Introduction

Autism Spectrum Disorder is a disorder of neural development

characterized by impaired social interaction and communication, and by
restricted and repetitive behaviour. Handling the educational needs of children
with autism remains a major challenge for us educators. The prevalence of
Autism Spectrum Disorder is on the rise and the Department of Education is
serious in attaining its goal of quality education for all. Educating children with
autism is an inevitable challenge because these children have characteristics
making them unique. Children with autism have severe and pervasive
impairment in thinking, feeling, language and the ability to relate to others that
directly affect learning. One has to develop expertise in this area to be able to
better understand these children, work with them and above all educate them
and make them functional and empowered members of the family, school and
community. Thus the expertise of an analyst with knowledge of ABA is one of
a biggest help for these children.
Applied Behaviour Analysis (ABA) is a psychological approach that uses
the theory of behaviourism to modify human behaviours as part of a learning or
treatment process. The behaviour analyst focuses on the observable
relationships of behaviour to the environment to the exclusion of what they call
“hypothetical constructs”- by functionally assessing the relationship between a
targeted behaviour and the environment, the methods of ABA can be used to
change that behaviour. The analyst used ABA to focus on behaviour of James
Armhand C. Basas for modification and recommendations.
The Subject (the focus of the case study)
As reflected in the Griffiths Mental Development Scales assessment by
the Developmental and Behavioral paediatrician, James is having an Intellectual
Disability severe to profound with autistic features and with seizure disorder
with non-verbal as the dominant language.
Intellectual disability (ID), once called mental retardation, is
characterized by below-average intelligence or mental ability and a lack of
skills necessary for day-to-day living. People with intellectual disabilities can
and do learn new skills, but they learn them more slowly.
“Buknoy” as he was fondly called by the members of the family was
born on January 4, 2010. He was the only child of Edcel C. Basas and Armando
L. Basas of Blk. Lt. 49, Soro-soro Ilaya, Batangas City. His chronological age is
9 years 6 months and 8 days. He is in Kinder Level with a class size ratio of 1:1
self-contained intervention group.
Intervention group with 6 hours per week as the length of program.James
travels with adult and with an adaptive Physical Education in school.