Fan-Yu Lin

Special Education Teacher Induction: The Wiki Way

Abstract In response to documented high rates of teacher attrition in special education, new special educators are encouraged or required to participate in induction/mentor programs. The present study reports on the use of university-initiated online support to supplement district induction programs. Participants included students who are currently or had been enrolled in a masters program in special education at a small, private university. A collaborative online writing environment, a wiki, was developed to connect colleagues, share knowledge and experiences, provide resources, promote question seeking, and encourage reflection in teaching. The culminating wiki included knowledge repositories, blogs, and various resources added by the researchers, students, and graduates. Thus, the university induction program supports a model of colleague mentoring in an online environment.

eLearning Technology: The Empowered Flashcard in Teacher Training

While behavior management has been one of the most essential domains in pre-service training, many teacher candidates were struggling with understanding and use of behavioral terminologies. Not only does factual knowledge fluency (accuracy plus speed) itself is an important response competence, but it also has a positive impact on retention and application. Daily one-minute paper-based flashcard practice has been shown to be effective in building up student competence in terminology identification. However, concerns regarding flashcard creation, durability, accessibility, and student motivation had been raised. An alternative web-based practice is designed to solve the challenges. This study proposed an instructional shift in adapting electronic flashcard in college teaching. Practical strategies and instructional considerations are also suggested.

Providing a supportive alternative education environment for at-risk students

ABSTRACT Many factors cause student disengagement from school that subsequently result in high dropout rates. Alternative education (AE) programs provide a different pathway for at-risk youths who do not meet the goals, standards, and requirements of traditional educational settings. However, educational agencies have vastly different interpretations regarding AE program components and operations. The absence of a consistent national protocol as to what components or criteria define an effective AE program causes confusion among practitioners and stakeholders. In the study being reported, a research-based multidimensional framework was established in the hope of building an operational AE program model.

Imitation fluency in a student with autism spectrum disorder: an experimental case study

Abstract Children with autism spectrum disorders need imitation due to its application for learning other behaviors. Behavior analysis has procedures for effectively teaching imitative behaviors. Imitation can only be considered mastered, however, when imitation of untaught behaviors occurs. To explore the relationship between taught and untaught imitative behaviors, Accuracy Building and Frequency Building to a Performance Criterion (FBPC) was provided to a four-year-old girl with autism. Twelve motor movements were taught during instructional sessions while another three remained untaught/unreinforced. The first set of three motor imitations occurred in the Accuracy Building condition where the child received prompts, corrections, and reinforcement. Upon achieving the exit criterion of 100% correct, the FBPC condition began and the participant built frequency, or practiced the taught imitative behaviors until meeting a performance criterion. Imitation of untaught behaviors was assessed in every third instructional session. A repeated acquisition design revealed the combination of Accuracy Building and FBPC led to the stimulus control of taught imitative behaviors. In addition, the behavioral fluency of taught imitations contributed to the steady growth of untaught behaviors indicating the participant had learned imitation.