Tara C. Moore

An Analysis of Preference Relative to Teacher Implementation of Intervention

The purpose of this study was to conduct a preference trial as a preliminary test of preference effects on teacher behavior relative to implementation (adoption, adherence, quality). Teachers were randomly assigned to “preference” or “no-preference” groups and then trained to implement the intervention. Direct observation occurred immediately after initial training, after 6 weeks of coaching support, and after 4 weeks of no support. Results showed that, when compared with the no-preference group, teachers who had the opportunity to exert a preference adopted the intervention sooner and sustained higher fidelity and quality of implementation independent of coaching. Furthermore, though most teachers in the no-preference group did adopt the intervention and demonstrate high fidelity following coaching, implementation did not sustain after the withdrawal of coaching.

Teaching Sight Words to Elementary Students With Intellectual Disability and Autism: A Comparison of Teacher-Directed Versus Computer-Assisted Simultaneous Prompting

The purpose of this study was to compare the effects of teacher-directed simultaneous prompting to computer-assisted simultaneous prompting for teaching sight words to 3 elementary school students with intellectual disability. Activities in the computer-assisted condition were designed with Intellitools Classroom Suite software whereas traditional materials (i.e., flashcards) were used in the teacher-directed condition. Treatment conditions were compared using an adapted alternating treatments design. Acquisition of sight words occurred in both conditions for all 3 participants; however, each participant either clearly responded better in the teacher-directed condition or reported a preference for the teacher-directed condition when performance was similar with computer-assisted instruction being more efficient. Practical implications and directions for future research are discussed.

Noncontingent Reinforcement to Improve Classroom Behavior of a Student With Developmental Disability

The purpose of this study was to examine the effects of a noncontingent reinforcement intervention package implemented by an interning teacher in a special education classroom to address disruptive behavior and task engagement for a third-grade, 8-year-old boy with developmental disability. Using a within-subject reversal design (A-B-A-B), a teacher interning in Max’s classroom delivered 3-min breaks (i.e., escape) from classroom tasks on a fixed-time 2-min interval schedule for five daily sessions during the first intervention phase and for five daily sessions during the reimplementation phase; breaks were not contingent on his behavior. The intervention package also included a reinforcement menu for the student to select daily from escape activities (i.e., preferred activities including swinging and taking a walk) and a picture prompt to provide a continuous, visual reminder of the upcoming reinforcer. Results indicated increases in task engagement and decreases in disruptive behavior during phases when the intervention was applied. Implications for future research and practice are discussed.

Preventing Disruptive Behavior via Classroom Management Validating the Color Wheel System in Kindergarten Classrooms

Evidence suggests that installing a classroom management system known as the Color Wheel reduced inappropriate behaviors and increased on-task behavior in second- and fourth-grade classrooms; however, no systematic studies of the Color Wheel had been disseminated targeting pre-school or kindergarten participants. To enhance our understanding of the Color Wheel System (CWS) as a prevention system, a multiple-baseline design was used to evaluate the effects of the Color Wheel on inappropriate vocalizations (IVs) in three general education kindergarten classrooms. Partial-interval time-sampling was used to record classwide IVs, which were operationally defined as any comment or vocal noise that was not solicited by the teacher. Time series graphs and effect size calculations suggest that the CWS caused immediate, large, and sustained decreases in IVs across the three classrooms. Teacher acceptability and interview data also supported the CWS. Implications related to prevention are discussed and directions for future research are provided.

Teacher Reports of Student Health and Its Influence on Students' School Performance

Physical health may be an important variable that influences students’ behavioral and academic performance in school settings. Poor health status is hypothesized to negatively influence student performance even in the presence of evidence-based practices. In this study, teachers reported their perceptions of students’ health status as well as their perceptions of the relation of health status to classroom performance and programming considerations for a sample (N = 217) of elementary and middle school students identified as exhibiting problem behaviors. Results indicated inconsistencies between teachers’ perceptions of student health and school programming considerations. Limitations are presented along with implications for future research and practice.

Evidence Review for Teacher Praise to Improve Students’ Classroom Behavior:

In this study, a systematic review was conducted to examine the evidence base for teacher praise for students without severe disabilities in K–12 classroom settings. Specifically, reviewers followed standards presented by the Council for Exceptional Children and the What Works Clearinghouse to evaluate the methodological quality of 30 studies meeting inclusion criteria. Only 11 studies were rated as being methodologically sound. The review team then classified effects of the 11 methodologically sound studies and provided an overall evidence-based classification for the practice using both sets of standards. Results indicated there is currently insufficient evidence to identify teacher praise as an evidence-based practice for this population of students. A further evaluation of this research base provided no discernable patterns for when and for whom teacher praise is likely to be effective. Implications for practice and future research are provided.

Brief Prompting to Improve Classroom Behavior: A First-Pass Intervention Option

Two studies were conducted to examine the effects of a brief prompting intervention (verbal and visual reminder of classroom rules) to improve classroom behavior for an elementary student during small-group reading instruction in a special education classroom (Study 1) and for three high school students with mild disabilities in an inclusive general education classroom (Study 2). Using within-participant reversal designs, the teachers provided brief reminders of behavioral expectations just before class. Teachers were instructed to respond to the students’ appropriate and inappropriate behaviors in a typical manner to ensure no programmed changes in the contingencies for student behavior. Results indicated improvements in classroom behavior for all four students, and teachers and students indicated positive perceptions about the intervention and its effects. Implications for future research and practice are discussed.

Does locus of control matter for achievement of high school students with disabilities? Evidence from Special Education Elementary Longitudinal Study

ABSTRACT This study aimed to investigate the association of locus of control (LOC) with reading and mathematics achievement of high school students with disabilities using data from the Special Education Elementary Longitudinal Study (SEELS). Data used in analysis for the current study included achievement and self-concepts measures from students with learning disability (n = 352), students with speech impairment (n = 112) and students with emotional disturbance (n = 220). Through hierarchical linear regression the authors evaluated LOC and its influence on reading and math achievement. Two reading measures (i.e. oral reading fluency, passage comprehension) and two math measures (i.e. calculation, applied problems) were examined, as well as the impacts of demographic factors (i.e. age, gender, ethnicity and socioeconomic status). Results showed that (a) negative correlations between LOC scale scores and achievement were identified for all three subgroups; (b) the correlation coefficients between LOC and achievement scores were similar across three subgroups; (c) the extent to which LOC and/or demographic factors influenced on achievement varied according to reading and math task, as well as disability category. Based on these findings, the role of LOC in improving academic achievement of students with disabilities and the implications to practise and future research were discussed.

Evaluating and Comparing the Effects of Group Contingencies on Mathematics Accuracy in a First-Grade Classroom: Class Average Criteria Versus Unknown Small-Group Average Criteria

Abstract An adapted alternating treatments design was used to evaluate and compare the effects of two group contingency interventions on mathematics assignment accuracy in an intact first-grade classroom. Both an interdependent contingency with class-average criteria (16 students) and a dependent contingency with criteria based on the average of a smaller, unknown, randomly selected group of students (4 students) were applied. For both contingencies, rewards and criteria were randomly selected and unknown to students. Results showed immediate, sustained, and meaningful improvements in mathematics assignment accuracy (from a class average of 64% to a class average above 83%) across both contingencies, with little differences between the two interventions. Social validity data suggest that the two teachers and the majority of the students preferred the small-group contingency. Discussion focuses on applied implications of the current results and directions for future research, including investigating side effects and idiosyncratic effects.

Teachers' Reported Knowledge and Implementation of Research-Based Classroom and Behavior Management Strategies.

Teachers’ reported knowledge about and implementation of research-based classroom and behavior management strategies were examined. A total of 160 elementary teachers from two districts in different regions of the same state completed the researcher-developed Survey of Classroom and Behavior Management. On average, teachers reported to be somewhat knowledgeable and to implement somewhat all of the 10 sets of research-based strategies included in the survey. Teachers appeared to be most knowledgeable and more frequently implement prevention practices but less knowledgeable and less frequently implement individualized behavioral intervention strategies. Teachers’ reported knowledge was correlated with their reported use of strategies. There was a significant difference in reported knowledge across the two districts. Implications are provided for areas of future research and for using the survey to identify targets for improved pre-service and inservice training and support.