The use of the developmental individual difference relationship-based (DIR) model on a child with autism in the classroom environment

Children with Autism Spectrum Disorders (ASDs) often have difficulty learning to communicate ideas and emotions. Consequently, many new educational theories aimed at improving appropriate socialization and verbal communication skills are emerging for early intervention practices. Because children with ASDs will more willingly make attempts at communication when they are involved in meaningful interactions with caregivers, educational theories include the use of sensory-perceptive, social, and emotion-based language. The Developmental Individual Difference Relationship-Based (DIR) model aids the child in discovering his or her own intentionality and self-purpose, thus creating an intrinsic desire to communicate. The purpose of this study was to increase relevant utterances in an early elementary aged child with autism, using main components of the DIR model. The effects of the model were gauged on frequency and quality of expressive speech used during fifteen-minute sessions. One three-year- old child was selected t6 participate in this study, through the University of Central Florida Center for Autism and Related Disorders, Orlando, FL. Results indicated that the total number of utterances used did not increase with the implementation of the DIR model from Baseline Phase to Intervention Phase. However, the number of relevant utterances used did show a significant increase during Intervention phase, as total number of echolalic utterances decreased