MALKA217 Early Intervention for Children with Pervasive Developmental Disorders Course description

Language of instruction: Norwegian

This course covers knowledge on (re)habilitation from an individual perspective and looks at (re)habilitation processes. Particular emphasis is placed on different understandings of disability, participation in valued activities and user involvement in the role of service recipient. Topics such as coping, life course, social inequality and communication in (re)habilitation processes are key aspects of the course. The course also deals with different approaches to assessment, goal setting, decision-making support and evaluation in individual (re)habilitation processes.

The changed role of the individual in the (re)habilitation process requires extensive knowledge and skills in user involvement on the part of professional practitioners. The course therefore places great emphasis on a nuanced understanding of how the (re)habilitation process is intertwined with the individual’s social circumstances and in their self-understanding.

The student must have been admitted to the Master’s Programme in Health Sciences.

On successful completion of the course, the student has the following learning outcomes classified as knowledge, skills and competence:

Knowledge

The student can

• describe the common elements of Early Intensive Behavioral Intervention, and discuss the pros and cons of different service delivery models
• discuss the outcomes reported in the literature, and the quality of the evidence for Early Intensive Behavioral Interventions and other interventions for Autism Spectrum Disorders.
• explain important predictors of outcome and describe quality control measures
• discuss the validity of the most commonly employed outcome measures
• describe commonly used assessment instruments
• describe the difference between standardized and non-standardized assessments
• discuss positive and negative aspects of Early Intensive Behavioral Intervention and explain arguments against applied behavior analysis and Early Intensive Behavioral Intervention proposed by the neurodiversity movement

Skills

The student can

• demonstrate and monitor Discrete Trial Teaching, Precision Teaching, shaping, chaining, and preference assessments

Competence

The student can

• discuss the application of intervention protocols for teaching listener responding
• discuss the application of Sufficient Exemplar Training
• discuss advanced considerations when teaching vocal imitation, assessments, target selection and procedures for teaching
• apply knowledge of single-case experimental designs in clinical settings, and give examples on how to achieve experimental control

The course will use varied, student-active work methods. Work and teaching methods include lectures, seminars, and group-based and individual assignments. Two teaching sessions are organised, each running over a period of three to four days. Between the sessions, the students will work on a written assignment that will be commented and discussed at the last session. Digital platforms will also be used for work between the sessions on campus. Students are expected to work actively on the written assignment between the sessions.

The following must have been approved in order for the student to take the examination:

• Minimum attendance of 80% at teaching sessions

Individual school examination, 3 hours. Exam questions are in English. Students may submit their exams in Norwegian, Swedish, Danish or English.

Authorized materials: Norwegian-English dictionary

Project examination in the form of a written work that is developed during the course. The work is carried out individually with a scope of 2,000-2,500 words or in pairs with a scope of 3,500 - 4,000 words. The student can choose between two or more set research questions.

Resit examination: If the student is awarded the grade F (fails the written assignment), he/she will be given one (1) opportunity to submit a reworked version.

All aids are permitted, as long as the rules for source referencing are complied with