Peer Mediators’ Use of Prompting to Increase Social Communication in Students with Disabilities

2020 ◽  
pp. 152574012093699
Author(s):  
Kera B. Ackerman ◽  
Amy D. Spriggs ◽  
Alice L. Rhodes
Keyword(s):  
Students With Disabilities ◽  
Social Communication ◽  
Leisure Activity ◽  
Autism Spectrum ◽  
Probe Design ◽  
School Students ◽  
Communication Behaviors ◽  
System Of Least Prompts ◽  
Effectiveness Of Training ◽  
Multiple Probe

Social communication is a key component in building and maintaining friendships. However, students with autism spectrum disorder and intellectual disability often exhibit deficits in communication behaviors. Peer-mediated interventions are an evidence-based practice in increasing social communication skills for elementary and middle school students. Systematic instruction has been used as an intervention for both academic and functional skills. This study utilized a multiple probe design across students to assess the effectiveness of training two high school aged peer mediators to implement a system of least prompts strategy during a leisure activity to elicit social communication behaviors from four same age peers with disabilities. Results showed increases in initiations and independent responses when system of least prompts was used effectively by peer mediators. Future implications are discussed.

Increasing Play Complexity in a Young Child With Autism

2018 ◽  
Vol 34 (2) ◽  
pp. 81-90 ◽  
Author(s):  
Erin E. Barton ◽  
Stephanie Gossett ◽  
M. Caroline Waters ◽  
Rebecca Murray ◽  
Rachel Francis
Keyword(s):  
Single Case ◽  
Children With Autism ◽  
Autism Spectrum ◽  
Probe Design ◽  
Contingent Reinforcement ◽  
Single Case Design ◽  
System Of Least Prompts ◽  
Play Behaviors ◽  
Multiple Probe ◽  
Case Design

Young children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) demonstrate fewer and less varied play behaviors than children with typical development. This article describes two studies designed to increase two aspects of play complexity—diverse play actions and sequential play actions—in a child with ASD. In Study 1, we use a multitreatment single-case design to compare the use of the system of least prompts with contingent reinforcement for diverse play or all play. In Study 2, we used a multiple probe design to examine the relation between the system of least prompts with contingent reinforcement and the child’s use of play sequences. Across both studies, the complexity of play increased when specific aspects—diversity or sequences—were prompted and reinforced; however, the maintenance of effects were variable.

Integrating Written Text and Graphic Cues Into Peer-Mediated Interventions: Effects on Reciprocal Social Communication Skills

2016 ◽  
Vol 1 (1) ◽  
pp. 20-28
Author(s):  
Todd M. Miller ◽  
Kathy Thiemann-Bourque
Keyword(s):  
Social Skills ◽  
Students With Disabilities ◽  
Communication Skills ◽  
Social Communication ◽  
Autism Spectrum ◽  
Written Text ◽  
Social Skills Instruction ◽  
Social Communication Skills ◽  
Text Cues ◽  
Peer Mediated Intervention

A growing body of evidence has supported the use of peer-mediated interventions to increase the social-communication skills of students with a variety of developmental disabilities, including autism spectrum disorders (ASD). Despite these promising results, however, many practitioners may struggle to effectively implement peer-mediated interventions across the diverse presentation and skill profiles of students with ASD, specifically in accommodating the unique language and communication needs of their students. This article presents an example of integrating written-graphic and text cues into a peer-mediated intervention for three elementary-age students with ASD. Emphasis is placed on describing the teaching procedures used to encourage students with ASD and peers to participate in shared games and activities together, using written-graphic and text cues to support appropriate social communication. Additionally, strategies for selecting and including typically-developing peers to participate in social skills programming are reviewed. Data collected throughout the peer-mediated intervention demonstrates the positive effect of systematic social skills instruction for both students with disabilities and their peers.

Teaching a Child With Autism to Request Breaks While Concurrently Increasing Task Engagement

2015 ◽  
Vol 46 (3) ◽  
pp. 256-265 ◽  
Author(s):  
Shelley R. Kreibich ◽  
Mo Chen ◽  
Joe Reichle
Keyword(s):  
Autism Spectrum ◽  
Task Engagement ◽  
Probe Design ◽  
Individual Education Program ◽  
Intervention Package ◽  
Task Behavior ◽  
Work Completion ◽  
Multiple Probe ◽  
Individual Education ◽  
Tolerance For Delay

Purpose An intervention package, including teaching break requests and tolerance for delay in reinforcement delivery to increase task engagement, was implemented with a 4-year-old child with an autism spectrum disorder who did not engage for a duration commensurate with individual education program team expectations. Method A multiple-probe design across tasks was implemented. Dependent measures taken included engagement duration and the production of spoken break requests after work completion. Intervention was implemented with tasks involving short periods of engagement prior to the learner's disengagement. The possibility of the learner's overgeneralized production of break requests with tasks originally associated with longer engagement was also examined. Results The participant learned to request breaks in short engagement tasks. In addition, engagement increased dramatically without off-task behavior. Overgeneralized use of break requests with long engagement tasks did not occur. Generalization of break requests to untrained short engagement tasks that were not the focus of intervention (but were associated with escape and short engagement) did not occur until the intervention package was implemented. Conclusions The combination of teaching break requests and tolerance for delay in reinforcement delivery was effective in addressing problem behavior. Implications for enhancing properly generalized and moderated use of break requests across different tasks or contexts are discussed.

Using the Virtual-Abstract Instructional Sequence to Support Acquisition of Algebra

2019 ◽  
Vol 34 (4) ◽  
pp. 253-268 ◽  
Author(s):  
Emily C. Bouck ◽  
Jiyoon Park ◽  
Rajiv Satsangi ◽  
Katie Cwiakala ◽  
Kennedy Levy
Keyword(s):  
Students With Disabilities ◽  
Single Case ◽  
Single Case Design ◽  
School Students ◽  
Mathematical Concepts ◽  
Learning Mathematics ◽  
One Step ◽  
And Algebra ◽  
Strategies Instruction ◽  
Multiple Probe

Although often considered a more advanced area of mathematics, principles of algebra are taught throughout different mathematical concepts, and algebra is often considered gateway mathematical knowledge for more advanced mathematical concepts. For this reason, attention is needed toward making algebraic instruction more accessible to all types of learners, including students with disabilities who often struggle learning mathematics. Using a multiple probe across behaviors replicated across participants single-case design, this study examined whether an intervention sequence consisting of a virtual manipulative and then abstract (i.e., numerical strategies) instruction could support the acquisition of three algebraic behaviors (i.e., one-step division, two-step addition, two-step subtraction, and/or three-step addition) for four middle school students with disabilities. All four students acquired each of the linear algebra behaviors but struggled to maintain their learning once instruction was not provided prior to performance. These findings and their implications are discussed further.

Teaching Rate of Change and Problem Solving to High School Students With High Incidence Disabilities at Tier 3

2019 ◽  
pp. 073194871988734
Author(s):  
Kaitlin Bundock ◽  
Leanne S. Hawken ◽  
Sharlene A. Kiuhara ◽  
Breda V. O’Keeffe ◽  
Robert E. O’Neill ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
High School ◽  
High School Students ◽  
Problem Solving ◽  
Students With Disabilities ◽  
Instructional Strategies ◽  
Conceptual Understanding ◽  
Functional Relation ◽  
Rate Of Change ◽  
Probe Design ◽  
School Students

Implementing an integrated sequence of concrete-representational-abstract depictions of mathematics concepts (CRA-I) can improve the mathematics achievement of students with disabilities, and explicit instructional strategies involving problem-solving heuristics and student verbalizations can help facilitate students’ conceptual understanding of mathematics. Combining CRA-I and explicit instructional strategies may increase students’ conceptual understanding and ability to express mathematical reasoning through writing. This study included three ninth-grade students with disabilities, and employed a multiple-probe design across-participants to investigate a functional relation between an explicit instructional strategy within a CRA-I framework and high school students’ with disabilities proficiency in solving rate of change problems. Results showed that all three students improved their mathematics scores (combined Tau-U effect size = 0.77, p < .001) and maintained improvements during a 1- to 7-week post-instruction phase. Implications for research and practice related to mathematics instruction and intervention specifically for students with learning disabilities are discussed.

Virtual Manipulative-Based Intervention Package to Teach Multiplication and Division to Secondary Students With Developmental Disabilities

2020 ◽  
Vol 35 (4) ◽  
pp. 195-207
Author(s):  
Emily C. Bouck ◽  
Jordan Shurr ◽  
Jiyoon Park
Keyword(s):  
Developmental Disabilities ◽  
Secondary Students ◽  
Single Case ◽  
Virtual Manipulatives ◽  
Instructional Sequence ◽  
Intervention Package ◽  
School Students ◽  
Mathematical Concepts ◽  
System Of Least Prompts ◽  
Multiple Probe

Mathematics instruction for students with intellectual disabilities and autism is important. However, it is imperative for researchers and practitioners to focus on the maintenance of mathematical concepts and not just acquisition for these students. Through a single-case multiple probe across participants study, researchers explored an intervention package consisting of a manipulative-based instructional sequence involving virtual manipulatives and then representations (i.e., drawings; referred to as the virtual-representational instructional sequence), explicit instruction, the system of least prompts, overlearning, and support fading to support students with intellectual disability and autism to acquire and maintain multiplication or division skills. The three middle school students who completed the entire intervention acquired and maintained their targeted mathematics skill—in multiplication or division. The results have implications for use of intervention packages to teach foundational mathematics skills to students with developmental disabilities.

The Picture Plus Discussion Intervention: Text Access for High School Students with Moderate Intellectual Disability

2016 ◽  
Vol 32 (3) ◽  
pp. 198-208 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jordan Shurr ◽  
Teresa Taber-Doughty
Keyword(s):  
High School ◽  
High School Students ◽  
Intellectual Disability ◽  
Read Aloud ◽  
Probe Design ◽  
School Students ◽  
Moderate Intellectual Disability ◽  
Story Retell ◽  
Age Appropriate ◽  
Multiple Probe

Students with moderate intellectual disability often experience limited access to age-appropriate texts due to limitations in reading skills, access to instruction and supports, and educator beliefs. Use of text read alouds is an emerging tool for increasing such access; however, supports are often still required for access to age-appropriate texts. The purpose of this study was to investigate the use of the picture plus discussion (PPD) intervention on the comprehension abilities of high school students with moderate intellectual disability when expository texts were read aloud. A multiple probe design was used to measure the effect of this intervention across three different types of texts including leveled readers, stories from a local newspaper, and sections from employee handbooks. Results indicate that the PPD intervention was successful in increasing student comprehension as measured by story retell. Implications and future directions for research and practice are discussed.

scholarly journals Comparison of Tablet-Delivered and Instructor-Delivered Teaching on Receptive Identification in Children With Autism Spectrum Disorders

2018 ◽  
Vol 34 (1) ◽  
pp. 55-67
Author(s):  
Sabine Saade Chebli ◽  
Marc J. Lanovaz ◽  
Marie-Michèle Dufour
Keyword(s):  
Autism Spectrum Disorders ◽  
Children With Autism ◽  
Autism Spectrum ◽  
Probe Design ◽  
Children With Asd ◽  
Receptive Identification ◽  
Multielement Design ◽  
Spectrum Disorders ◽  
Multiple Probe ◽  
Multiple Probe Design

The purpose of our study was to compare the effectiveness of tablet- and instructor-delivered teaching (i.e., prompting and reinforcement) on the receptive identification of one-word concepts in children with autism spectrum disorders (ASDs). To this end, we embedded a multielement design within a multiple probe design to compare the effectiveness of the two instructional modalities in seven participants. Two of the seven participants showed generalization on all concepts in fewer instructional trials following instructor-delivered teaching, whereas the remaining five participants had mixed results depending on the concept. In total, the participants showed more rapid generalization with the instructor for 14 of the 19 concepts taught. Our results suggest that tablets should not systematically replace instructor-delivered prompting and reinforcement, but that they may be used to provide supplementary teaching to children with ASD.

scholarly journals Learning From Interactive Whiteboard Instruction Technology in Teaching Students With Autism Spectrum Disorders

2019 ◽  
Vol 11 (4) ◽  
pp. 19
Author(s):  
Fayez S. Maajeeny
Keyword(s):  
Single Case ◽  
Autism Spectrum ◽  
Interactive Whiteboard ◽  
Probe Design ◽  
Single Case Design ◽  
Interactive Learning Environment ◽  
Early Numeracy ◽  
Technology In Teaching ◽  
Numeracy Skills ◽  
Multiple Probe

Interactive whiteboard instruction technology provides interactive learning environment and serves as a motivational tool for the students. The study aims to investigate the effectiveness of interactive whiteboard (IAW) to teach early numeracy skills to the ASD students. The study has employed single-case design methodology and evaluated students for the effectiveness of using interactive whiteboard for teaching skills to the students through multiple probe design. A total of five baseline sessions were conducted on total four recruited students. During the intervention, data was obtained for at least three sessions from the date each student reached the acquisition criteria. The results showed that introduction of the intervention resulted in all participants meeting the established criteria. The early numeracy skills were generalized by all the four students to a different setting and with different materials. These results have supported the effectiveness of the interactive whiteboard, coupled with DTT to teach early numeracy skills to students with ASD. The study has concluded that interactive whiteboard with DTT was effective to teach early numeracy skills to the ASD students.

Animal-assisted activity improves social behaviors in psychiatrically hospitalized youth with autism

Autism ◽  
2019 ◽  
Vol 23 (7) ◽  
pp. 1740-1751 ◽  
Author(s):  
Monique M Germone ◽  
Robin L Gabriels ◽  
Noémie A Guérin ◽  
Zhaoxing Pan ◽  
Tiffany Banks ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Autism Spectrum Disorder ◽  
Social Communication ◽  
Psychiatric Treatment ◽  
Autism Spectrum ◽  
Spectrum Disorder ◽  
Emotional Facial Expressions ◽  
Communication Behaviors ◽  
Behavioral Interactions ◽  
Animal Interaction ◽  
Psychiatrically Hospitalized

There is preliminary research suggesting that animal-assisted activities can improve social interactions of children with autism spectrum disorder. This pilot study sought to investigate the benefits of animal-assisted activities with dogs and psychiatrically hospitalized youth with autism spectrum disorder. Participants were recruited from a specialized inpatient psychiatric hospital unit for youth with autism spectrum disorder and other developmental disabilities. Utilizing a crossover design, participants served as their own control by engaging in two 10-min conditions: an experimental dog and handler interaction (animal-assisted activities) and a novel toy and handler control (control). Of the 142 youth aged 6-–8 years screened for participation, 47 completed both conditions. Participants’ behavioral data were captured via video and coded using the Observation of Human-Animal Interaction for Research, a tool specifically developed to capture human behavioral interactions in the presence of animals. Overall, social-communication behaviors significantly improved in the animal-assisted activities experimental condition compared to the control condition ( p = 0.0001). Specifically, participants in the animal-assisted activities experimental condition displayed more positive emotional facial expressions ( p ⩽ 0.0001), talking ( p = 0.0408), use of gestures ( p = 0.032), and looking at both adults and peers ( p ⩽ 0.0001). In addition, a higher frequency of constant motion ( p = 0.003) was observed in the animal-assisted activities experimental condition. Results suggest that animal-assisted activities with a dog may promote social-communication behaviors in psychiatrically hospitalized youth with autism spectrum disorder. Given the fact that social and communication behaviors can facilitate treatment engagement for this population, we recommend future studies examine how such improvements can positively affect the psychiatric treatment of this population.

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