Lana Collet-Klingenberg

Evidence-Based Practices in Interventions for Children and Youth with Autism Spectrum Disorders

ABSTRACT Evidence-based practices (EBPs) are the basis on which teachers and other service providers are required to design educational programs for learners with autism spectrum disorders (ASD). As part of their work with the National Professional Development Center (NPDC) on ASD, researchers developed a process for reviewing the research literature and established criteria for identifying EBPs. In their review, they identified 24 focused intervention practices having sufficient evidence. In this article, the authors describe procedures for selecting specific EBPs appropriate for addressing specific IEP goals for learners with ASD. The authors emphasize the importance of systematic implementation of practices.

Using General-Case Instruction to Teach Spontaneous and Generalized Requests for Assistance to Learners with Severe Disabilities

The purpose of this study was to assess the effects of general-case instruction on spontaneous and generalized requests for assistance by three adolescents with severe disabilities. The findings support the efficacy of the general-case approach in relation to using a single example to teach requests for help. The distinguishing aspect of the general-case phase was the variation in stimulus conditions that occurred across teaching opportunities. Results indicated that general-case instruction produced generalized requests for assistance with two of the three learners. The implications for using general-case procedures for teaching communicative interactions are discussed and future research areas are proposed.