Darlene H. Anderson

Video Self-Modeling on an iPad to Teach Functional Math Skills to Adolescents With Autism and Intellectual Disability

Researchers suggest that video-based interventions can provide increased opportunity for students with disabilities to acquire important academic and functional skills; however, little research exists regarding video-based interventions on the academic skills of students with autism and intellectual disability. We used a multiple-baseline-across-participants design to investigate the effects of video self-modeling (VSM) on the mathematics skill acquisition of adolescents with autism. Four adolescent male students viewed videos of themselves on an iPad solving mathematical problems to estimate the amount of money used to pay for a given item and the amount to receive in change. Findings support a functional relationship between VSM and performance on math skills for each participant. Subsequently, the VSM was systematically faded during maintenance sessions, with little deterioration of skill. Follow-up data probes were interpreted to conclude that student characteristics may affect retention of skill. Implications for practice and research are discussed.

Schoolwide Screening and Programs of Positive Behavior Support: Informing Universal Interventions

Researchers have suggested that screening, identification, and treatment are important components of comprehensive systems of positive behavior support. The authors highlight a procedure for using multiple data sources to develop strategies at the universal intervention level. Examples of schoolwide assessments include interviews, observations, focus groups, archival data, systematic screening for behavior disorders, and office disciplinary referrals. A descriptive summary of data collected in an elementary school illustrates an interpretive process that school teams could use before selecting universal interventions. A comparison of subjective and objective data collection methods suggests that varied data sources have differing implications for intervention planning. The authors underscore the benefits of integrating data before selecting universal interventions and include implications for research and practice.

Improving Social and Academic Outcomes for All Learners through the Use of Teacher Praise.

S tudents who frequently engage in problem behavior tend to disrupt teacher instruction and impede others’ learning, and they can seriously limit their own opportunities for academic and social success. The view that negative student–teacher interaction adversely impacts classroom climate is well documented (Conroy, Sutherland, Snyder, AlHendawi, & Vo, 2009; Shores, Gunter, & Jack, 1993). Classroom climate may be conceptualized as a continuum ranging from largely positive student– teacher relationships and frequent acknowledgement of appropriate behavior to unfriendly, less encouraging environments with coercive, confrontational relationships—with a variety of other possibilities in between (Howes, 2000). Although decreases in problem behavior do not necessarily mean that academic skills will improve without required instructional improvement (Nelson et al., 2009), inappropriate behaviors can significantly reduce the effects of high-quality teaching (Kennedy & Jolivette, 2008; Wehby, Lane, & Falk, 2003). According to Conroy et al. (2009), a positive and engaging classroom climate is one of the most influential tools teachers have to support children’s learning and prevent problem behavior. A number of research-based strategies can assist teachers in creating an environment that is both engaging and positive.

Teaching Adolescent Students With Learning Disabilities to Self-Advocate for Accommodations

In the general education classroom students with learning disabilities (LD) often need academic accommodations to be successful. These accommodations are typically selected and implemented by their general education teachers, not by the students themselves. High school students with LD were taught to recognize when an accommodation was needed, select the appropriate accommodation, request the accommodation, and then implement the accommodation in the general education classroom. To evaluate the effectiveness of the instruction, four students were observed in the general classroom.

Teaching Organizational Skills to Promote Academic Achievement in Behaviorally Challenged Students

Organizational difficulties are major obstacles for many students with learning and behavior problems (Minskoff & Allsopp, 2003). These students often neglect to separate notebooks into various subject areas, forget to bring necessary items to class, and stuff assignments randomly into their book bags and pockets. Students’ disorganization, including their inability to keep track of assignments and turn them in on time, can contribute to low grades and academic failure, particularly beginning in secondary school when teacher expectations are greater and supervision of students tends to be more limited than during the elementary years. Students with learning challenges may not acquire essential skills unless they are provided with systematic direct instruction (Minskoff & Allsopp, 2003); youth who fail to apply organizational skills may not have had the opportunity to acquire them through an explicit instructional approach (Bos & Vaughn, 2006). This oversight places struggling students at increased risk for unsatisfactory or failing grades and tends to heighten misperceptions of their academic performance in relation to that of their more successful peers (Young, West, Smith & Morgan, 1991).

Chapter 11 Behaviorism works in special education

ABA has been described as a precise psychological approach to the study of behavior (Bailey & Burch, 2002), involving well-defined principles that can be used in the analysis and modification of individual behavior (Miltenberger, 1997). Special education, on the contrary, has been characterized as “a customized instructional program designed to meet the unique needs of the individual learner” (Gargiulo, 2009, p. 9). Certainly the two disciplines have much in common; indeed, ABA specifically addresses issues at the focal point of IDEA. For instance, ABAs stance on the right to effective behavioral treatment (Van Houten et al., 1988) is similar to special education regulations regarding the right to an appropriate public education and the right to be educated in the least restrictive environment.

Addressing Problem Behavior at Recess Using Peer Praise Notes

School recess, though beneficial to students in many ways, can be a problematic setting due to inadequate supervision, structure, and safety. A peer praise note (PPN) intervention was implemented on the recess playground to address these concerns at a Title I elementary school. Researchers used a single-subject reversal design across all students to evaluate intervention effectiveness. Results included overall improvements in the level, trend, and variability of office discipline referrals (ODRs), especially from reversal to reinstatement of the intervention, and an effect size (percentage of data points exceeding the median; PEM) suggesting that PPNs effectively decreased ODRs. Results from social validity surveys completed by recess aides and students indicated participants’ perceptions that PPNs helped improve student behavior and peer relations, communicate playground rules, extend supervision responsibilities, and offer structured activity to peer praisers. Limitations, future research, and implications are addressed.

Reframing Outcomes for Students with Learning Disabilities: The Application of a Problem-Solving Approach

This chapter presents an over-review of the related literature and describes current findings in learning disabilities. Specifically, a definition of learning disabilities (LD) is provided, followed by a description of the prognosis for students identified with LD, predictors of success, factors in coping, and the relationship of LD to behavior. Methodologies are presented to effectively train teachers in the use of research-validated methodologies, particularly in the area of positive behavior support (PBS). The authors also explain how a problem-solving process, embedded within the framework of school-wide PBS, can help children with learning disabilities increase their chances of achieving success over time and across a broad range of environments. Case studies and an application process are included to support and guide teachers in their implementation efforts.