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Short Report: Initial Pilot Of A Brief Career Development Program For Autistic Young Adults, Samantha Cadondon, Meghan Dawson, Jeanne Anne Carriere, Amy Jane Griffiths, Jean-G. Gehricke

Education Faculty Articles and Research

Background

Many autistic young adults may struggle to progress to further education or employment after high school, highlighting the need for tailored career development programs. If provided with the proper resources and support, the obstacles faced by autistic youth in pursuing post-secondary activities may decrease.

Aims

This pilot study aimed to examine the feasibility and preliminary efficacy of a brief career development program consisting of a strengths and challenges intervention paired with a 12-week workshop intervention.

Methods and procedures

We studied the participants' changes in confidence and participation in pursuing post-secondary activities using a series of questionnaires in 20 participants, …

Systematic Literature Review Of Experiences And Supports For Students With Asd Post Hoc: Findings Regarding Diversity And Implications For Research And Educator Preparation, Eric J. Lopez, Mariya T. Davis

Special Education Faculty Publications

The following post hoc analysis examines cultural and/or linguistic information from a previous systematic literature review of 24 studies investigating demographic information, encounters, assists and suggestions of study participants enrolled in post-secondary education institutions with autism spectrum disorder (ASD). The analysis and discussion of results appeal for the need to not only include and focus on diversity but to refocus on cultural consciousness. Implications and future directions for research and for educator preparation programs are proposed.

A Course To Prepare Undergraduate Music Education Students For Teaching Autism Spectrum Disorder, Amanda Lynn Whitmer

Masters Theses

In the field of music education, Autism Spectrum Disorder has become an area of importance requiring more thought and intentionality from teachers than normal lesson planning expectations. Because music educator programs only offer courses that cover the whole spectrum of special needs and do not focus on autism specifically, music educators are finding themselves unprepared to create music lessons that can accommodate learners with such a unique spectrum of learning abilities. Many college curriculums offer special needs courses that focus on all aspects of special education that can be found in music education but very rarely for autism as a …

Administrators' Roles In The Use And Training Of Evidence-Based Practices For Students With Autism Spectrum Disorder, Selena J. Layden, Ann S. Maydosz, Teresa G. Crowson, Annemarie L. Horn, Amanda Faye Working

Communication Disorders & Special Education Faculty Publications

Federal mandates require special education teachers to use instructional practices grounded in scientific research. Accordingly, the National Professional Development Center on Autism Spectrum Disorder (NPDC) identified 27 evidence-based practices specific to teaching students with autism spectrum disorder (ASD; Wong et al., 2014). Though these practices have undergone a rigorous identification process, less is known about the level of training and confidence in implementation of these instructional practices by education professionals who work with students with ASD. Our study assessed education professionals' (including administrators, teachers, and related services personnel) ratings of their level of training, confidence in implementation, and frequency of …

Music And Autism Spectrum Disorder: Possible Effects On The Autistic Mind, Alexandra L. Ferro

Masters Theses

Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) is a known neurological disorder that directly affects an individual's ability to communicate and interact with others; ASD is diagnosed within the first three years of life. One of the most common forms of therapy or interventions used is music. Music incorporation can change in a format such as learning a specific instrument, singing, or simply dancing to promote physical activity to help brain stimulation and process the overall musical experience. Music has been a commonly used therapy or intervention for children diagnosed with ASD dating back to the mid-1940s. Those diagnosed with ASD have difficulty …

A Spectrum Of Tech: An Integrated Literature Review Of Technologies To Target Social Skills In Students With Autism Spectrum Disorders, Taylor Caldwell

Senior Honors Theses

Students with autism spectrum disorders (ASD) often have limited social or communication skills and, thus, need extra assistance in learning when and how to engage in appropriate interactions with those around them. However, because there are several different individual skills (e.g., joint attention, emotional expression, etc.) that fall under the categories of social and communication skills, and there are even more options of devices and programs to choose from within assistive technology (AT) and instructional technology (IT), it may seem daunting to find the right technology to meet a specific child’s needs and to determine whether that technology procedures lasting …

Analysis Of The School-To-Work Transition Of Young Adults With Autism Spectrum Disorder, Jessica Balistreri

Student Research

When immediately entering the labor market post-high school graduation, Transitional Age Youth with Autism Spectrum Disorder (TAY-ASD) face significant barriers to employment compared to both their disabled and non-disabled peers. With employment outcomes characterized by low wages, short work hours, and social isolation, TAY-ASD from low income households with lower levels of functioning face the greatest hardship in seeking employment after high school graduation. Current vocational rehabilitation (VR) programs show inefficiency in servicing individuals with the greatest need for assistance due to lack of program monitoring and little emphasis for post-secondary education (PSE) attainment. This study suggests that reform to …

The Experiences Of Sixth- Through Twelfth-Grade Students Identified As Having Autism Spectrum Disorder And Classified As Academically And Intellectually Gifted: A Multiple-Case Study, Callie Sa'dena Everett

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The purpose of this qualitative multi-case-study was to shed light on the lived experiences of students in sixth through twelfth grade who are identified with an autism spectrum disorder and academically or intellectually gifted. Four students along with his/her parents and teachers participated in this study. Each student and his/her parent(s) and teachers formed one case. The problem that this study sought to examine was the lived educational experiences of twice-exceptional students who have autism spectrum disorder and are academically gifted. The central research question addressed how students in sixth through twelfth grade who are identified with autism spectrum disorder …

What Is Happening To Individuals With Autism Spectrum Disorder (Asd) Who Compensate?, Nanan Nuraini

English Language Institute

Many treatments for individuals with ASD focus on shaping their behaviour to fit in society. As a result, they may look like typical individuals and able to get along in social life but they still have cognitive impairment. This phenomenon known as compensation. In addition to its benefits, there are also negative effects of compensation. However, studies show that the benefits of compensation outweigh the risks. Future research should focuses on shaping better environment or individuals with ASD.

Families First: Impact On Parent Knowledge, And Association Between Program Quality And Child Symptom Severity, Cibrian Johnson

Masters Theses & Specialist Projects

The Families First parenting workshops were developed for caregivers of children recently diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder (ASD). The primary site hosts inperson workshops, but webcasts the workshops to remote sites in different areas of the United States. The purpose of this study was to assess whether parents have an increase in knowledge after participating in Families First workshops at a remote site, and to assess whether program quality ratings and child symptom severity are associated with parent knowledge. The current study addressed the following research questions:

1. Do parents participating in the Families First workshops at a remote site …

Students With Autism Spectrum Disorders At A Hispanic Serving Institution: A Qualitative Case Study Of Students’ Experiences, Stephen P. Loynaz

FIU Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The present study focuses on the experiences of students with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) in higher education. It was important to conduct this study because of the rising numbers of students with ASD in higher education and the scant amount of research available about how to best serve them depending on their actual needs, not the perceived needs stated by experts based on research from K-12 student populations, or the perceived needs of these students stated by their parents or other service providers or faculty. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with nine students from a Hispanic-serving institution in the Southeast United …

Encapsulating Educational Design For Students With Autism Spectrum Disorder, Lauren Praeuner

Honors Theses

This paper is a thesis/creative project hybrid split into two parts. First, it examines different aspects of Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD), the symptoms experienced by those on the spectrum, and the guidelines that parents, medical professionals, and educators should follow to ensure a holistic approach to the care and education of children with autism. The text also notes some of the considerations that designers should review when designing educational facilities for these individuals, as well as few precedents that successfully do so. The second part of the paper presents my team’s architectural studio project, contributed to by UNL students Lindsay …

An Investigation Of Word Learning In The Presence Of Gaze: Evidence From School-Age Children With Typical Development Or Autism Spectrum Disorder, Janet Y. Bang, Aparna S. Nadig

Faculty Research, Scholarly, and Creative Activity

Little is understood about how children attend to and learn from gaze when learning new words, and whether gaze confers any benefits beyond word mapping. We examine whether 6- to 11-year-old typically-developing children (n = 43) and children with Autism Spectrum Disorder (n = 25) attend to and learn with gaze differently from another directional cue, an arrow cue. An eye-tracker recorded children’s attention to videos while they were taught novel words with a gaze cue or an arrow cue. Videos included objects when they were static or when they were manipulated to demonstrate the object’s function. Word learning was …

Research Briefs: The Effects Of A Computer-Aided Listening Comprehension Intervention On The Generalized Communication Of Students With Autism Spectrum Disorder And Intellectual Disability, Georgia Southern University

Research Briefs (2012-2019)

• The Effects of a Computer-Aided Listening Comprehension Intervention on the Generalized Communication of Students with Autism Spectrum Disorder and Intellectual Disability

Self-Efficacy Among Special Education Teachers Who Teach Students Diagnosed With Autism Spectrum Disorder, Pamella Tracy Hosley

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The purpose of this quantitative study is to determine the relationship between perceived self-efficacy and work engagement among teachers of students diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder (ASD). Self-Efficacy data will be gathered using the Ohio version of the Teachers’ Sense of Efficacy Scales (TSES-T) and the student engagement, classroom management and the instructional strategies sub-scales. Work engagement will be evaluated using the Utrecht Work Engagement Total Scale. Participants will be 66 special education teachers who teach students diagnosed with ASD. A bivariate correlational design employing a Pearson correlation analysis was used to determine if there is a significant relationship between …

A Transcendental Phenomenological Study On The Experiences Of Christian School Teachers Educating Students With Autism Spectrum Disorder, Gale Dionne Hall

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The purpose of this qualitative transcendental phenomenological study is to describe the experiences of 13 Christian school teachers, who for at least six months, educated students with ASD in three Christian Schools in Hampton Roads Virginia. While information is available for the experiences of public school educators, the experiences of Christian school teachers who educate students with ASD has yet to be examined. Thus, the central research question addressed how Christian school teachers describe their experiences with students with ASD and was guided by the theoretical framework of Milton Rokeach’s theory of organization and change within value systems. I obtained …

Dental Professionals' Preparedness To Manage The Behaviors Of Patients With Autism Spectrum Disorder During Dental Treatment: A Phenomenological Study, Kelli A. Trenga

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The purpose of this transcendental, phenomenological study was to explore the preparedness of dentists and dental hygienists to manage the behaviors of patients with ASD during their dental treatments. The research focused on 12 participants who were novice or experienced dentists or dental hygienists, representatives of three states, and chosen from snowball and criterion sampling. The study was grounded in the adult experiential learning theory and the disability model. Data collection included long interviews face-to-face or via phone, open-ended-online surveys, and document analysis. The data was analyzed through the process of Epoche, transcendental-phenomenological reduction, imaginative variation, synthesis of meanings, and …

A Phenomenological Study Of The Experiences Of Middle School Teachers Working With Girls With High Functioning Autism, Kelly Parton Alves

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The purpose of this transcendental phenomenological study was to describe the experiences of middle school teachers who work with girls with high functioning autism or autism spectrum disorder (ASD) in eastern North Carolina. The theory guiding this study was disability theory, also known as critical disability theory (CDT). CDT, as described by Pothier and Devlin, Garland-Thomson, Glynne-Owen, Oliver, and Siebers was appropriate for this study as it sought to embrace individuals with disabilities rather than seeing disabilities as a deficiency to be cured. Because girls with ASD represent a seldom-studied group, this study may add to the literature by examining …

A Phenomenological Study Of Elementary General Education Teachers' Experiences Teaching Students With Autism Spectrum Disorder, Patricia Massengale

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The purpose of this phenomenological study was to describe the experiences of elementary general education teachers instructing students diagnosed with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) in a suburban North Georgia inclusion setting. The four research questions that guided this study included (a) How do elementary general education teachers describe their experiences teaching students with ASD in their classrooms? (b) In what ways do teachers describe how the presence of students with ASD influence their beliefs regarding inclusion? (c) How do teachers describe the challenges they faced with students with ASD in the inclusion setting? and (d) How do teachers describe the …

A Case Study Of An Office Of Disability Support Services In Higher Education For Students With Autism Spectrum Disorder, Bunnie Loree Claxton

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The purpose of this qualitative case study is to identify the factors that impact learners with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) at a university in central Virginia. The theory guiding this study is disability theory as it seeks to explain the limitations placed on persons with disabilities. The central research question is: What factors of the disability support services impact learning in university students with ASD? The subquestions include: (a) How do students with ASD describe their experiences with the university’s disability support service offices? (b) How do university faculty describe their role in supporting students with ASD? (c) What factors …

The Mystery Of Autism: Parental Perspectives, David B. Ross, Elizabeth Vultaggio Salah

Faculty Articles

Research indicated that parents of children with autism spectrum disorder experience higher levels of stress than parents of children with other developmental disorders. Children with autism tend to exhibit problematic behaviors as a result of their inability to communicate effectively. Parents of children with autism find it challenging to determine the reasons for these behaviors. Since researchers have confirmed the presence of stress associated with caring for a child with autism, coping strategies can essentially elevate high stress levels that can lead to depression. Children with autism spectrum disorders may have multiple disabilities that can cause an even greater challenge …

Defining Success For Students With Autism Spectrum Disorder: Social Academic Behavior In General Education Secondary Classes, Elizabeth L.W. Mckenney, Catherine Stachniak, Jordan Albright, Jeremy Jewell, Julie Dorencz

SIUE Faculty Research, Scholarship, and Creative Activity

An exploratory, observation-based study sought to strengthen understanding of the development of social communication skills that facilitate academic success, particularly within general education settings. Sixteen middle and high school students with Autism Spectrum Disorders (ASD), all of whom participated in at least one period per day of core academic instruction in a general education classroom, were observed over a period of one to three months each. Frequencies of five appropriate and three inappropriate social academic behaviors are described, in terms of their relative frequencies to one another, and their overall consistency over the course of observations. Students observed were more …

Parental Concerns Surrounding The Care And Education Of Military Dependent Children With Autism: A Phenomenological Study, Charles Tidwell

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

Autism continues to be a growing concern in America and there is indication that the rate of autism among the sub-population of military dependent children is potentially higher than the general public. This hermeneutic phenomenological study focused on the concerns and experiences of parents of military families raising and educating their children with autism. Data was collected from nine military families across the United States. Six fathers and seven mothers participated through an initial questionnaire, interview, and a written reflective timeline. Findings demonstrated the stress, strain and sacrifice of families serving in the military with children with autism. Continuity of …

Experiences Of Neurotypical Siblings Of Children With An Autism Spectrum Disorder: A Qualitative Exploration, Stacie R. Keirsey

Antioch University Dissertations & Theses

In recent years, the diagnosis of autism spectrum disorder (ASD) has been on the rise, prompting a simultaneous increase in scientific study regarding cause, impact, and intervention (Hughes, 2009; Ravindran & Myers, 2012). Research has proposed advances in the treatment of the individuals diagnosed and focused efforts on scholastic, parental, and professional intervention and supports. However, the siblings of ASD children have largely been neglected in this scientific investigation. The purpose of this hermeneutic phenomenological study was to explore neurotypical siblings’ experiences in living with a child diagnosed with ASD. Seven adolescents were selected using criterion, convenience, and snowball sampling. …

Kentucky Middle School General Education Teachers: Perceptions On Sensory Integration Of Students On The Autism Spectrum, Lynda C. Harrison

Dissertations

This study examines the perceptions of general education teachers in Kentucky middle schools regarding their knowledge concerning Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD), Sensory Processing Disorder (SPD), and their abilities to implement strategies designed to accommodate students on the spectrum. Participants included both general and special education teachers though the original targeted sampling included general education teachers only. Data were collected using a demographic questionnaire and a Likert scale survey created by the researcher and distributed through a web based program. Demographic characteristics collected included number of graduate credit hours, age, years of teaching experience, credited hours of training on ASD at …

A Phenomenological Examination Of The Influence Of Culture On Treating And Caring For Hispanic Children With Autism, Lynette Estrada, Aaron R. Deris

Special Education Department Publications

Researchers have found that cultural factors may lead to lower rates of diagnosis in Hispanic children with autism and that parents lack the knowledge of therapies and practices used in the treatment of the autism spectrum disorder (ASD). Five research questions guided this phenomenological study. The focus of the first two questions was how culture may affect families seeking assistance; the third question queried how professionals play a part in the choice of therapies ; the fourth question dealt with how do families choose a therapy to aid their child with ASD. The focus of the last question was the …

How To Use Play As A Teaching Tool For Children With Asd, Kathy Ralabate Doody Ph.D.

NYS Child Welfare/Child Protective Services Training Institute

No abstract provided.

Investigation Of Social Supports For Parents Of Children With Autism, Aaron R. Deris, Cynthia Dicarlo, Linda L. Flynn, Carrie Ota, Anne O'Hanlon

Special Education Department Publications

There has been an increase of children being identified with autism in the United States (Center for Disease Control, 2009), leading to an increased concern of how to best meet the needs of children with autism and their families. In response to each reauthorization of the Individuals with Disabilities in Education Act (2004), in which the roles of families have been strengthened in planning their child's education and professionals have had more input, the field has tried to uncover the 'best' ways to support parents. Recommended practice suggests that parents are best able to identify their own support needs, with …

Thinking Outside Of The Assessment Box: Assessing Social Communicative Functioning In Students With Asd, Janet L. Dodd

Communication Sciences and Disorders Faculty Articles and Research

The assessment of a student suspected of an autism spectrum disorder (ASD) diagnosis requires the integration of information collected by a variety of professionals across various domains of functioning. One of the core deficits of students with ASD is a deficit related to social communicative competence (SCC). SCC requires the integration of language, social cognition, and higher order executive functions (Coggins, Olswang, Carmichael Olsson, & Timler, 2003) This article will propose an assessment model of social communicative functioning that was developed based on the SCC framework of Coggins and colleagues as a component of the Comprehensive Multidisciplinary Assessment Protocols for …