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.

Course information

  • Title: Play with Purpose
  • Presenter: Amanda DiGangi Ph.D.
  • CEUs: 2 Learning
  • Duration: 1 hour and 40 minutes
  • Customer Rating: (1463)
$39.00

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