Instructional Practices, Priorities, and Preparedness for Educating Students With Autism and Intellectual Disability

2018 ◽  
Vol 34 (1) ◽  
pp. 3-14 ◽  
Author(s):  
Victoria F. Knight ◽  
Heartley B. Huber ◽  
Emily M. Kuntz ◽  
Erik W. Carter ◽  
A. Pablo Juarez
Keyword(s):  
Intellectual Disability ◽  
Instructional Practices ◽  
Special Educators ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Professional Judgment ◽  
Evidence Based ◽  
Wide Range ◽  
Students With Autism ◽  
Services And Supports ◽  
Instructional Decision

Improving educational outcomes for students with autism and intellectual disability requires delivering services and supports marked by evidence-based practices. We surveyed 535 special educators of students with autism and/or intellectual disability about (a) their implementation of 26 instructional practices, (b) their recent access to training and resources on those practices, (c) the factors they consider when deciding which practices to use, (d) the importance they place on various instructional areas (e.g., social skills, reading), and (e) their preparedness to provide that instruction. Although teachers reported implementing a wide range of evidence-based instructional practices, their recent access to training and resources was fairly limited. Special educators identified a constellation of factors informing their instructional decision making, placing emphasis on student needs and professional judgment. When considering instructional areas, a gap was evident between ratings of importance and preparedness. We address implications for strengthening professional development pathways and offer recommendations for future research.

Educator Knowledge and Preparedness for Educating Students With Autism in Public Schools

2021 ◽  
pp. 108835762198931
Author(s):  
Jennifer Hamrick ◽  
Mari Cerda ◽  
Cyndi O’Toole ◽  
Katherine Hagen-Collins
Keyword(s):  
Decision Making ◽  
Public Schools ◽  
Public Education ◽  
Instructional Practices ◽  
Special Educators ◽  
Evidence Based ◽  
Research To Practice ◽  
Evidence Based Practices ◽  
Students With Autism ◽  
Practice Gap

Use of evidence-based practices is important for the success of students in special education settings in public education. In total, 255 special educators in public education were surveyed about (a) use of instructional practices, (b) preparedness to use interventions, (c) access to training, (d) influences on decision-making, and (e) areas of need related to current roles. Results indicate a research-to-practice gap as educators reported using many practices not identified as evidence-based intervention when working with individuals with autism and intellectual disabilities. Information about access to training and the types of trainings educators were currently participating in was gathered. Educators also reported feeling inadequately prepared to use interventions.

Commentary on Carter, Stephenson and Strnadová's Reported Prevalence by Australian Special Educators of Evidence-Based Instructional Practices

2011 ◽  
Vol 35 (2) ◽  
pp. 220-225
Author(s):  
Ian Dempsey
Keyword(s):  
Instructional Practices ◽  
Formative Evaluation ◽  
Special Educators ◽  
Skills Training ◽  
Effect Sizes ◽  
Motor Training ◽  
Evidence Based ◽  
Australasian Journal ◽  
High Effect ◽  
Current Article

AbstractIn Volume 35, Issue 1 of the Australasian Journal of Special Education, Carter, Stephenson and Strnadová (2011) replicated a study by Burns and Ysseldyke (2009). In Carter et al.'s study, 194 Australian special educators were asked to rate the extent to which they used eight instructional practices. These practices were applied behaviour analysis, direct instruction, formative evaluation, mnemonic strategies, modality training, perceptual-motor training, psycholinguistic training, and social skills training. The first four of these practices had moderate to high effect sizes (and were regarded by the authors as more desirable techniques), and the final four practices had low effect sizes, on the basis of past meta-analytic research. Carter et al.'s findings were that while the Australian teachers used some desirable strategies relatively frequently, they also used some less desirable practices frequently and so desirable instructional practices should be encouraged at the expense of less effective practices. While these results are of interest, they also have the potential to mislead readers and later sections of the current article examine these potential misconceptions.

Evidence‐Based Practice in the Classroom: Evaluating a Procedure for Reducing Perseverative Requesting in an Adolescent with Autism and Severe Intellectual Disability

2008 ◽  
Vol 32 (1) ◽  
pp. 55-65
Author(s):  
Jeff Sigafoos ◽  
Jennifer Ganz ◽  
Mark O’Reilly ◽  
Giulio Lancioni
Keyword(s):  
Special Education ◽  
Intellectual Disability ◽  
Special Educators ◽  
Evidence Based Practice ◽  
Evidence Based ◽  
Individual Level ◽  
Severe Intellectual Disability ◽  
Speech Generating Device ◽  
The Individual ◽  
Response Interruption

Management of inappropriate behaviour is a major priority in special education. Evidence‐based practice dictates that interventions to reduce inappropriate behaviour should be evaluated at the individual level to demonstrate their efficacy in the classroom. This study illustrates the evaluation of an evidence‐based procedure (response interruption) for reducing perseverative requesting in an adolescent boy with autism and severe intellectual disability. The boy used a speech‐generating device to request snacks during baseline and response interruption conditions. During both conditions, the boy had to wait 30 seconds while the snack was being prepared. Requests that occurred during this wait interval were defined as perseverative. Intervention involved blocking perseverative requests and prompting the child to wait. An ABAB design was used to evaluate the effects of the response interruption procedure. The results demonstrated that response interruption effectively reduced perseverative requesting, while maintaining appropriate requesting at other times. The study illustrates how special educators might evaluate evidence‐based practice in the classroom.

Teaching Paraprofessionals to Implement Function-Based Interventions

2016 ◽  
Vol 32 (2) ◽  
pp. 114-123 ◽  
Author(s):  
Virginia L. Walker ◽  
Martha E. Snell
Keyword(s):  
Intellectual Disability ◽  
Challenging Behavior ◽  
Functional Behavior Assessment ◽  
Intervention Strategies ◽  
Behavior Assessment ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Appropriate Behavior ◽  
Functional Behavior ◽  
Workshop Training ◽  
Students With Autism

The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effects of workshops and coaching on paraprofessional implementation of function-based interventions. The results of indirect and direct functional behavior assessment guided the development of intervention strategies for three students with autism and intellectual disability. Following intervention, students’ appropriate behavior increased and challenging behavior decreased. In general, paraprofessionals implemented strategies with high levels of fidelity and judged both the coaching and workshop training procedures and student intervention strategies as socially valid. Implications for practice, limitations, and suggestions for future research are discussed.

Using Computer-Assisted Instruction to Teach Science Vocabulary to Students With Autism Spectrum Disorder and Intellectual Disability

2018 ◽  
Vol 37 (4) ◽  
pp. 207-218 ◽  
Author(s):  
Bethany R. McKissick ◽  
Luann Ley Davis ◽  
Fred Spooner ◽  
Larry B. Fisher ◽  
Carlie Graves
Keyword(s):  
Autism Spectrum Disorder ◽  
Intellectual Disability ◽  
Functional Relation ◽  
Autism Spectrum ◽  
Spectrum Disorder ◽  
Computer Assisted Instruction ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Computer Assisted ◽  
Students With Autism ◽  
Assisted Instruction

Rural special educators face unique challenges in providing high quality special education services, especially when teaching grade-aligned science content. Computer-assisted instruction (CAI) is one strategy that has the potential to address two major challenges (i.e., a lack of preservice training and limited professional development opportunities) in providing grade-aligned content instruction with fidelity. This study investigated the use of a CAI intervention package to teach three middle school students with autism spectrum disorder and intellectual disability the structure and function of five key elements of an amoeba. Results showed a functional relation between the number of correct responses made during probe sessions and introduction of the CAI intervention. Implications for practice and suggestions for future research are also discussed.

Examination of the Evidence Base for Using Visual Activity Schedules With Students With Intellectual Disability

2016 ◽  
Vol 51 (1) ◽  
pp. 14-26 ◽  
Author(s):  
Amy D. Spriggs ◽  
Pamela J. Mims ◽  
Wilhelmina van Dijk ◽  
Victoria F. Knight
Keyword(s):  
Intellectual Disability ◽  
Daily Living ◽  
Academic Skills ◽  
Evidence Base ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Evidence Based ◽  
Review Of The Literature ◽  
Activity Schedules ◽  
Visual Activity ◽  
Adolescents And Adults

We conducted a comprehensive review of the literature to establish the evidence base for using visual activity schedules (VAS) with individuals with intellectual disability. Literature published after 2005 was evaluated for quality using the criteria developed by Horner et al.; a total of 14 studies were included as acceptable. Findings suggest that VAS is an evidence-based practice for teaching a variety of daily living, navigation, vocational, recreation, and academic skills to adolescents and adults with intellectual disability. Results also show increases in independence and on-task behaviors. We conclude the article by discussing limitations and recommendations for future research.

Agreeing to Agree: A Response to Dempsey's Commentary on the Reported Prevalence by Australian Special Educators of Evidence-Based Instructional Practices

2011 ◽  
Vol 35 (2) ◽  
pp. 226-229 ◽  
Author(s):  
Mark Carter ◽  
Jennifer Stephenson ◽  
Iva Strnadová
Keyword(s):  
Instructional Practices ◽  
Special Educators ◽  
Evidence Based

AbstractDempsey (this issue) has provided a commentary on our study (Carter, Stephenson, & Strnadová, 2011) examining the reported rates of use of instructional practices by Australian special educators. Examining this commentary, it is evident that on many issues we are on the same page and agree on many of the fundamental conclusions to be drawn from the study. Nevertheless, Dempsey did express concern regarding several aspects of the reporting of the study, which were suggested to have the ‘potential to mislead’ readers. In essence, these criticisms revolve around four substantive points and these will each be addressed.

Improving the Use of Evidence-Based Instructional Practices for Paraprofessionals

2017 ◽  
Vol 33 (4) ◽  
pp. 206-216 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jennifer R. Ledford ◽  
Kathleen N. Zimmerman ◽  
Emilee R. Harbin ◽  
Sarah E. Ward
Keyword(s):  
Elementary School ◽  
Instructional Practices ◽  
Small Groups ◽  
Minority Groups ◽  
School Setting ◽  
Probe Design ◽  
Evidence Based ◽  
School Settings ◽  
Students With Autism ◽  
Multiple Probe

Coaching has been shown to improve the use of evidence-based instructional practices (EBIPs), but relatively few studies have been conducted to assess the effectiveness of coaching for adults belonging to minority groups and paraprofessionals in public elementary school settings. In this study, a multiple probe design across participants was used to assess the effectiveness of coaching and the provision of feedback on the use of prompting procedures and associated practices for three adults supporting three young students with autism in a self-contained elementary school setting. Results showed improved use of target practices and increased student engagement. More research is needed regarding the training and coaching of teaching teams and the use of evidence-based coaching and feedback practices to assist paraprofessionals in implementing EBIPs with small groups of students and in a variety of educational settings.

scholarly journals The Use of Signals in New-Venture Financing: A Review and Research Agenda

2020 ◽  
Vol 47 (1) ◽  
pp. 237-259 ◽  
Author(s):  
Oskar Colombo
Keyword(s):  
Research Agenda ◽  
New Venture ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Evidence Based ◽  
Integrative Framework ◽  
Body Of Knowledge ◽  
Wide Range ◽  
Venture Financing ◽  
Further Development

The use of signals to overcome information asymmetries and reduce the uncertainty inherent in resource acquisition has become a prominent theme in new-venture financing literature. In particular, the assessment of a wide range of different information signals, with the aim of conveying a venture’s quality and legitimacy to prospective investors, is receiving increased scholarly attention. With contributions from a broad spectrum of diverse research foci investigating interactions with distinct types of investors, the literature on entrepreneurial signaling in new-venture financing has become fragmented, and this is harming further development of the field. This study systematically reviews the different literature streams on entrepreneurial signaling to provide a more integrative framework, which can contribute to the cumulative and evidence-based body of knowledge about the role of entrepreneurial signaling in new-venture financing. Furthermore, the authors identify critical sender-, signal-, receiver-, and environment-related boundary conditions that influence the signaling effectiveness. In this way, the authors identify gaps in the existing literature and map directions for future research.

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