Brief Biography

Lisa Cymbor, M.A., BCBA – Ms. Cymbor is a School Consultant with the Marcus Autism Center’s School Consultation Program. A Board Certified Behavior Analyst, Ms. Cymbor received her master’s in Applied Behavior Analysis from Pennsylvania State University of Harrisburg. Ms. Cymbor has variety of clinical experience working as a consultant for children with developmental disabilities in the home and school across several states including Georgia, Pennsylvania, and Arizona. She has been working extensively with the Marcus Autism Center's Model Classrooms and as a behavioral consultant. Additionally, she has served as a camp co-director for the Marcus Autism Center's 3-week social skills day camp and weeklong sleepaway camp for the past 2 years.

Chiara Cunningham, M.S., BCBA - Ms. Cunningham is a School Consultant with the Marcus Autism Center's School Consultation Program. A Board Certified Behavior Analyst, Ms. Cunningham received a master's degree in Psychology with a specialty in Applied Behavior Analysis from Florida State University. Ms. Cunningham has been consultant with Marcus's school program for over four years working extensively with the Marcus Autism Center's Model Classrooms and as a behavioral consultant. Additionally, she has served as a camp co-director for the Marcus Autism Center's 3-week social skills day camp and weeklong sleepaway camp for the past 3 years.

Highest Degree of Presenter(s)

Lisa Cymbor- M.A.

Chiara Cunningham, M.S.

Dana Zavatkay, Ph.D.

Presentation Abstract

Often times social skills are missed as a significant clinical need for children with high functioning autism when they are successful academically. Social skill deficits impact an individual’s ability to make meaningful friendships, to participate fully in a fully inclusive setting (e.g., public school), and to participate in community activities with their peers and family (e.g., sports events, restaurants, baseball/soccer games, etc.). This presentation will describe a model for providing social skills instruction to children with autism while fully included in a typical summer day camp program. This program was developed in partnership between the Marcus Autism Center and a community based summer day camp. The goal was to increase the rate of social interactions and participation in camp activities with typical peers similar to recess and specials in a school setting. Children with high functioning autism are often times observed seeking adult attention and engage in more conversation with adults during unstructured times. Therefore, the targeted social skills included peer engagement and peer participation. The interventions described will provide educators with useful tools to facilitate social interactions during unstructured times throughout the school day. Additionally, a data collection system was developed comparing social skills exhibited by each individual child with autism with same age, same gender typically developing peers. The intervention and data collection system will be outlined and case examples will be shown.

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Teaching Social Skills in the Community to Individuals with Autism

Often times social skills are missed as a significant clinical need for children with high functioning autism when they are successful academically. Social skill deficits impact an individual’s ability to make meaningful friendships, to participate fully in a fully inclusive setting (e.g., public school), and to participate in community activities with their peers and family (e.g., sports events, restaurants, baseball/soccer games, etc.). This presentation will describe a model for providing social skills instruction to children with autism while fully included in a typical summer day camp program. This program was developed in partnership between the Marcus Autism Center and a community based summer day camp. The goal was to increase the rate of social interactions and participation in camp activities with typical peers similar to recess and specials in a school setting. Children with high functioning autism are often times observed seeking adult attention and engage in more conversation with adults during unstructured times. Therefore, the targeted social skills included peer engagement and peer participation. The interventions described will provide educators with useful tools to facilitate social interactions during unstructured times throughout the school day. Additionally, a data collection system was developed comparing social skills exhibited by each individual child with autism with same age, same gender typically developing peers. The intervention and data collection system will be outlined and case examples will be shown.