Teleconsultation
What is Teleconsultation?
Video-Consultation (VC) is a web-based service, which offers help with challenging behavior, and enhances learning through suggestion of specific behavioral strategies. Our service has been helpful for children with Autism Spectrum Disorders (ASD), Attention Deficit Disorder Hyperactivity (ADD-H), and Intellectual Delay. Parents, therapists, and teachers work with their child in front of a web-camera and get immediate feedback. Behavior challenges, skill profiles and individual teaching targets are discussed and appropriate intervention methods are matched to the child and his social context.
Why is Teleconsultation useful?
Many children with Autism Spectrum Disorders (ASD), Intellectual Delay, and Attention Deficit Disorder do not receive the assistance they urgently need. Too often, there are long waiting lists for specialists, extensive travel is required, and the latest research findings for therapy and education are not available.
VC is a useful way to close these service gaps and to offer children, their families and involved professionals efficient and competent help, independent of their location. In many cases it complements the services provided by local practitioners. All those involved can ensure, through VC, that learning chances are not lost, that Best Practices are made available and that frustration levels do not increase daily.
Who can benefit from Video-Consultation?
Parents and other family members
- Immediate and effective help to reduce their child’s behavior problems, such as non-compliancy and self-stimulation
- Development of functional teaching targets based on the child’s skill profile and individual needs
- The convenience of getting expert assistance without the need to travel or wait for appointments whilst managing the child’s behavior
Therapists and other professionals
- Assurance that the consultations and therapies they provide are in line with Best Practice recommendation
- Motivated children and efficient therapy sessions can result from the Video-Consultation
How is it done?
- Once parents/family members, therapists, and other professionals indicate their interest in VC, they are contacted by us. In a phone- interview/email, the adequacy of VC is discussed and the focus of the consultation is determined.
- A detailed video-script is developed for brief, specific sessions with the child. Through web-cameras and Skype, we observe and comment on live sessions, conducted by parents/family-members or professionals with the child.
- In weekly or bi-monthly consultations, we offer alternative ways to deal with the observed behavior problem; help set up tasks, develop teaching material and recommend effective teaching methods.
For workshops, videotapes can either be sent before the workshop or brought along and discussed according to prior agreement.
Which scenes should be filmed?
After the first contact, we develop a specific video schedule based on the individual child and the focus of the consultation session. For best results, the recommended scenes and timing should be followed closely.
The following topics have been the most frequent focus of our consultations:
- Consultation for behavior problems
- The video-scenes should contribute to the understanding of the behavior problems as a basis for treatment.
- Development of an individual therapy plan
- Parents/therapists present tasks in short video segments.
- • Development of optimal therapy strategies and analysis of reinforcement
- This last focus is primarily directed at parents/professionals, who have a behavioral background or who have taken a respective workshop. For many of our clients the lecture of our training manual has been a valuable prerequisite.
What is the cost?
Consultation fees are in line with those charged by other local therapy services. Parents and therapists can request either single session or regular consultation/ supervision. When necessary, charges will be determinted on a case-by-case basis.
Most of our clients have access to high speed Internet and a web camera. Technical help can be provided in setting up Skype and life videoconferences.
Background
Vera Bernard-Opitz, Ph.D. (Assoc. Prof. (NUS) is a Board Certified Behavior Therapist (BCBA). She has worked as Clinical Psychologist and Behavior Therapist in Germany and Singapore and has been Parent Trainer and Assistant Director at a private school for children with ASD in San Diego. She presently works as international consultant and Editor of an American autism newsletter.
She has experience with more than 1000 children with Autism and other Developmental Disorders, having worked in special needs schools, child guidance centers, rehabilitation centers, and a university clinic. She has contributed many international publications and has written several books. Her latest book is a treatment manual focusing on ‘Children with Autism Spectrum Disorders: A Structured Teaching and Experience-Based Program for Therapists, Teachers, and Parent’. It has been translated from German and is currently in print at pro ed.
Where can I get more information?
Email: