Implementing effective approaches to enhance social communication with peers in natural environments is critical to improving core deficits in communication, joint engagement, and play skills. This webinar will discuss how SLPs can provide peer-mediated interventions (PMIs) for the preschool and elementary school students on their caseloads. The course will highlight the key components of setting up the environment, recruiting and training peers, teaching a range of communication skills, and measuring child-peer social progress. The webinar will describe approaches for increasing intentional communication of nonverbal preschool children using AAC as well as basic communication and conversation skills for elementary-age students, with an emphasis on matching the intervention context and strategies to specific student skills and needs.

Learning Objectives:
You will be able to:

• describe important components of PMIs and how to recruit and train peers
• identify strategies to teach children with ASD and their peer partners specific social communication skills to increase reciprocity, engagement, and play skills
• identify data collection procedures and how to measure effects of approaches, including social validation of outcomes

What is Included?

You'll get online access to all the course content, including the full video, references, worksheets, and eManual, so you can access it from anywhere!

Assessment Type

Self-assessment—Think about what you learned and report on the Completion Form how you will use your new knowledge.