March 23 Autism-Related Workshop Promotes Play and Language

MELBOURNE, FLA.—Florida Institute of Technology’s School of Psychology offers a free monthly workshop of particular interest to parents, educators and professionals who deal with the issues of autism. The March 23 workshop, “Promoting Play and Social Interactions via Activity Schedules and Scripts,” will be presented by Board Certified Behavior Analyst Alison Betz, assistant professor, Florida Tech College of Psychology and Liberal Arts. It is scheduled from 6:30 to 8 p.m. in the Scott Center for Autism Treatment Seminar Room.

Betz will review the use of an activity schedule to increase independent and group play, a research-based intervention that can be implemented for individuals of all ages and abilities. Implementing script training and activity schedules together or independently has been shown to successfully increase social initiations, peer interactions and produce more variable and less rigid verbal behavior.

This presentation will teach necessary prerequisite skills; schedule and script following; how to incorporate script training and activity schedules into natural environments, such as home and school; and how to fade scripts to promote independent language. Betz will also review the technologies that can be used.

 Upcoming workshops are set for April 27, “Understanding and Managing Challenging Behaviors;” May 18, “Research at the Scott Center by Graduate Students;” and June 22, “Science and Nonsense in Autism Treatment: How to Tell if What They’re Selling is What You’re Buying.”

The Seminar Room is located on the second floor of the Scott Center for Autism Treatment at the south end of the Florida Tech campus. Parking is available off Psychology Place, near University Boulevard.
For more information, contact the School of Psychology at (321) 674-8106 or

e-mail the center at thescottcenter@fit.edu.