of restaurants, and participating in recreational activities. Some of the important skills include having knowledge of community resources, expectations and norms for conduct in those settings as well as the ability to handle money, use a phone, tell time, and planning with a calendar to schedule activities and appointments. As these functional skills are attained, the learner will find it easier to access and enjoy community resources either independently or with family and friends.