Performance-Based Feedback to Enhance Preservice Teachers’ Practice and Preschool Children’s Expressive Communication

A multiple-probe, single-case design was used to determine the effect of delayed and immediate performance-based feedback on preservice teachers’ use of embedded learning opportunities, an evidence-based practice in early childhood special education, as well as focus children’s expressive communication and responses to preservice teachers’ practice. Results suggest delayed performance-based feedback improved preservice teachers’ practice, which was further enhanced when immediate feedback was used. Positive outcomes were observed across children for both their responses and overall expressive communication.

Download Full-text

Bug-in-Ear eCoaching: Impacts on Novice Early Childhood Special Education Teachers

Journal of Early Intervention ◽

10.1177/1053815117748692 ◽

2017 ◽

Vol 40 (1) ◽

pp. 87-103 ◽

Cited By ~ 9

Author(s):

Christan Grygas Coogle ◽

Jennifer R. Ottley ◽

Naomi L. Rahn ◽

Sloan Storie

Keyword(s):

Special Education ◽

Early Childhood ◽

Special Education Teachers ◽

Single Case ◽

Communication Strategies ◽

Early Childhood Special Education ◽

Single Case Design ◽

Communication Difficulties ◽

Multiple Probe ◽

Case Design

A multiple-probe, single-case design was used to determine the effects of bug-in-ear eCoaching on teachers’ use of two targeted naturalistic communication strategies and focus children’s responses to these strategies. Results indicated that bug-in-ear eCoaching enhanced teachers’ use of communication strategies and the appropriate responses of children with communication difficulties. Moreover, novice teachers reported that bug-in-ear eCoaching was a socially valid intervention.

Download Full-text

Performance-Based Feedback to Enhance Early Interventionist’s Practice and Caregiver and Child Outcomes

Topics in Early Childhood Special Education ◽

10.1177/0271121419831414 ◽

2019 ◽

Vol 39 (1) ◽

pp. 32-44

Author(s):

Christan Grygas Coogle ◽

Anne L. Larson ◽

Jennifer R. Ottley ◽

Amy Kennedy Root ◽

Hilary Bougher-Muckian

Keyword(s):

Single Case ◽

Child Outcomes ◽

Family Engagement ◽

Functional Relation ◽

Learning Opportunities ◽

Single Case Design ◽

Research And Practice ◽

Engagement Strategies ◽

Multiple Probe ◽

Case Design

We used a multiple-probe single-case design to determine whether there was a functional relation between peer-delivered, technology-enhanced, performance-based feedback (TEPF) and early intervention (EI) providers’ use of family engagement strategies and embedded learning opportunities. Participants included three coaches, three EI providers, three caregivers, and three children receiving EI services. Results suggest that although peer-delivered, TEPF did increase some of the EI providers’ practices, we did not observe a functional relation. Implications for future EI research and practice are discussed.

Download Full-text

Interventions Targeting Expressive Communication in Adults With Autism Spectrum Disorders: A Systematic Review

Journal of Speech Language and Hearing Research ◽

10.1044/2018_jslhr-l-18-0219 ◽

2019 ◽

Vol 62 (6) ◽

pp. 1959-1978

Author(s):

Kaitlyn P. Wilson ◽

Jessica R. Steinbrenner ◽

Tamar Kalandadze ◽

Lara Handler

Keyword(s):

Autism Spectrum Disorder ◽

Single Case ◽

Autism Spectrum ◽

Spectrum Disorder ◽

Single Case Design ◽

Adults With Autism ◽

Design Studies ◽

Group Design ◽

Expressive Communication ◽

Case Design

PurposeThe aims of this systematic review are to (a) synthesize the literature on interventions targeting expressive communication in adults with autism spectrum disorder and (b) evaluate the effectiveness of the interventions.MethodThe literature search resulted in 7,196 articles. The research team used 2 reviewers and consensus for title/abstract review, full-text review, and quality review. To be included, studies had to (a) include at least 1 adult (18 years of age and above) with an autism spectrum disorder; (b) examine an intervention, treatment, or model of care; (c) provide outcome data related to expressive communication modalities/domains; (d) be experimental or quasi-experimental; and (e) be published in English. Twenty-two studies (14 single-case design and 8 group design), with a total of 256 participants and varied interventions and outcome variables, met criteria for inclusion. Effect sizes are presented for group design studies, and visual analysis results are outlined for single-case design studies.ResultsExamination of treatment effects in the included studies showed positive effects, overall; however, there was great variability between studies. Single-case design studies showed evidence of functional relations in all but 1 study, with most showing medium to large effects, as well as maintenance and generalization of gains. Group design studies showed a wide range of effects from near-zero to large effects. Differences in intervention strategies and durations, as well as in participant characteristics and outcome measures, presented barriers to aggregation.ConclusionsThis review highlights the need for increased high-quality research examining interventions targeting expressive communication in adults with autism spectrum disorder and also pinpoints interventions with potential for future study and use in this population.

Download Full-text

A Parent-Implemented Gross Motor Intervention for Young Children with Disabilities

Journal of Early Intervention ◽

10.1177/1053815121993570 ◽

2021 ◽

pp. 105381512199357

Author(s):

Hsiu-Wen Yang ◽

Hedda Meadan ◽

Michaelene M. Ostrosky

Keyword(s):

Motor Development ◽

Children With Disabilities ◽

Single Case ◽

Single Case Design ◽

Gross Motor ◽

Gross Motor Skills ◽

Young Children With Disabilities ◽

Multiple Probe ◽

Parent Implementation ◽

Case Design

Children with disabilities often experience gross motor delays. Adults, including parents, can play a crucial role in supporting children’s motor development. However, a limited number of research studies have focused on building parents’ capacity to support their young children’s motor skill development. The purpose of this study was to examine the effects of a training and coaching program on parent implementation of prompting procedures and children’s gross motor skills. A multiple-probe single-case design across three parent–child dyads was used to evaluate the effectiveness of the intervention. The findings show that parents learned how to implement prompting procedures with high fidelity. In addition, the parents reported improvements in their children’s gross motor performance.

Download Full-text

Increasing Play Complexity in a Young Child With Autism

Focus on Autism and Other Developmental Disabilities ◽

10.1177/1088357618800493 ◽

2018 ◽

Vol 34 (2) ◽

pp. 81-90 ◽

Cited By ~ 1

Author(s):

Erin E. Barton ◽

Stephanie Gossett ◽

M. Caroline Waters ◽

Rebecca Murray ◽

Rachel Francis

Keyword(s):

Single Case ◽

Children With Autism ◽

Autism Spectrum ◽

Probe Design ◽

Contingent Reinforcement ◽

Single Case Design ◽

System Of Least Prompts ◽

Play Behaviors ◽

Multiple Probe ◽

Case Design

Young children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) demonstrate fewer and less varied play behaviors than children with typical development. This article describes two studies designed to increase two aspects of play complexity—diverse play actions and sequential play actions—in a child with ASD. In Study 1, we use a multitreatment single-case design to compare the use of the system of least prompts with contingent reinforcement for diverse play or all play. In Study 2, we used a multiple probe design to examine the relation between the system of least prompts with contingent reinforcement and the child’s use of play sequences. Across both studies, the complexity of play increased when specific aspects—diversity or sequences—were prompted and reinforced; however, the maintenance of effects were variable.

Download Full-text

Moving Forward Four Words at a Time: Effects of a Supplemental Preschool Vocabulary Intervention

Language Speech and Hearing Services in Schools ◽

10.1044/2019_lshss-19-00029 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 51 (1) ◽

pp. 165-175 ◽

Cited By ~ 2

Author(s):

Lindsey A. Peters-Sanders ◽

Elizabeth S. Kelley ◽

Christa Haring Biel ◽

Keri Madsen ◽

Xigrid Soto ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Group Intervention ◽

Single Case ◽

Single Case Design ◽

Vocabulary Intervention ◽

Iterative Development ◽

At Risk Children ◽

Before And After ◽

Child Friendly ◽

Interactive Lessons ◽

Case Design

Purpose This study evaluated the effects of an automated, small-group intervention designed to teach preschoolers challenging vocabulary words. Previous studies have provided evidence of efficacy. In this study, we evaluated the effects of the program after doubling the number of words taught from 2 to 4 words per book. Method Seventeen preschool children listened to 1 prerecorded book per week for 9 weeks. Each storybook had embedded, interactive lessons for 4 target vocabulary words. Each lesson provided repeated exposures to words and their definitions, child-friendly contexts, and multiple opportunities for children to respond verbally to instructional prompts. Participants were asked to define the weekly targeted vocabulary before and after intervention. A repeated acquisition single-case design was used to examine the effects of the books and embedded lessons on learning of target vocabulary words. Results Treatment effects were observed for all children across many of the books. Learning of at least 2 points (i.e., 1 word) was replicated for 74.5% of 149 books tested across the 17 participants. On average, children learned to define 47% of the target vocabulary words (17 out of 36). Conclusions Results support including 4 challenging words per book, as children learned substantially more words when 4 words were taught, in comparison to previous studies. Within an iterative development process, results of the current study take us 1 step closer to creating an optimal vocabulary intervention that supports the language development of at-risk children.

Download Full-text

Successful Implicit Vocabulary Intervention for Three Cantonese-Speaking Toddlers: A Replicated Single-Case Design

Journal of Speech Language and Hearing Research ◽

10.1044/2020_jslhr-20-00087 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 63 (12) ◽

pp. 4148-4161

Author(s):

Christine S.-Y. Ng ◽

Stephanie F. Stokes ◽

Mary Alt

Keyword(s):

Single Case ◽

Cross Cultural ◽

Neighborhood Density ◽

Expressive Vocabulary ◽

Single Case Design ◽

Vocabulary Intervention ◽

Phonological Neighborhood Density ◽

Phonological Neighborhood ◽

And Control ◽

Case Design

Purpose We report on a replicated single-case design study that measured the feasibility of an expressive vocabulary intervention for three Cantonese-speaking toddlers with small expressive lexicons relative to their age. The aim was to assess the cross-cultural and cross-linguistic feasibility of an intervention method developed for English-speaking children. Method A nonconcurrent multiple-baseline design was used with four baseline data points and 16 intervention sessions per participant. The intervention design incorporated implicit learning principles, high treatment dosage, and control of the phonological neighborhood density of the stimuli. The children (24–39 months) attended 7–9 weeks of twice weekly input-based treatment in which no explicit verbal production was required from the child. Each target word was provided as input a minimum of 64 times in at least two intervention sessions. Treatment feasibility was measured by comparison of how many of the target and control words the child produced across the intervention period, and parent-reported expressive vocabulary checklists were completed for comparison of pre- and postintervention child spoken vocabulary size. An omnibus effect size for the treatment effect of the number of target and control words produced across time was calculated using Kendall's Tau. Results There was a significant treatment effect for target words learned in intervention relative to baselines, and all children produced significantly more target than control words across the intervention period. The effect of phonological neighborhood density on expressive word production could not be evaluated because two of the three children learned all target words. Conclusion The results provide cross-cultural evidence of the feasibility of a model of intervention that incorporated a high-dosage, cross-situational statistical learning paradigm to teach spoken word production to children with small expressive lexicons.

Download Full-text