Special Education and Teaching Commons^™

An Evaluation Of Fading Procedures On The Effects Of Children Using Activity Schedules To Play On The Playground Appropriately, Kylee Lewis

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

Children with autism often have difficulty playing appropriately and independently. Activity schedules have been shown to be effective at teaching children with autism to play. Some individuals with autism engage in repetitive behaviors, especially on the playground. A previous study showed that activity schedules were effective at reducing repetitive or patterned behavior on the playground by teaching three students with autism to play appropriately and independently. This study investigated the effects of fading procedures on teaching independent and varied play skills to young children with autism during free play on the playground.

An Exploration Of Student Anxiety And The Degree Of Aba Services, Alexis Stavros

Theses and Dissertations

Children diagnosed with Autism may present numerous internalizing and externalizing behaviors. In order to help decrease problematic behaviors and promote positive behaviors, early intervention programs are often put into place. Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA) is a method of intervention based in operant conditioning, and is used to alter socially useful behavior (Kearney, A. 2008). Although ABA can be effective in decreasing problematic behavior, it could be argued that children diagnosed with Autism exhibit a range of symptoms that may be more internalizing in nature, and not particularly responsive to ABA (Herbert, Brandsma, 2002: Fryling, 2011). Research states that 84% of …

Two Models For Evaluating Evidence-Based Practices In Autism, Jennifer Lee Suppo Ed.D.

Journal of Research Initiatives

The search for evidence-based practices within the realm of autism has continued to be at the forefront of autism discussions in education. The author describes two models, CEC Practice Study Manual (2008) and the National Standards Report (National Autism Center, 2009), for evaluating interventions as evidence-based practices (EBP) in autism, and compares and contrasts their features. The author applies the National Standards Report model, as it is the most frequently used model when evaluating EBP’s, in an analysis of two interventions for children with autism spectrum disorders (ASD) that are known to be EBPs, and applies the same model in …

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 …

Comparing Video Modeling To Discrete Trial Teaching For Teaching Daily Living Skills, Nicole Angelina Gubernick

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this research was to examine the effectiveness of implementing video modeling to teach daily living skills to a fifteen year old boy who is diagnosed with autism. This was a single subject, repeated measures research design with the repeated measures being teeth brushing, making a sandwich, and doing the dishes. The daily living skills chosen were based upon a rating scale administered to the parents. Baseline data was collected for the three daily living skill tasks using task analysis probing. Once baseline data was collected, discrete trial teaching with implanted. Data was collected and the level of …

An Exploration Of Perseverative Behaviors In Young Children With Autism, Madison M. Ralph

Honors Theses

This study explored the interplay of stereotypical behaviors and social skills interventions in a clinical environment when stereotypy was not the focus of the interventions. A case study design was implemented to observe two participants that exhibited stereotypical and repetitive behaviors (SRBs) as well as the interventions that influenced these SRBs. Findings demonstrated prompting, positive reinforcement, and response interruption/redirection had a positive impact on shaping some SRBs but, as SRBs were not the focus of the interventions, other SRBs developed.

A Comparison Of The Effects Of Peer Networks And Peer Video Modeling On Positive Social Interactions Performed By Young Children With Developmental Disabilities, Conrad Oh-Young

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

A concern that parents of children with disabilities have is whether or not their offspring are able to interact and be accepted by children who do not have disabilities. Unfortunately children with developmental disabilities (DD) may experience difficulties when interacting with typically developing peers. One method of addressing this issue has been to ensure that children with DD receive instruction in the same school setting as their peers. However, simply attending the same school as children who are typically developing may not be enough. Hence the need for interventions such as peer network (PN) and peer video modeling (PVM), that …

An Analysis Of Variability Of Play Behavior With Preschool Children With Autism, Mary Katherine Endicott Harris

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

Children with autism often display repetitive, stereotypical movements with toys in lieu of appropriate play skills. Unlike typically developing children, they do not vary their play with toys. Therefore, the purpose of this study was to determine whether three preschoolers with autism would vary their play actions when exposed to a lag schedule of reinforcement and physical prompting procedure. All three participants demonstrated varied play actions with the lag schedule and prompting procedure in place. These behaviors maintained when a probe was conducted two weeks later in the absence of the lag schedule. Although responding was high in the 2-week …

Peer-Implemented Script Fading To Promote Play-Based Statements In Children With Autism, Jessie Rosdahl

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

Teaching communication and social skills to children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) requires systematic teaching and instruction. Teachers provide these interventions to multiple students and the efforts can be strenuous. In order to help relieve teachers, as well as provide a more efficient way to teach social skills, this study was conducted to assess the benefits of using peers as implementers and communication exchange partners for children with ASD. In this study, we used an intervention called script fading, a prompt procedure that provides children with ASD with an appropriate audio phrase, which they then repeat during play. This study …

High School General Education Teachers' Perception Of Iep Accommodations For Students With Asperger Syndrome, Mary Patricia Krones

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this qualitative design study was to better understand the experiences of high school general education English teachers who have students with Asperger Syndrome in their classes. More specifically, this researcher wanted to better understand the teacher's perception of the IEP-denoted accommodations the general education teachers are responsible for implementing. Data collection consisted of semi-structured interviews, classroom observations, journal entries and collection of artifacts. Findings of this study include: the IEP document and IEP process from the lens of the general education teacher do not provide adequate information when considering the unique needs of students with Asperger Syndrome; …

Inclusion Of Students With High Need Autism: General Education Teachers’ Attitudes And Beliefs Versus Practice, Joanna Davis

Graduate Theses & Dissertations

Given the simultaneous rise in rates of autism and the expectations for school-based inclusion of students with disabilities, research targeting inclusive practices continues to be a priority. Researchers have examined the attitudes and perspectives of general education teachers and best practice for including individuals with high functioning autism spectrum disorders. However, there is little research exploring the relationship between attitudes and practice with regard to the inclusion of individuals on the low functioning end of the spectrum. The purpose of this study was to explore the self-reported attitudes and perspectives of general education teachers in relation to what was observed …

Parental Mind-Mindedness And Language Development In Early Infancy, Nada Alrajhi

Wayne State University Dissertations

Research suggests that mother-child interactions, including sensitivity, responsiveness, and stimulation, are linked to children’s early language. Mind-mindedness refers to mothers’ proclivity to consider and treat their infant as having an active and autonomous mental life of thoughts, intentions, desires, etc. Mind-mindedness is a foundation of parental sensitivity and responsivity. Little research has been conducted on mind-mindedness and infant language development. The purpose of this study was to assess: 1) to assess the relationships among maternal sociodemographic characteristics and mind-mindedness, parent-child interactions and infant language development; 2) to determine whether variations in infant language development were associated with maternal mind-mindedness and …

Facilitating The Acquisition Of Social Skills Through Service Learning, Becky J. Hendrickson

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Deficits in communication affect individuals with autism regarding the ability to access a free and appropriate education as well as quality of life. This research study explored the effects of a service-learning project on acquisition of social skills and reduction of problem behaviors for students who have autism. The conceptual framework for this study was based on Maslow's theory of motivation and Erickson's 8 stages of personality development. A mixed-methods design with sequential transformative strategy was used to collect quantitative data from 5 elementary students who have autism during involvement in service learning; the Social Skills Improvement System was used …

Secondary General Education Teachers' Perceptions Of Challenges For Inclusion Students With Autism, Karen Clark Clark

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Many secondary students with autism (SWA) included in the general education (GE) classroom demonstrate academic and behavioral challenges. Most GE teachers who have inclusive SWA in their classes receive little or no training on evidence-based practices to address these challenges. The purpose of this qualitative bounded case study was to explore secondary GE teachers' perceptions of and experiences with the academic and behavioral challenges of inclusive SWA. Theoretical frameworks of the weak central coherence theory for autism and executive dysfunction grounded the study. Data from 6 purposefully chosen secondary GE inclusion teachers, who educated SWA and students with autism spectrum …

From Rainman To Rainmaker: A Presentation Of Jim’S Journey And Rapidly Advancing Technologies: Integrating Proven Behavioral Therapies With Emergent Measurement And Testing Advances Will Result In Transformational Progress In Autistic Individuals, Richard Zajac

CMC Senior Theses

The autism treatment status quo was reviewed and accompanied by a narrative contextualizing past and present progress with my younger brother Jim’s journey with the condition, sharing proposed next steps for bettering the current state of affairs in the space. The impetus for this piece was to share in the lessons of Jim’s life thus far and the revelations of those who have supported him, as well as to determine ways to create more impactful, lasting change in the limited window of early intervention therapy whilst empowering individuals on the spectrum to optimize for their skills and talents rather than …

Sibling Experiences: Living With Young Persons With Autism Spectrum Disorders, Tina Dyches, Beth Ward, Brianna Smith Tanner, Barbara Mandleco, Donna Freeborn

Faculty Publications

Like other young people, those with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) have an impact on siblings in both positive and negative ways. Research indicates positive attributes include maturity and responsibility; positive self-concept; less quarrelling and competition; admiration for the person with ASD; and satisfactory sibling relationships. Negative attributes include fear of frightening or violent behavior, decreased sibling intimacy, and social and emotional difficulties. However, most research relies on information from parents/teachers, rather than from siblings. Therefore, this qualitative descriptive study explored experiences of 11 brothers and 11 sisters living with a young person with ASD through audiorecorded semi-structured interviews. Analysis revealed …

Development And Validation Of A Survey Of Knowledge Of Autism Spectrum Disorder, Laura Katherine Hansen

Master's Theses

As autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is more commonly diagnosed, having knowledge of the disorder becomes increasingly important for educators, parents, and the general public. Previous research regarding knowledge of ASD, focused mainly on knowledge possessed by those in the educational field, has found that individuals may perceive themselves as possessing average knowledge regarding ASD but have low actual knowledge (as defined by the researchers) regarding specific aspects of the disorder (Williams et al., 2011). Studies support the notion that there is a general lack of knowledge of different aspects of ASD among teachers; however, there has been little research regarding …

Post Hoc Analysis On The Effect Of Early Intensive Behavioral Intervention Provided To Preschool Children On The Autism Spectrum, Catherine R. Maxwell Dumont

Dissertations, Masters Theses, Capstones, and Culminating Projects

Early Intensive Behavioral Intervention (EIBI) provides a framework for educators to assist children diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) to increase independence and positive social skills in the classroom (Reichow, 2012). Preschoolers with ASD who do not have access to programs tend to display negative and socially inappropriate behavior, such as acts of aggression, withdrawal, and inability to attend to lessons. Studies on program effectiveness documented that preschool children who received EIBI scored higher on IQ, language comprehension, imitation, expressive language, nonverbal communication, play, stereotyped behaviors and adaptive functioning compared to preschool children who do not receive EIBI. The literature …

Increasing Rates Of Specific Praise And Otr Provided By Para-Educators In Special Education Classrooms, Jordan Christopher Politte

Graduate Theses/Dissertations

Increasing behavior specific praise and the opportunities to respond (OTR) in a classroom increases the likelihood that students will engage in learning activities and socially appropriate behavior. This study was focused to investigate the effects of on increasing para-educator's use of positive praise and the opportunities to respond in small group reading lessons. This study employed four single-subject withdrawal designs were employed in this study. Two were ABAB, the third was ABABC, and the fourth was ABCAC. The interventions consisted of the para-educators receiving training in the area of behavior specific positive praise and opportunities to respond. After each lesson …

Adolescent Females With High-Functioning Asd: Self And Mothers’ Perspectives Of Their School And Social Experiences, Lindsey Land

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Although the prevalence of Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) is currently 1 in 68 (Centers for Disease Control, 2015) and research in this area is growing, high-functioning individuals on the spectrum are often overlooked. This is because of their relatively milder symptoms. The recent collapse of Asperger Syndrome (AS) with autism in the most recent version of the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual (DSM-5; APA, 2013) also has obscured the differences that may exist between those with higher vs. lower levels of functioning. Among youth with High-Functioning Autism Spectrum Disorder (HFASD), girls are a particularly understudied and potentially vulnerable group. Previous research …

A Guide To Playing With Children With Autism, Kathy R. Doody Ph.D.

Foster/Adoptive Parent Training Projects

This poster discusses some of the best practices for playing with children with autism, and was originally displayed at the Fall Research and Creativity Forum at Buffalo State College on October 29 2015.

Restricted And Repetitive Behaviors As Strengths, Not Weaknesses: Evaluating The Use Of Social Stories That Embed Restricted Interests On The Social Skills Of Children With Autism Spectrum Disorder, Maya Nasr

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to investigate the extent to which the use of social stories that integrate a child’s particular restricted and repetitive behaviors results in differential social outcomes compared to the use of social stories that do not integrate restricted and repetitive behaviors. A non-concurrent multiple baseline experimental design across participants was used to examine the effects of two Social Story interventions on the frequency of appropriate social behaviors made by participants in a school setting. Field notes were also completed during each day of data collection in order to document the social context, events, activities, moods …

The Impact Of Pictorial Representations In Teaching Math Word Problems To A Child With Autism, Hossein Shirvani

Teaching and Learning Faculty Publications

The study used a single subject A-B-A research design because it used one subject, an 18-year old boy participant who was diagnosed with having higher spectrum Autism (Asperger). The investigator examined the effect of pictorial representations of math word problems on the participant’s performance in solving one step, two steps, and three steps math word problems. The investigator found that the use pictorial representations improved the participant’s math achievement in solving math word problems. The investigator also found that the participant had difficulty understanding words with mathematical connotations.

Designing Effective School-Based Interventions For Children With Autism In Underserved Regions, John J. Wheeler

ETSU Faculty Works

No abstract provided.

The Effects Of Peer-Led Interventions, "Stay, Play, Talk", On Social Skills With Students With Autism, Elizabeth G. Deganian

Specialist in Education Degree (Ed.S.) Theses

The purpose of this study was to investigate the peer-led intervention, “Stay, Play, Talk” on three target social skills with elementary aged children with autism. The target skills are as follows: 1) initiating a greeting by either waving or saying, “hi”; 2) waiting his/her turn while playing a structured game/activity; and 3) staying close to a peer during a 10 minute free play period. A multiple probe across behaviors combined with a multiple probe across participants demonstrated that “Stay, Play, Talk” as an effective intervention for social skills on three participants served in an autism classroom. Additionally, this study examined …

Helping Parents Navigate Occupational Therapy In The Iep Process, Noelle Bakken, Kelly Calton, Molly Hyland, Shannon Landau

Dissertations, Masters Theses, Capstones, and Culminating Projects

At the request of Matrix Parent Network and the Marin Autism Collaborative, the project developers have gathered information in order to help parents of children with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) better understand Occupational Therapy (OT) in the school setting. The development of the resource guide consisted of three needs assessments to identify areas of occupational therapy in which parents required further clarification. After meeting with the director of parent services from Matrix Parent Network, and receiving the online survey results from twenty-eight parents in Marin County, who have children with ASD, the project developers identified areas of OT to focus …

A Comparison Of Piprt To Vmo To Increase Social Play Skills In Children With Autism, Kathleen Scarlett Ohara

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

Young children with autism often experience delays in social play skills. These delays result in poor relationships with adults and peers, decreased social interactions, and engagement, and eventually social isolation and withdrawal. Social play skill deficits are essential to the development of self-regulation and cognitive skills. Addressing these delays is critical to improve social functioning and minimize any detrimental effects on future engagement and academic achievement.

The purpose of this study was to use an alternating treatment design to determine whether PIPRT intervention or a VMO intervention would be effective to increase social play skills in two settings for four …

Comparison Of Neurological Activation Patterns Of Children With And Without Autism Spectrum Disorders When Verbally Responding To A Pragmatic Task, Daphne U. Hartzheim

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

This study examined the neurological activation of children with autism spectrum disorders (ASD) while performing a pragmatic judgment task. In this study, children between the ages of 9 and 15 years responded to questions regarding a social situation, taken from the Comprehensive Assessment of Spoken Language, while concurrently having their brain activity measured. We targeted four brain regions for analysis: dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (DLPFC), orbitofrontal cortex (OFC), superior temporal gyrus (STG), and the inferior parietal lobule (IPL).

Ten children with ASD and 20 typically developing (TD) children participated. Matching occurred in a bracketing manner with each child in the ASD …

An Evaluation Of An Ipad-Based Activity Schedule, Kassidy Stuart Reinert

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

A visual activity schedule is a set of pictures or words that can be used to teach an individual with disabilities to complete a set of tasks. These schedules can help individuals with disabilities to become more independent and complete tasks appropriately. Children with autism often engage in behaviors that are repetitive or not appropriate when playing. Visual activity schedules have been used to teach a variety of skill and teach appropriate play. Typically, activity schedules are paper based; this study examines the use of an activity schedule taught on an iPad. This study included three young boys with a …

An Evaluation Of Group Activity Schedules To Train Children With Autism To Play Hide-And-Seek With Their Typically Developing Peers, Jessica S. Akers

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

Children with autism spectrum disorder have difficulties with social and play skills. The purpose of this study was to determine if three young children with autism could learn to play a complex social game, hide-and-seek, with three typically developing peers. Participants were taught to play hide-and-seek using photographic activity schedules. Photographic activity schedules are a type of visual schedule that teach children with autism to engage in chains of behavior. Two schedules were present during
teaching sessions, a seeker schedule and a hider schedule. Each group member played the role of the seeker once during the game. The three participants, …