L. Juane Heflin

Enhancing Social Skills of Kindergarten Children with Autism through the Training of Multiple Peers as Tutors.

Many students with autism are being served in inclusive settings. Early intervention programs, traditionally home-based, are beginning to create center-based options which incorporate typically developing peers. One of the arguments for the use of inclusive programs is that students with autism will benefit from their exposure to and interactions with typical peers. Unfortunately, research suggests that in inclusive settings, typical peers and peers with autism do not always interact without prompting from an adult. This study used an ABAB design to determine if a peer buddy approach in which all students were trained to interact in dyads would increase non-adult-directed interactions. Data collected on the students with autism indicate that the peer buddy approach significantly increased their appropriate social interactions. Follow-up data on one of the students indicates generalization of appropriate social interactions to a new classroom.

Interventions for Children and Youth with Autism Prudent Choices in a World of Exaggerated Claims and Empty Promises. Part I : Intervention and Treatment Option Review

This article discusses intervention and treatment options being used with the population of children and youth who have autism spectrum disorders. The discussion includes interventions based on relationship formation, skill-based treatments, physiologically oriented interventions, and comprehensive educational and treatment programs. In a follow-up article, court decisions related to intervention options for students with autism are discussed, along with recommendations for choosing interventions and treatments that have the best chance of producing desired outcomes.

The Use of Social Stories to Promote Independent Behaviors in Novel Events for Children With PDD-NOS

This study investigated a previously undocumented use for Social Stories (Gray, 1994, 2000): preparation for a novel event. Three children With pervasive developmental disorder—not otherWise specified (PDD-NOS) participated in novel activities Within the routine setting of their Weekly speech—language therapy sessions. During intervention, Social Stories Written for the novel activities Were used to prepare the participants for the upcoming events. Independent participation during the novel events Was calculated using event recording of the presence of five different skills Within each session. The effectiveness of the strategy Was documented through a WithdraWal design With counterbalanced presentation of novel events. Results indicated that the use of Social Stories produced a 15% to 30% increase in participation during novel events for all three participants.

Teacher Training for Implementation of Teaching Strategies for Students With Autism Spectrum Disorders

Training received by teachers of students with autism spectrum disorders (ASD) in one southern state was investigated. Teachers (n = 90) reported training received via an online version of the Autism Treatment Survey. The most common type of training reported was attendance at a full- or half-day workshop; fewer than 15% reported receiving training from teacher preparation programs at colleges or universities. The types of training received did not predict the use of evidence-based practices. Individual factors related to training were not significant for education level, years of teaching students with ASD, and type of class (i.e., general or special education). The need for an increased role for personnel preparation programs for teachers of students with ASD is discussed.

Use of Self-Operated Auditory Prompts to Decrease Off-Task Behavior for a Student with Autism and Moderate Mental Retardation

The use of a self-operated auditory prompting system by a 12-year-old student with autism and moderate mental retardation to decrease inappropriate and off-task behavior was examined in two settings. The effectiveness of the prompting system was assessed using a multiple probe across settings design with an embedded withdrawal in each setting. An analysis of the data indicated a significant decrease in the number of teacher-delivered prompts required by the student to engage in appropriate behavior and remain on task. In this investigation, the self-operated auditory prompting system served as the stimulus control for the students appropriate and on-task behavior, its use generalized across settings without additional training, and it was successfully used by a student with autism and moderate mental retardation.

Establishing a Behavioral Context for Learning for Students with Autism

The principles of applied behavior analysis (ABA) have demonstrated utility for promoting learning and behavior change in students with autism spectrum disorders. ABA provides an effective technology and strong research substantiation for the systematic development of environments and methodologies that are conducive to learning. The physical and temporal environments must be managed to highlight salient stimuli and support the direct teaching and shaping of appropriate behavior while using clear antecedent cues and discriminative stimuli in a climate of reinforcement. Systematic instruction requires the use of empirically based techniques within a context of errorless learning, data-based individualization of instruction, predictability, consistency, and programmed generalization. ABA requires that noninferential assessment demonstrate a functional relationship between student outcomes and the context and strategies implemented.

Interventions for Children and Youth with Autism: Prudent Choices in a World of Exaggerated Claims and Empty Promises. Part II: Legal/Policy Analysis and Recommendations for Selecting Interventions and Treatments.

This article is a continuation of our discussion of intervention options for educating and treating children and youth with autism. In this article, we discuss court decisions related to intervention options for students with autism, along with recommendations for choosing interventions and treatments that have the best chance of producing desired outcomes and resolving disputes among professionals, parents, and advocates.

Using Self-Monitoring to Increase Attending to Task and Academic Accuracy in Children With Autism

This study was conducted to investigate the effectiveness of a self-monitoring procedure on increasing attending to task and academic accuracy in two elementary students with autism in their self-contained classroom. A multiple baseline across participants in two academic subject areas was used to assess the effectiveness of the intervention. Both students were taught to self-monitor in language arts and mathematics with measures of attending to task and academic accuracy being collected simultaneously. Results are interpreted to conclude that the self-monitoring procedure was effective for both students and resulted in immediate increases in attending to task and academic accuracy even though results in academic accuracy were variable. Social validity was documented by the increase in two behaviors relevant for student success (attending to task and academic accuracy) and greater student independence.

Issues, Policies, and Recommendations for Improving the Education of Learners With Autism Spectrum Disorders

Children and youth with autism spectrum disorders (ASD) create significant challenges to educators and the educational system not only based on their ever-increasing numbers but also because of the questions and debates surrounding how best to provide them an appropriate and effective education. These issues include the skills, knowledge, and professional credentials of educators who teach learners with ASD, which settings are best suited for their educational experiences, and what and how children and youth with ASD should be taught. In this article the authors address these three core elements that underpin the education of pupils with ASD and offer recommendations for improving the present system.

Concept Mastery Routines to Teach Social Skills to Elementary Children with High Functioning Autism.

Children with autism are included in general education classrooms for exposure to appropriate social models; however, simply placing children with autism with typical peers is insufficient for promoting desired gains in social skills. A multiple baseline design was used to explore the effects of concept mastery routines (CMR) on social skills for four elementary-age boys with high functioning autism. Visual and non-parametric analyses support the conclusion that small group instruction with typical peers via the CMR was effective for increasing responses, initiations, and recognition of emotional states. The skills taught in small groups generalized when the visual strategy of the completed concept diagram was taken to another setting. Most importantly, the four boys experienced improved social status following intervention.