Jo Webber

Problems With Personnel Preparation in Autism Spectrum Disorders

This article examines problems With the preparation of school personnel Who serve children With autism spectrum disorders (ASD). Several areas of concern are discussed, including the current teacher shortage and attrition among special education teachers, noncategorical versus categorical teacher training and the impact of each on teacher preparedness, lack of scope and depth of most autism training models, clashes in theoretical orientation that may negatively affect teacher training, and issues that may arise When undertrained teachers interact With parents. Recommendations are made for the improvement of personnel preparation for teachers of children With ASD, including specialized skills training, multiple approaches training, training personnel from various disciplines, training paraprofessionals and in-home trainers, training parents, providing technical assistance and support to teachers, and providing leadership and funding to promote and enhance personnel preparation in ASD.

Research on Self-Monitoring as a Behavior Management Technique in Special Education Classrooms: A Descriptive Review

Twenty-seven studies pertaining to the use of self-monitoring for behavior management purposes in special education classrooms were examined. The studies were described in detail, questions regarding the reactivity of self-monitoring were posited, and implications for classroom instruction were delineated. It was found that self-monitoring can be successfully used with special education students of various ages in various settings to increase (a) attention to task, (b) positive classroom behaviors, and (c) some social skills. It can also be successfully used to decrease inappropriate classroom behavior. Self-monitoring apparently has the additional benefit of enhancing the likelihood that positive classroom behaviors will generalize to other settings. Self-monitoring techniques are easy to teach and have great promise as a behavior management strategy. However, new information regarding whether self-monitoring is true self-management or self-regulation was not found in this review. It is recommended that further research he conducted to examine whether self-monitoring works better than teacher-monitoring to control student behavior and to determine whether internal or external contingencies account for the reactivity effects.

The Present Unwrapped: Change and Challenge in the Field of Behavioral Disorders.

This article examines the present state of affairs in the field of behavioral disorders. The case is made that the fields target population has changed dramatically for the worse over the past 25 years due primarily to the transformation of our society in an unfortunate manner. Because of long-term exposure to such risk factors as poverty, drug and alcohol use by caregivers, child neglect, social fragmentation, weak parenting practices, and violent images in the media, we have produced a generation of children and youth who are far more at risk for unhealthy lives than prior generations. Our societys responses to the damaging effects of these developments (e.g., school failure and dropout, delinquency, violent acts) have been characterized primarily by the use of punishing sanctions designed to teach vulnerable children and youth lessons of avoidance rather than to prevent these conditions or to habilitate the victims of them. Strategies are suggested for professionals to consider in advocating for new, proactive approaches in addressing these societal problems.

A comparison of three instructional methods for teaching math skills to secondary students with emotional/behavioral disorders

The purpose of this study was to determine the most effective of three instructional methods for teaching mathematics to secondary students with emotional and behavioral disorders. A single-subject alternating-treatments research design was used to compare three instructional methods: direct teach, computer-assisted instruction, and a combination of both methods. Disability label, age, and IQ were related to learning outcomes. In addition, although the combined method was more effective for some learners, variables such as attendance and motivation, as well as IQ, comorbid conditions, age, and number of years spent in school, affected learning outcomes.

Research on Interpersonal Problem-Solving Training A Review

This review assessed the efficacy of interpersonal problem-solving training in educational settings with children and youth with learning and behavior problems. Only studies with a clear metacognitive component were included. For each of the nine studies meeting selection criteria, descriptive summaries of the training were given. Findings indicate that although researchers were successful in demonstrating cognitive gains as a result of interpersonal problem-solving training, they were much less successful in demonstrating that cognitive gains were (a) subsequently applied to actual behavior or (b) generalized to other social behavior. Such findings call into question the basic premise of this literature—that interpersonal problem-solving training mediates social behavior and generalizes to other behaviors and settings. Based on the literature to date, recommendations for researchers and practitioners are offered.

A Challenging Future: Current Barriers and Recommended Action for Our Field.

More children and youth are developing emotional and behavioral disorders (EBD) while services are dwindling. Social factors, unsympathetic public policy, and ineffective educational programming are formidable barriers for those of us who care about and work with these young people. However, we cannot desist in our responsibility as professionals. Through expanded expertise and ardent advocacy, we can make a difference in these regressive trends. This article presents an overview of current forces impinging on the field of EBD and offers some recommendations for action.

Comprehending Youth Violence A Practicable Perspective

Over the past decade, criminal and violent acts committed by juveniles have increased dramatically. Several factors have contributed to this disturbing trend, including negative family situations, difficult individual characteristics, and societal factors. Because this problem is of so much concern to so many people, a myriad of programs, strategies, and policies have been suggested and implemented for the purpose of reducing youth violence. The literature is replete with program descriptions and global recommendations for schools, mental health agencies, juvenile justice agencies, and lawmakers. In fact, this wealth of literature has made it increasingly difficult for practitioners to decipher the true nature of youth violence and to analyze the responses. In order to assist practitioners in their task of coping with aggressive and violent youth, this article will apply a transactional-ecological framework to the problem of youth violence. By viewing this troublesome issue within a comprehensive framework, readers will be better equipped to understand the nature of the problem, to choose their own role in preventing and treating it, and to evaluate current recommendations.

Inclusion and Students with Emotional/Behavioral Disorders

Summary This article presents a point/counterpoint approach to the issue of full inclusion of all students with emotional/behavioral disorders. To set the stage for the discussion that follows, the academic, social, and behavioral characteristics of these students pertinent to classroom performance are reviewed. The pros and cons of these four issues are then presented: (a) appropriateness of the general education curriculum for students with EBD; (b) social acceptance and other social competence issues; (c) mental health interventions and supports in general education settings; and (d) legality of full inclusion. Under the legality issue, case law on full inclusion pertaining to students with EBD is briefly reviewed. The basic premise of the authors who are full inclusion opponents is that a continuum of placements, including full-time placement in general education classrooms, should be preserved so that decisions about appropriate settings can be made on an individual basis. The basic premise of the author who is a full inclusion proponent is that, rather than maintaining two separate systems, we should direct our energies toward correcting the inadequacies of the general education classroom for the benefit of all students, including those with EBD.

Using Rational-Emotive Therapy to Prevent Classroom Problems.

Do you frequently: ~ engage in conflict with one or more students? ~ feel intense emotions when interacting with your students? ~ feel tired? ~ feel depressed? ~ dread Monday morning every week? ~ begin counting the days until summer vacation on September 15th? ~ feel intense dislike for one or more of your students? ~ find that you are interacting with your students in ways that are not consistent with your values and beliefs? ~ feel afraid of your students? ~ have feelings of inadequacy? ~ feel victimized (unappreciated, attacked, controlled, abused, violated) by your students or the school system? ~ find yourself complaining about your students to others? ~ blame your studentsfor your own negativefeelings?

The Role of Developmental Histories in the Screening and Diagnosis of Autism Spectrum Disorders

The incidence of diagnosed cases of autism spectrum disorder (ASD) has increased dramatically over the past decade. This may indicate a larger population of individuals with ASD, and may also be the result of better diagnostic definitions and procedures. Early accurate diagnosis is particularly important for children with ASD because of the documented benefits of early educational interventions. One very important component of an ASD screening and diagnostic process is a developmental history. Not only can this type of information assist with diagnosis, but the process of interviewing parents and primary caretakers can provide opportunities for establishing a working alliance with the family, inform further assessment decisions, and facilitate treatment and intervention for coexisting and comorbid disorders. Both structured and semi-structured formats are available for obtaining developmental histories. Personnel who are assigned to obtain developmental histories need strong interviewing skills and extensive knowledge about the diagnostic indicators of ASD.