By Jennifer Musolff, Ed.D, BCBA
Teaching functional living skills to individuals with autism and other developmental disabilities can feel overwhelming, especially when endless advice, programs, and methods pull you in different directions. A Focus on Functional Living Skills: A Handbook for Families, Caregivers, and Clinicians Caring for Those With Autism and Other Developmental Disabilities cuts through the noise with a clear, practical, and time-tested approach developed by Barber National Institute, a nationally recognized leader in supporting individuals with special needs.
This indispensable handbook equips families, caregivers, educators, and clinicians with the tools needed to confidently build independence at home, at school, and in the community. Grounded in real-world experience and decades of applied practice, it delivers step-by-step strategies that work.
Whether you’re new to this work or looking to refine your approach, this handbook offers a trusted roadmap backed by clinical expertise and real-life results. Let Barber National Institute guide you in making meaningful, measurable progress, one attainable skill at a time.
Call Barber National Institute with questions at (814) 878-4087 or debranuhfer@barberni.org
As parents of a non-verbal autistic child, our child’s path has been turbulent at times. Dr. Musloff’s handbook gives incredible examples of how to reinforce positive behaviors within our child’s day. These techniques are critical to helping him live as independently as possible. We believe that every parent with a child with developmental delays would find this handbook helpful in teaching daily living skills.
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Jennifer Musolff, Ed.D., BCBA, has extensive experience in the field of Applied Behavior Analysis supporting children with autism during a career that spans more than twenty years.
In her current role as a board-certified behavior analyst at Barber National Institute’s Elizabeth Lee Black School in Erie, PA, she develops and implements behavior intervention plans for students ages 3 – 21 with autism, intellectual disabilities or behavioral health challenges. She also provides training and consultation to professionals working in the field, and works with families on implementing behavior plans and strategies to benefit their children.
During her career, Dr. Musolff has held a number of positions including program supervisor for the acute partial hospitalization program at the Barber National Institute for students with challenging behavior health issues, and as a clinical supervisor in the Intensive Behavior Health Services.
Dr. Musolff also serves as an adjunct faculty in the Applied Behavior Analysis Program at Mercyhurst University, where she earned a master’s degree in special education. She was awarded a Doctor of Education from Youngstown State University.
Dr. Musolff is recognized for her dedication and finding rewards in the impact that she and her staff have on the lives of children, whether it is hearing a child with autism say his first word, make eye contact for the first time or tolerate everyday activities such as brushing his teeth. Even after challenging days, it is what moves her to “give her all” to her students. She is also the author of Effective Instruction for Children with Autism: An Applied Behavior Analytic Approach.
When trying to find information on how best to teach functional living skills to individuals with special needs, you will find a plethora of various resources on the topic. Although access to an abundance of information on any topic can be helpful, it can quickly become very overwhelming, especially when you don’t know where to start.
A Focus on Functional Living Skills: A Handbook for Families, Caregivers, and Clinicians Caring for Those With Autism and Other Developmental Disabilities offers clear, practical guidance to help caregivers and clinicians support individuals with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) and developmental disabilities in building independence and preparing for adulthood.
The goals of this handbook are to:
Functional living skills, also known as activities of daily living or adaptive behavior, are essential tasks for leading an independent and meaningful life. While many children learn these skills through observation and imitation, individuals with special needs often require targeted, intensive instruction to develop them and achieve independence.
Functional living skills, such as eating, toileting, dressing, and hygiene, are essential for independence and quality of life. While families are often the first to address these needs, individuals with special needs may require more intensive and specialized instruction than caregivers alone can provide. A collaborative approach involving trained professionals ensures that these skills are taught effectively and consistently.
Behavior Analysts
Occupational Therapists (OTs)
Speech-Language Pathologists (SLPs)
Special Education Teachers
Caregivers and Family Members
Supporting independence can feel overwhelming at first. Common questions include: When should I start teaching these skills? Which skills come first? How do I teach complex tasks?
This handbook is designed to answer the what, when, and how of teaching essential life skills to individuals with special needs. It offers clear, easy-to-follow steps that anyone can use — even when teaching complex skills — to help foster greater independence.
In this handbook, you will find the following information that will help you as you begin the important journey of increasing an individual’s independence in life.
Once you’ve identified which skills to teach, the next step is choosing how to teach them. It is often helpful to break the skill down into smaller, manageable steps, creating a task analysis. A task analysis outlines a sequence of steps that, when taught individually, lead to the successful completion of the skill.
Some task analyses are brief and highlight only key actions, while others are more detailed, depending on the learner’s skill level and needs.
Let’s look at an example of two different task analyses on washing hands:
The task analysis “Washing Hands #1” is appropriate for individuals who can perform many steps but need help with parts of the process. “Washing Hands #2” is more detailed and better for those who require support with each individual step.
To write a task analysis, imagine yourself performing the skill in slow motion. Ask: “What do I do first?” “Then what?” Continue step by step, writing down each part of the process. I often include detailed steps so that already mastered ones can be skipped, making the task analysis flexible and tailored to the learner’s needs.
To throw another complication into the process, there is often more than one way to perform a skill. Consider putting on a T-shirt. I once asked five different colleagues how they put on a T-shirt, and I received five different ways of completing this task!
When trying to determine how to write the task analysis, consider the following to help guide you:
When I wake up in the morning, the first thing I do is brush my teeth. I walk into the bathroom and open the medicine cabinet. I find my toothbrush and toothpaste, and I close the medicine cabinet door. I take the cap off the toothpaste and squeeze a small amount on my toothbrush. I put the toothpaste down and turn on the water. I wet my toothbrush and begin brushing my teeth, first the bottom teeth, then my top teeth. When I am finished, I spit in the sink, rinse off my toothbrush, and put everything back into the medicine cabinet. I wipe my mouth with a hand towel and turn off the light.
This is a basic process that is probably close to how you might brush your teeth too. Now consider this scenario in a task analysis format, keeping in mind that many of the steps can be broken down even more, if needed.
Once you have finished writing the task analysis, it may be helpful to read each step and have someone perform the steps as you read them. This way, you can “watch” what you wrote and highlight anything that needs to be added or changed.
This publication is not being sold for the purpose of rendering medical, clinical, therapeutic, or other professional advice or services. The information contained in this publication is provided for general informational and educational purposes only and may or may not reflect current instructional developments regarding Autism Spectrum Disorders. The information in this publication is subject to change at any time without notice and should not be relied upon as a substitute for individualized professional judgment or advice, including professional medical or healthcare advice. Neither Dr. Gertrude A. Barber Educational Institute, Inc., nor any of its affiliated or related entities, as publisher or distributor, makes any representations, guarantees, or warranties, express or implied, concerning the information in this publication. If medical advice or other professional assistance is required, the services of a qualified professional should be sought.
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