Dr. Amanda DiGangi is back, (with a new name) to share research updates on Play Based ABA. This webinar will give an outline of play and extend beyond her 2017 & 2019 talks with updated research and applications for play-based ABA.

As we see an increasing trend toward earlier diagnosis of children on the autism spectrum, we are also seeing an increased need for ABA therapy for all children with developmental disabilities and delays. Our field is growing and expanding in so many ways, yet young children with diagnoses other than ASD are being left behind due to limits on the insurance mandates for ABA therapy. This presentation, an expansion of the first two, will provide an overview of the benefits of a play-based approach for young learners and describe the components that mak e a play-based approach effective. Case studies on its use with infants as young as 4 months old as well as BST training for RBT fluency will also be shared. Dr. DiGangi will make the case for the importance of reaching more and more of your communities through service expansion beyond ASD, to other vulnerable populations. The presentation will outline basic types of play and their importance to overall development, as well as review some of the play deficits commonly seen in youngsters with autism, developmental disabilities, or developmental delays. Finally, the presentation will describe in detail how to conduct a play-based ABA program with a young child, the importance of family input and participation, data collection, and compare and contrast this approach with more traditional ABA programming.

About the Presenter

Amanda DiGangi
Dr. Amanda DiGangi is Clinical Professor and Associate Division Director in the Division of Educational Leadership and Innovation with the Mary Lou Fulton Teachers College. A Board Certified Behavior Analyst (BCBA-D), Amanda has been actively engaged in the field of Applied Behavior Analysis and Special Education across a variety of settings for more than 30 years. As a former special education teacher, Amanda collaborates with public schools on issues related to severe challenging behavior, classroom positive behavior interventions and supports, and programming for students with autism and other developmental disabilities. She has worked with individuals ages 4 months through adult and has provided training and supervision, face to face and online, for a wide range of participants. Amanda has taught graduate and undergraduate courses in special education and ABA for the last 25 years, specializing in the application of ABA to a variety of real world settings. Her research centers on the use of ABA with infants and toddlers with Down syndrome and play-based ABA for young children with autism. Her interests include particular focus on organizational behavior management (OBM) and application of OBM in school-based settings. She has recently earned a certificate in OBM and is completing a second masters in organizational leadership. A lifelong animal lover with a keen interest in applied animal behavior, Amanda regularly volunteers her time on the behavior team for a no-kill animal shelter as well as the behavioral observations team at the Arizona Center for Nature Conservation (Phoenix Zoo), and enjoys applying our phenomenal science in new and exciting ways.
Anonymous

Kudos to speaker for spending so much time discussing the developmental steps of play. Although my background is in developmental psych, the majority of professionals I work with do not understand the basics or the value of PLAY. Love it!

Anonymous

I thought this training was extremely important. I have worked with BCBA-SLPs on play chains and importance of engagement and interaction with children during play to comply with assent and engage them happily in therapy. This was another great explanation and dissemination of information and I continued to learn new skills because of this course

Anonymous

Loved this topic and the presenter

Gimba C.

A play based approach is a blend of the developmental approach and the behavioural approach. Telehealth presents a unique opportunity to teach parents of children on the spectrum and with developmental delays to play purposefully with their children.

Anonymous

Everything was good but some of the audio was fuzzy and incomprehensible. Videos were very helpful. Loved the honest comparison of traditional ABA vs. Play based ABA and how presenter conducted TI checks.

Lubna H.

I have some feedback regarding the course. Firstly, it would be beneficial if the course had closed caption (CC) subtitles available. Secondly, it would be helpful if the course provided a PDF document at the end that participants could download and print for further studying and learning purposes. Having a tangible document to refer to would enhance the learning experience and allow participants to review the material at their own pace. Lastly, it would be valuable to include a link or downloadable PDF that contains references to the studies mentioned in the presentation. This would enable participants to delve deeper into the subject matter and expand their knowledge beyond the scope of the training. Overall, these suggestions aim to enhance the learning experience and provide participants with additional resources to further their understanding and application of the course material. I would also like to mention the presenter's beautiful energy throughout the course. Her passion for the subject matter was evident, and it greatly contributed to the overall experience. Her positive demeanor and enthusiasm had a contagious effect, making the training enjoyable and inspiring. The training was highly informative, and one aspect that greatly contributed to this was the inclusion of video examples. The use of video content provided real-life demonstrations and practical applications of the concepts being taught. This visual representation enhanced the learning experience by allowing participants to see the principles in action and understand how they can be applied in various scenarios.

Anonymous

I can see that Amanda is a real expert in her field and I really appreciate her level of passion to help the kiddos, as she fondly refers to the children she works with. I like that she has a variety of approaches and ways to encourage children in adjusting behavior.

Christina B.

was very easy to understand! Great PowerPoint!

Anonymous

I enjoyed this course, the examples and real video clips!

Carrie V.

Great job! Walked away with great treatment ideas . Cant wait to implement them

Course information

  • Title: Play with Purpose
  • Presenter: Amanda DiGangi Ph.D., BCBA-D
  • CEUs: 2 Learning
  • Duration: 1 hour and 40 minutes
  • Customer Rating: (1509)
$39.00

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