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Evidence-Based Practice for Teaching Academics to Students With Severe Developmental Disabilities
Abstract
A review of the literature was conducted for articles published between 2003 and 2010 to build a case for the degree to which evidence-based practices were documented for teaching academic skills to students with severe developmental disabilities. This review extended earlier comprehensive work in literacy, mathematics, and science for the population in question. A total of 18 studies met the Horner et al. (2005) quality indicator criteria. In general, time delay and task analytic instruction were found to be evidence-based practices. In addition, specific target responses were defined to show academic learning, with the most prevalent target responses being discrete responses; the type of systematic prompting and feedback used most often was time delay, while the component used least often was stimulus fading/shaping; and teaching formats used most often were massed trials and one-to-one instruction.
... Ensuring the academic and behavioral success of all students hinges on the implementation of effective practices. While there may be variations in perspectives among professionals and organizations regarding the evidence base for practices in special education, substantial research supports the use of instructional strategies that enhance academic engagement, elicit correct academic responses, and increase the coverage of content (Spooner et al., 2012). Strategies leading to these positive outcomes include effective instructional pacing, frequent review of students' work, systematic and constructive corrective feedback, minimizing errors, providing regular praise for correct responses, guided practice, modeling new behaviors, offering transitions between lessons, and monitoring student performance (Courtade et al., 2014;West et al., 2013). ...
... The absence of highly qualified and trained teachers can adversely affect student learning and achievement, as highlighted by Downing (2008). Many current teachers lack the knowledge necessary to effectively teach reading and other core content, hindering students from reaching their full potential (Spooner et al., 2012). Educators and families should be mindful of barriers that may impede quality education for students with ID, including low expectations for learning, insufficiently trained teachers, and limited family involvement (Taub et al., 2017). ...
... There is no justification for students with ID to be segregated for a significant portion of their instructional day. Embracing evidence-based practices facilitates a new approach to integrating and coordinating instruction for all students, including those with ID, ensuring access to the general curriculum and fostering cognitive growth in academic and social learning (Downing, 2008;Spooner et al., 2012). ...
This chapter provides a comprehensive exploration of the historical, legislative, and practical aspects of educating individuals with intellectual disabilities (ID). Beginning with an overview of the definition and significance of ID, the chapter delves into the historical evolution of special education laws and policies, tracing the paradigm shifts that have influenced approaches to educating individuals with ID over time. The legislative framework is examined, with a focus on the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA), emphasizing the principles of Free Appropriate Public Education (FAPE) and Least Restrictive Environment (LRE), as well as the crucial early intervention programs under Part C and Part B.
The chapter further explores critical aspects of special education, including early childhood special education, inclusive education, and the educational continuum. Early childhood intervention, transition from Part C to Part B, and the presumption of inclusive placements are discussed alongside challenges, opportunities, and the impact of IDEA on educational placements. Additionally, the chapter addresses the challenges and opportunities presented by disproportionality in special education, the importance of cultural sensitivity, and the transition challenges faced in secondary education. The concluding section emphasizes evidence-based practices, highlighting the significance of effective instructional strategies, teacher training, and the dissemination of evidence-based practices for the successful education of individuals with intellectual disabilities and ethnic disproportionately.
... In addition to studying video modeling and prompting, researchers may need to address methods of teaching vocabulary associated with independent living skills, particularly for knowledge and skills outside the home like recognizing signs or print when shopping or reading safety signs. Spooner et al. (2012) reviewed methods for teaching individuals with ID vocabulary terms. Results suggested task analysis and discrete response (those that consist of a single step [Collins, 2007]) were the most common method for teaching vocabulary. ...
... Results suggested task analysis and discrete response (those that consist of a single step [Collins, 2007]) were the most common method for teaching vocabulary. Using quality indicators, Spooner et al. (2012) identified both task analysis and a discrete response as an evidence-based practice. While the majority of studies in the review mainly taught sight word identification or vocabulary terms (e.g., state capitals), only a few focused on daily living skills (e.g., purchasing items). ...
... Identification of sight words does not always include comprehension instruction of the term. Individuals with ID need additional vocabulary instruction to explicitly link the term to meaningful activities resulting in more significant comprehension of the word (Courtade et al., 2010;Spooner et al., 2012). Providing meaningful contexts becomes even more critical when the vocabulary is related to independent living skills, particularly safety skills. ...
... A total of 44 evidence-based practices were identified across all sources. Five sources focused on prompting strategies (Hudson, Rivera, and Grady 2018;Knight, Sartini, and Spriggs 2015;Park, Bouck, and (Hudson, Browder, and Wood 2013;Spooner et al. 2012;Wong et al. 2015). Three sources investigated systematic instruction and explicit instruction (Ennis and Losinski 2019;Spooner et al. 2011;, and three others focused on task analytic instructions (Hudson, Rivera, and Grady 2018;Spooner et al. 2012;Wong et al. 2015). ...
... Five sources focused on prompting strategies (Hudson, Rivera, and Grady 2018;Knight, Sartini, and Spriggs 2015;Park, Bouck, and (Hudson, Browder, and Wood 2013;Spooner et al. 2012;Wong et al. 2015). Three sources investigated systematic instruction and explicit instruction (Ennis and Losinski 2019;Spooner et al. 2011;, and three others focused on task analytic instructions (Hudson, Rivera, and Grady 2018;Spooner et al. 2012;Wong et al. 2015). Three sources examined peer-mediated instruction and intervention (PMII) and peer support arrangements (Brock and Huber 2017;Dunn et al. 2017;Wong et al. 2015). ...
... Evidence-based practices were implemented in both mainstream and special education settings (e.g. self-contained classrooms, resource room, therapy room) in a total of eight sources (Hughes and Yakubova 2019;Knight, Sartini, and Spriggs 2015;Owiny et al. 2018;Spooner et al. 2011Spooner et al. , 2012Spooner et al. , 2019. Fourteen sources indicated that evidence-based practices were implemented in school settings but did not specify whether this was in mainstream or special education settings (Busacca, Anderson, and Moore 2015;de Bruin et al. 2013;Ennis and Losinski 2019;Ennis et al. 2017;Hudson, Browder, and Wood 2013;Jitendra et al. 2016;Losinski et al. 2014;Mitchell, Adamson, and McKenna 2017;Park, Bouck, and Josol 2020;Seok et al. 2018;Shepley, Lane, and Ault 2019;Spector 2011;Sreckovic et al. 2014;Wright, Knight, and Barton 2020). ...
... Mathematics is a particularly challenging subject for many students with ID due to its abstract nature and sequential skill development (Browder et al., 2008). Moreover, mathematics instruction in general education classrooms often moves at a pace that may be di cult for students with ID to follow, leading to reduced engagement and participation (Spooner et al., 2012). Therefore, investigating strategies such as response cards that can increase the engagement and participation of students with ID in inclusive mathematics settings is of signi cant importance for advancing inclusive educational practices. ...
... The ZPD represents the gap between what a learner can accomplish independently and what they can achieve with guidance or scaffolding. Response cards can serve as a scaffold by providing a structured format for responding and reducing the cognitive load associated with formulating and articulating responses, thereby supporting students with ID to participate in learning activities that might otherwise be beyond their independent capabilities (Spooner et al., 2012). ...
This study examines the effectiveness of response cards as an instructional strategy for increasing academic engagement and correct responses among students with intellectual disabilities in inclusive first-grade mathematics classrooms. Using an ABAB reversal design, the research evaluated four students with mild to moderate intellectual disabilities across two conditions: traditional hand-raising versus response card use. Results demonstrated significant improvements during response card intervention phases, with engagement rates increasing from 12.80% during hand-raising to 95.24% during response card use. Similarly, correct responses improved from 3.27–69.64%. Statistical analysis revealed strong effect sizes for both engagement (Tau-U = 0.84) and correct responding (Tau-U = 0.92), with zero overlapping data points between phases. Social validity measures indicated high teacher satisfaction with the intervention's practicality and effectiveness. The findings suggest that response cards represent a low-cost, easily implemented instructional accommodation that can significantly enhance the meaningful participation of students with intellectual disabilities in inclusive mathematics instruction, promoting both academic engagement and learning outcomes while maintaining participation in the general education curriculum.
... Additionally, meaningful inclusion has led to greater social development, leadership opportunities and academic support for students without disabilities in the general education setting (Hunt et al., 2004;Kart & Kart, 2021). Spooner et al. (2012) highlight evidence-based teaching strategies for students with severe developmental disabilities that include embedded instruction within general education, time delay and systematic instruction, and peer-mediated strategies. With all the benefits of inclusion, it is important to look at why students with ESN are not taught in more inclusive settings. ...
... In differing methods courses, teacher candidates learn about best practices for different subject matter. In addition to content or subject specific best practices, teacher candidates must also be equipped with evidence-based practices for teaching students with disabilities (Spooner et al., 2012). When this collaboration between subject-specific method courses and special education emphasis courses happen, we set up future general and special education teachers to be better equipped in providing appropriate academic supports and evidence-based strategies for teaching students with disabilities. ...
... Special education teaching models and strategies for students with disabilities tend to rely on teacher directed activities that are based on Individual Education Plans (IEP) and dependent on disciplinary based standards. Teachers identify a finite academic or life skills task and design an activity for the learner that uses analytic instruction, question and response, and wait time for finite student response (Spooner, Knight, Browder, & Smith, 2012). Incorporating studentcentered maker pedagogy with special education students may offer new opportunities to support student learning and can provide teachers with a variety of updated tools to engage students with varying disabilities. ...
... Maker pedagogy as perceived in this study combines the analytic strategies of special education instruction (Spooner et al., 2012) and the student-centered, making for learning strategies (Cohen et al., 2017) of the Makification framework. In action, the teacher intentionally (Corbat & Quinn, 2018) develops an analytic plan for academic learning based on what the students wants to make. ...
... In fact, the evidence base for students with autism suggests that AAC interventions are effective in improving communication outcomes (Iacono et al., 2016). In addition, students with limited speech have successfully learned early literacy skills with the use of AAC in adapted literacy programs using direct instruction (Browder et al., 2012;Yorke et al., 2020). ...
... They may falsely believe that AAC does not benefit young children or those with cognitive disabilities or may think that providing AAC would make students less likely to use speech (Romski &Sevchik, 2005). Moreover, educators may struggle to adapt academic instruction for students with limited oral speech (Ruppar et al., 2011), despite research showing that such students can learn literacy and other skills (e.g., Browder et al., 2012). Students with autism and limited speech -and particularly young learners -may be thus at risk for negative communication and academic outcomes that could stem from lack of access to both AAC and educators who know how to teach students with limited speech both academic and communication skills. ...
Through time-series graphs, both special education and general education teachers often evaluate progress monitoring data to make both low- and high-stakes decisions for students with and at risk for disabilities. The construction of these graphs–specifically the presence of an aimline and the data-points per x- to y-axis ratio (DPPXYR)–may impact decisions teachers make. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the impact of graph construction manipulations on preservice teachers’ accuracy with instructional decision making. Participants included 94 preservice teachers enrolled in an introductory course focused on students with disabilities at two universities. Following instruction on progress monitoring, students evaluated 48 graphs representing eight data sets with six manipulations (i.e., with and without aimline; DPPXYR set at 0.05, 0.10, 0.15). Results suggest the presence of an aimline increased accuracy; whereas, the manipulation of the DPPXYR led to mixed findings. Implications for future research and practice are discussed.
... T he core principle of research-based practices and evidence-based practices 1 (EBPs) is to define and employ practices and instructional strategies that have demonstrated positive impacts on student outcomes through rigorous research across multiple studies (Hsiao & Peterson, 2019). Over the last decade, various literature reviews (e.g., Browder et al., 2014;Saunders et al., 2020;Spooner et al., 2012) and valuable, reliable, and no-cost resources and tools have emerged from research centers (e.g., Collaboration for Effective Educator Development, Accountability, and Reform [CEEDAR]; Frank Porter Graham Child Development Institute [FPG]) to aid in teacher preparation and the application of recognized EBPs for students with moderate to severe intellectual disability (M/ SID). Browder et al.'s (2014) Innovation Configuration specifically outlines EBPs to support students with M/SID across the domains of academics, daily living, job and community, self-determination, and social and communication skills. ...
Artificial intelligence (AI) has transformative potential to support the education of students with moderate to severe intellectual disabilities (M/SID) and their teachers. Although research and evidence-based practices (EBPs) are integral to fostering positive student learning outcomes, educators face challenges in effectively implementing these strategies. In this article, we discuss how higher education faculty can prepare educators to harness the use of AI as a powerful tool to support the implementation of EBPs in the classroom, addressing teacher fluency and maintenance of application.
... The education of students with special needs encompasses various areas, including daily life skills, social skills, academic skills, and personal hygiene skills. The prerequisite skills that need to be developed for individuals with special needs can vary depending on the type and severity of their disabilities, and the required education for each individual may differ (Hughes et al., 2016;Grigorenko et al., 2020;Hall et al., 2003;Spooner et al., 2011;Diken et al., 2021). In higher education, students with special needs receive their education based on the programs they are enrolled in, and this education is provided by the instructors' members working at the university. ...
Araştırmanın amacı yükseköğretim kurumlarında derslerinde özel gereksinimli öğrencilere eğitim sunan öğretim elemanlarının karşılaştıkları sorunları ve bu sorunlara getirdikleri çözüm önerilerini belirlemektir. Amaç doğrultusunda, öğretim elemanlarının özel gereksinimli öğrencilere ilişkin bilgi düzeylerine, karşılaştıkları sorunlara, bu sorunların sebeplerine ve yaşanan sorunlara yönelik çözüm önerilerine, özel gereksinimli öğrencilerine verdikleri eğitime ilişkin kendilerini ve kurumlarını değerlendirmelerine yönelik görüşlerine başvurulmuştur. Araştırmada nitel araştırma yöntemlerinden betimleyici fenomenolojik desen kullanılmıştır. Araştırmanın katılımcılarını Türkiye’nin İzmir ilindeki yükseköğretim kurumlarında görev yapmakta olan ve derslerinde özel gereksinimli öğrencilere eğitim sunan 25 öğretim elemanı oluşturmaktadır. Veriler yarı yapılandırılmış görüşme formu kullanılarak toplanmış ve betimsel içerik analizi yöntemi kullanılarak incelenmiştir. Araştırmanın bulguları öğretim elemanlarının derslerinde bulunan özel gereksinimli öğrencilerinin yetersizlik türleriyle ilgili yeterli bilgiye sahip olmadıkları, akademik uyarlamalara ilişkin kendilerini nitelikli hissetmedikleri, görev yapmakta oldukları yükseköğretim kurumunun erişilebilirlik açısından yeterli düzeyde olmadığı, akademik ve idari personelin farkındalığının düşük olduğu görülmüştür. Bulgular doğrultusunda farkındalığı arttırıcı çalışmaları, üniversitede görev yapan personelin engelli öğrencilerin özelliklerine ve yapılabilecek uyarlamalara ilişkin eğitimleri ve erişilebilirlik konusunda düzenlemeleri kapsayan çalışmaların yapılması gerektiği sonucuna ulaşılmıştır ve öneriler geliştirilmiştir.
... Teachers play a crucial role in the education of students with SEN (Kahn & Lewis, 2014); thus, there is a need to examine how science is taught to SPED teachers and related learning outcomes. Compounding these issues is the limited research in the relationship between science and SPED (Spooner et al., 2012;Taylor & Villanueva, 2017;Therrien et al., 2011). Therefore, the present investigation addressed the need for additional research on science in SPED contexts, particularly at the intersection of the nature of science (NOS) and SPED (e.g., Mulvey et al., 2016;Librea-Carden et al., 2021;Enderle et al., 2020). ...
Limited research examines the critical intersection between science and special education (SPED), particularly on the nature of science (NOS) in science methods courses. This study addresses this gap by investigating 10 preservice SPED teachers’ NOS understanding, NOS implications for SPED, and the integration of NOS into their lesson plans in a science methods course. Quantitative and qualitative pre/post-course Students’ Understanding of Science and Scientific Inquiry (SUSSI) response and course artifact analysis indicated that participants’ NOS conceptions improved to be largely consistent with contemporary science education reforms; post-course, especially related to the NOS aspect of observations and inferences, and imagination and creativity in scientific investigations. Participants’ strong growth in certain NOS aspects was reflected in their identification of implications of NOS in SPED, providing initial evidence that participants valued disabilities as a form of diversity instead of as a deficit or a barrier to learning science. This offers additional evidence of the potential of NOS to make science accessible for all. Quantitative rating of lesson plans showed substantive integration of inquiry, but NOS ideas were generally implicit, yet accurate in the lesson plans. Nevertheless, these findings represent some progress yet substantial additional growth opportunities. Additional research on supporting SPED preservice teachers’ science instruction is needed to realize the potential of NOS to promote equity and social justice in science teaching and learning.
... Additionally, a significant part of the participants who had experience in teaching financial literacy skills to individuals with special needs stated that they included the teaching of basic skills and used certain methods such as visualizing and being a model in structured settings during the teaching process. This finding supports the literature, revealing that teachers need training and guidance in teaching financial literacy skills (King et al., 2016;Seyhan, 2020;Spooner et al., 2012). The participants stated that as a result of the teaching they provided on financial literacy skills, individuals with special needs acquired these skills at the level of acquisition, but they could not achieve success in generalization. ...
Lise dönemindeki GYG bireyler ile çalışan özel eğitim öğretmenlerinin GYG bireylerin finansal okuryazarlık becerilerinin desteklenmesine yönelik görüşlerinin ve deneyimlerinin değerlendirilmesinin amaçlandığı bu çalışma nitel araştırma modellerinden olgu bilim deseniyle tasarlanmıştır. Araştırmanın katılımcıları amaçlı örnekleme yöntemlerinden ölçüt ve kartopu örnekleme kullanılarak belirlenmiştir. Araştırmaya Ankara, İstanbul, Bursa, Samsun, Batman, Isparta, Konya ve Düzce’de görev yapan ve GYG bireyler ile çalışan 14 öğretmen katılmıştır. Verilerin yarı-yapılandırılmış görüşmeler aracılığıyla toplandığı araştırmada veriler içerik analizi ile analiz edilmiştir. Analizler sonucunda beş tema, 14 kategori ve 23 alt kategori belirlenmiştir. Araştırmanın bulguları GYG bireyler ile çalışan öğretmenlerin finansal okuryazarlık becerilerinin öğretimine yeterince yer vermediklerini, yer verdikleri durumlarda ise genelde sınıf ortamlarında belirli içeriklerin öğretimine odaklandıklarını ortaya koymuştur. Elde edilen bulgular alanyazın bağlamında tartışılarak ileri araştırmalar ve uygulamalara yönelik önerilerde bulunulmuştur.
... While normally developing children can learn many skills by taking advantage of existing educational opportunities or by taking models from those around them; it is claimed that students with special needs (e.g., children with ASD) need to make different arrangements in their education in order to learn many skills and that they need to receive systematic education with evidence-based practices (Kurt, 2006). "No Child Left Behind (2002" and "Individuals with Disabilities Education Improvement Act (2004)", which are regulated for individuals with disabilities in the United States, it requires teachers to compulsory use evidence-based teaching practices when teaching students with ASD and other developmental disabilities (Spooner et al., 2012). In the report published by the ¨The National Autism Center (NAC)¨ in 2019, technology-based practices are among the promising practices. ...
Bu çalışmada, otizm spekturm bozukluğu olan öğrencilere duyu organlarının öğretiminde
attırılmış gerçeklikle sunulan doğrudan öğretim yönteminin etkililiğinin belirlenmesi
amaçlanmıştır. Araştırmanın katılımcıları, 16, 17 ve 18 yaşlarında Özel Eğitim Meslek Okulu’na
devam eden üç otizm spektrum bozukluğu olan erkek öğrencidir. Araştırmanın deseni tek denekli
araştırma yöntemlerinden yoklama evreli katılımcılar arası çoklu yoklama modelidir. Araştırmanın
bağımlı değişkini otizm spektrum bozukluğu olan öğrencilerin duyu organlarının yapısı ve
işlevlerini öğrenme düzeyi olup bağımsız değişkeni ise artırılmış gerçeklikle sunulan doğrudan
öğretim yöntemidir. Araştırmanın bulguları, artırılmış gerçeklikle sunulan doğrudan öğretim
yönteminin araştırmanın katılımcısı olan üç otizm spektrum bozukluğu olan öğrencide duyu
organlarının yapısı ve işlevlerinin öğretiminde etkili olduğunu göstermektedir. Katılımcıların
öğrendikleri duyu organlarının yapısı ve işlevine dair kazanımlarını 1, 2 ve 3. haftalarda da
korudukları ve farklı bireylerin yönergeleri sonucunda da doğru yanıtları verebildikleri
görülmüştür. Açık uçlu anket formu ile katılımcıların öğretmenlerinden toplanan sosyal geçerlilik
verilerine göre ise öğretmenlerin kullanılan yöntem için olumlu görüşler ifade ettikleri rapor
edilmiştir. Araştırma sonuçlarının alanyazınla tutarlı olduğu görülmüştür.
Anahtar Kelimeler: Otizm spektrum bozukluğu, arttırılmış gerçeklik, doğrudan öğretim yöntemi, duyu organlarının öğretimi
... This resistance has resulted in the endorsement of teacher-directed practices for students with disabilities focused on explicit forms of instruction (National Mathematics Advisory Panel, 2008) constituting practices that qualify as evidence-based (Gersten et al., 2009). These practices are systematic procedures targeting measurable responses while providing reinforcement and error correction feedback (Spooner, Knight, Browder, & Smith, 2011). Translating these systematic procedures to mathematics education practices, Saunders, Bethune, Spooner, and Browder (2013) provided the following description: ...
... È ormai acquisito che le tecnologie assistive (Borg et al., 2011;Lazzari, 2017;WHO, 2018) e, in generale, l'uso della tecnologia digitale possono fornire supporto alle persone con disabilità nelle loro attività quotidiane, sostenerle nell'esercitare la loro capacità giuridica (Gooding et al., 2015), aiutarle nel processo decisionale e, in sintesi, migliorare la loro qualità della vita (Anderson et al., 2013;Boehm et al., 2015;Kemp, 1999) 2 . L'uso della tecnologia apporta benefici nel sostenere gli adulti disabili nei percorsi accademici, nella vita quotidiana e nel lavoro, nel favorire l'alfabetizzazione sanitaria e finanziaria (Browder et al., 2009(Browder et al., , 2011(Browder et al., , 2017Spooner et al., 2012). Per le persone con disabilità intellettiva, che possono sperimentare una connessione sociale limitata, le tecnologie hanno il potenziale di creare nuove opportunità (Barlott et al., 2020). ...
This paper describes the Accessible Information Material project aimed at promoting digital literacy for adults with intellectual disabilities and/or with low levels of literacy. The paper, that is introduced by a brief discussion of the role of ICT in promoting the inclusion of disabled people, intends to make a contribution to the design of digital literacy practices. The creation of easy-to-read material and the development of a path for the training of adults with intellectual disabilities are designed as tools to facilitate access and utilization of digital technology and to support their inclusion.
... This must have influenced self-help education (Leaf et al., 2016). Therefore, Spooner, Knight, Browder, and Smith (2012) stated Intellectual disabilities have poor motor skills therefore they not done their work properly. Lack of teacher participation in developing self-help skills is the reason that students do not maintain their balance in work. ...
The primary goal of this research was to identify the impact that teachers (educators) on generating self-help skills with intellectually impaired students. This quantitative study had been adopted a simple random technique. Further, the research questionnaire was divided into three sections. For reliability analysis, Cronbach’s alpha had been used. For section 1 (awareness of teachers for self-help skills) .87 value had been determined. For section 2 (Importance of teachers’ training for self-help skills) and section 3 (Assessment of student’s progress in self-help skills), the values were derived .78 and .83. Findings of this research highlighted the high level of awareness among teachers for self-help skills. They also support that self-help skills are compulsory to lead their life independently. Therefore, teacher training for developing self-help skills among students must be conducted. The study suggests that government should facilitate in-service training programs at the district level.
... Mobility limitations may limit a child's ability to assume protective positions (e.g., tornado safe position), or quickly descend a flight of stairs (Embury, Clarke, & Weber, 2019). Some students may also have difficulty being part of a large crowd during evacuation, processing information when directions must be followed quickly, or keeping quiet during a lockdown (Spooner, Knight, Browder, & Smith, 2012). ...
All students have the right to be safe at school. Regulations mandate that schools must establish procedures to ensure the safety of all students during emergency situations. Twenty years ago, a Midwestern school district created Individualized Emergency Evacuation Plans (IEEPs) to address unique safety needs of students with disabilities. A mixed methods design program evaluation was conducted to study its effectiveness. It examined the extent to which these practices align with the needs of students with disabilities, and what changes might be implemented to improve the program. Participants were multiple levels of District personnel. Data were collected using a quantitative online survey and qualitative individual semi-structured interviews and two focus groups. Most survey participants felt that current plans meet needs of students with disabilities; however, the plans could be updated to better support student safety. Interview analyses produced three emergent themes: We will do whatever it takes; There is always room for improvement; and “It might be helpful to … .” District Q continues to implement some practices from the original framework of the Individualized Emergency Evacuation Plans. The program evaluation produced suggestions for more effectively and efficiently meeting the safety needs of students with disabilities in emergency situations.
... The authors model for increased access to literature includes: (a) opportunities to access literature, including adapted texts, time for literacy, and read alouds either by people or technology; and (b) instruction to access the text, including text awareness, task analysis, vocabulary instruction, and listening comprehension [3]. This model has been studied extensively to teach comprehension of both narrative and informational text across academic content areas, e.g., [4][5][6][7][8][9][10] and includes a treatment package of evidence-based practices (EBP) for academic instruction for students with ID including adapted texts made accessible through read alouds (also called story-based lessons or shared stories [11], explicit vocabulary instruction using constant time delay [CTD; 6], task analytic instruction with systematic prompting-specifically a modified system of least prompts (SLP) and feedback [12,13], and graphic organizers [14]. ...
One foundational aspect within the essential skill of literacy is reading comprehension. While students can learn comprehension strategies in a variety of settings, students with disabilities have shown increased success in inclusive classrooms with instruction supported by both general education and special education staff. To address the needs to increase the reading comprehension outcomes for students with intellectual disability as well as increase the fidelity of use of evidence-based practices by school staff (general education teachers, special education teachers and paraprofessionals) within instruction, an interactive action research study was implemented in five schools in one school district in the United States. The study was designed to use action research to create a model of professional development with extensive coaching support surrounding evidence-based practices as well as the development of resources to support co-planning and adaptations within instruction in inclusive classrooms. Results indicated that both purposes were met within the study with several implications for practice as well as the development of a second iteration of the model using student outcomes and frequent educator feedback.
... lov na blago, trke automobila i sl.); poznato je da je interaktivna priroda čitanja naglas motivišuća i da utiče na češće angažovanje učenika tokom nastave; obezbeđivanje dodatnih nastavnih sredstava u vidu brojevnih prava i grafičkih organizatora; korišćenje sistematskih uputstava za praćenje analize zadatka prilikom usvajanja nekog matematičkog pojma. Spuner i saradnici (Spooner, Knight, Browder, & Smith, 2012) su u svom radu proučavali sticanje akademskih znanja višestruko ometene dece (opismenjavanje, matematika, prirodne nauke) i kao najefikasnije prakse izdvojili su analizu zadataka (tj. rastavljanje većeg zadatka na korake) i vremensko odlaganje. ...
Problems of practice, in order to make business as optimal as possible, often require us to determine a location that is connected to three or four given destinations by communications of the total minimum length. That there is an answer to this challenge, we owe gratitude to the remarkable book: “What is Mathematics” ?, (An Elementary Approach to Ideas and Methods) – “What is Mathematics” (Elementary Approach to Ideas and Methods), by Richard Courant and Herbert Robbins - Richard Courant and Herbert Robins, which in one part actualizes the work of Jakob Steiner, a Swiss mathematician. We owe a special momentum and new contributions to the solutions to this problem to the emergence of Informatics, which, thanks to the unprecedented development of its hardware and software components, easily and accurately solves the challenge for more than four destinations. The aim of this paper is to solve complex problems with a better approach and ways of solving tasks so that students can improve their quality through development.
... lov na blago, trke automobila i sl.); poznato je da je interaktivna priroda čitanja naglas motivišuća i da utiče na češće angažovanje učenika tokom nastave; obezbeđivanje dodatnih nastavnih sredstava u vidu brojevnih prava i grafičkih organizatora; korišćenje sistematskih uputstava za praćenje analize zadatka prilikom usvajanja nekog matematičkog pojma. Spuner i saradnici (Spooner, Knight, Browder, & Smith, 2012) su u svom radu proučavali sticanje akademskih znanja višestruko ometene dece (opismenjavanje, matematika, prirodne nauke) i kao najefikasnije prakse izdvojili su analizu zadataka (tj. rastavljanje većeg zadatka na korake) i vremensko odlaganje. ...
Društvene mreže kao snažan medij omogućavaju dvosmjernu komunikaciju ipojavu influencera sa značajnim utjecajem na druge ljude, posebice djecu i mlade u vrijeme njihovog intenzivnog razvoja. Influenceri svoje djelovanje ostvaruju konceptima parasocijalne povezanosti i identifikacije želja kao i influence marketingom. Medijske ličnosti danas preuzimaju jednu od socijalizacijskih uloga u odgoju te je iz tog razloga jedna od važnih uloga roditelja pomoći djeci u „odgoju za medije“ kako bi minimizirali manipulaciju djecom i njihovo uvođenje u neki iluzorni svijet koji im se prezentira kao „suvremena neminovnost“. Jedan od ciljeva istraživanja bio je problemu utjecaja influencera pristupiti s pedagoškog stajališta budući ovakav način ispitivanja na nacionalnom i širem planu izostaje. Putem posebno kreiranog anketnog upitnika ispitalo se mišljenje učenika 7. i 8. razreda (N = 51) osnovnih škola i njihovih roditelja (N = 26) o spoznajama influencerskog utjecaja i mogućih posljedica na djecu. Istraživanje je provedeno u 5 riječkih osnovnih škola. Rezultati pokazuju snažan influencerski utjecaj među učeničkom populacijom koji se ostvaruje kroz fenomene parasocijalne povezanosti, identifikacije želja i influence marketinga. Istovremeno roditelji pokazuju neinformiranost o problemu, nepoznavanje utjecaja influencera na djecu, dok neki ne uviđaju negativne utjecaje ili su prema problemu indiferentni. Istraživanje ukazuje na potrebu poticanja intenzivne komunikacije roditelja i djece o medijskom sadržaju i medijskim ličnostima kako bi se djecu osposobilo za kritički odnos prema njima. Istraživanje otvara i niz drugih istraživačkih pitanja na koje bi pedagogijska znanost trebala odgovoriti, a prvenstveno kreirati suvremene načine educiranja i osnaživanja roditeljskih odgojnih kompetencija posebice iz područja medijske pismenosti.
... Research shows that most schools are underprepared for children with disabilities [8,11,13]. School emergency response plans should take account of the requirements of students with disabilities [14], including being part of a group during evacuation, their ability to interpret information regarding the guidance of response, and to adapt to a change of environment such as light change and noise [13]. Additional educational and physical support is required for those children while in school, and they should receive direct supervision from a special educator [8]. ...
Taipei has been ranked as the most vulnerable city to a wider combination of risks. Although the Special Education Law addresses the consideration of disaster preparedness for students with disabilities enrolling in Special Education Schools, more attention needs to be given to the far larger number of students with disabilities enrolling in normal schools. These schools need to consider the care for students with different types and severe degrees of disabilities. The aim of the research is to investigate challenges of earthquake preparation and response for students with different severe degrees of disabilities who enrol in the special education classes in general primary schools. The objectives of the research include the following: (1) investigating the challenges and requirements for support of students with different severe degrees of disabilities; (2) examining the need and support for students with different degrees of disabilities during the earthquake response process; and (3) exploring the best practice in the curriculum building for students with different severity of disabilities. The purposive sampling was used to select four primary schools in Taipei as participant groups in the research. The research team used semi-structured interviews to interview eight participants: one special education class teacher and one administrator of each school were invited. Findings include the following: (1) ensuring the appropriate design of physical environment for earthquake response in schools, including rapid response, evacuation, and assembly points for students with different severe degrees of disabilities; (2) proposing suitable staff to student ratio to be planned for the response phase; (3) identifying the appropriate individualised curriculum and learning objectives to suit students with different severe degrees of disabilities.
... lov na blago, trke automobila i sl.); poznato je da je interaktivna priroda čitanja naglas motivišuća i da utiče na češće angažovanje učenika tokom nastave; obezbeđivanje dodatnih nastavnih sredstava u vidu brojevnih prava i grafičkih organizatora; korišćenje sistematskih uputstava za praćenje analize zadatka prilikom usvajanja nekog matematičkog pojma. Spuner i saradnici (Spooner, Knight, Browder, & Smith, 2012) su u svom radu proučavali sticanje akademskih znanja višestruko ometene dece (opismenjavanje, matematika, prirodne nauke) i kao najefikasnije prakse izdvojili su analizu zadataka (tj. rastavljanje većeg zadatka na korake) i vremensko odlaganje. ...
INTRODUCTION TO THE EMOTIONOLOGY OF CHILDHOOD (WITH AN APPENDIX TO CHILDREN'S LITERATURE) The paper provides an overview recent literature of the emotionology of childhood in historiography and in the history of children's literature, in reviewing the history of childhood emotionology in the Middle Ages and parents' feelings towards children to Stearns' reading of modern children's emotions, problematized by the notion , , Happy Children” as a product of popular American emotional culture. Correlated with the historical overview, emotiology will be explored as a modern method of approaching the literary text of children's literature. Since the field of children's literature has not been researched in Croatian literary studies by using emotionology as a methodological framework, the aim of this paper is to increase interest in literary emotionology, expand the overview of research methodology in the scientific community and thus popularize the field, especially in terms of new emotional research of children's literature in Croatia, which are given a guide by this introduction. Following the example of the history of emotions in historiography, the aim is to encourage literary emotionology to write a systematic emotionological study of literary-historical periodization of (dominant) emotions in various periods of children's literature, from the beginning of children's literature to the present day (emotionology has evidently been lacking so far). The possibility of scientific resistance is expected due to the introduction of the literary theoretical discipline of emotion, as a modern research paradigm, in the study of children's literature (as advocated by the author of this paper), just as resistance arose due to several different works of children's literature. , no longer just a moral component, but also a child’s psyche, like Pippi Longstocking (1945) by Astrid Lindgren, although it was clear that a whole new and very successful genre was emerging. Always, when it comes to newspapers, there is resistance to the new and different (Piskač, 2018), and in the world of the Internet Y and Z generation (children of the 21st century) and the growing insistence on artificial intelligence - emotional literacy, emotional intelligence, ultimately , emotional science, is also important as a predilection for maintaining a healthy childhood. The conclusion is that neither methodological, terminological or interdisciplinary and transdisciplinary problems in the study of feelings should distract us from the continuous research of emotionology at various social levels, a topic that is important in itself (Stearns and Stearns, 1985) and which - if we look at emotionology as a valent anti-essentialist feature of identity (whether real or literary) - begins its development in early childhood, which gives the topic a specific merit.
... lov na blago, trke automobila i sl.); poznato je da je interaktivna priroda čitanja naglas motivišuća i da utiče na češće angažovanje učenika tokom nastave; obezbeđivanje dodatnih nastavnih sredstava u vidu brojevnih prava i grafičkih organizatora; korišćenje sistematskih uputstava za praćenje analize zadatka prilikom usvajanja nekog matematičkog pojma. Spuner i saradnici (Spooner, Knight, Browder, & Smith, 2012) su u svom radu proučavali sticanje akademskih znanja višestruko ometene dece (opismenjavanje, matematika, prirodne nauke) i kao najefikasnije prakse izdvojili su analizu zadataka (tj. rastavljanje većeg zadatka na korake) i vremensko odlaganje. ...
The family as a natural support provider is an indispensable factor in a child's development. The birth of a child brings happiness to every family, but also a certain amount of stress. Special attention should be paid to the families of children with disabilities who are exposed to additional levels of stress. However, it often happens that the families of children with disabilities are left to fend for themselves in a system that does not allow them to meet their own needs and the needs of their own child and ultimately exercise basic human rights. The aim of this research was to examine the self-confidence in parenting abilities of parents of children with disabilities in the city of Mostar and the surrounding area. The study involved 25 parents of children with disabilities. Descriptive statistics methods and appropriate nonparametric statistical methods were used for data processing. The obtained results indicate that there is no statistically significant difference in the level of self-confidence of parents of children with disabilities about their age. The obtained results indicate that there is no statistically significant difference in the level of self-confidence in parenting abilities of parents of children with disabilities with regard to the age and working status of parents. Knowledge of parents' self-confidence is important not only for science, but also for the development and selection of appropriate intervention support programs for children with disabilities and their families. Due to the fact that the adverb was used in the research, the generalization of the obtained results is limited and there is a need for further research on this issue.
... lov na blago, trke automobila i sl.); poznato je da je interaktivna priroda čitanja naglas motivišuća i da utiče na češće angažovanje učenika tokom nastave; obezbeđivanje dodatnih nastavnih sredstava u vidu brojevnih prava i grafičkih organizatora; korišćenje sistematskih uputstava za praćenje analize zadatka prilikom usvajanja nekog matematičkog pojma. Spuner i saradnici (Spooner, Knight, Browder, & Smith, 2012) su u svom radu proučavali sticanje akademskih znanja višestruko ometene dece (opismenjavanje, matematika, prirodne nauke) i kao najefikasnije prakse izdvojili su analizu zadataka (tj. rastavljanje većeg zadatka na korake) i vremensko odlaganje. ...
The World Health Organization declared the COVID-19 pandemic in March 2020. Soon, the classic way of attending schools, including Bosnia and Herzegovina, was interrupted all over the world. With the interruption of the classic way of attending school, distance learning began. So school, parents, and pupils were forced to a more intensive cooperation and coordination. The aim of this study was to determine whether there are differences in the frequency of contact between parents and professionals in regular primary schools and primary schools for children with disabilities. The sample consisted of two groups of respondents. The first group of respondents was 23 parents of children with disabilities attending regular primary schools and primary schools for children with disabilities. The second group of respondents was 34 educational staff. Parents of children attending regular primary schools and parents of children attending school for children with disabilities were found to be equally satisfied with the online support received given the frequency of support and the availability of professionals outside working hours. In addition, the results showed that parents of children with disabilities attending regular schools and parents of children attending schools for children with disabilities had equally frequent contact with professionals and the school in general.
... Des deux premiers niveaux de cette analyse ont été retenus plusieurs principes pédagogiques, tels que la nécessité d'enseigner aux élèves plusieurs « piliers de la lecture » (National Institute of Child Health and Human Development, 2000 ; National Institute for Literacy, 2008) de façon explicite et systématique (Bissonnette, Richard, Gauthier, & Bouchard, 2010 ;Sermier Dessemontet, Martinet, de Chambrier, Martini-Willemin, & Audrin, 2019), l'importance de fournir des feedbacks correctifs systématiques incluant un « délai constant de réponse » (constant time delay, Spooner, et al., 2012) ou encore l'intérêt de procéder à un étayage progressif avec une gradation des aides de la moins intrusive à la plus intrusive (least to most intrusive prompt system, Downing, 2010). La réalisation d'une méta-analyse sur les pratiques efficaces d'enseignement du décodage aux élèves avec déficience intellectuelle a permis de confirmer l'importance de certains de ces principes mais aussi d'identifier les dimensions sur lesquelles nous ne disposons pas encore de suffisamment de données scientifiques (Sermier Dessemontet, Martinet, de Chambrier, et al., 2019). ...
De nombreux·euses chercheur·euse·s conçoivent des outils pédagogiques pour les enseignant·e·s. Si les chercheur·euse·s en sciences de l’éducation se doivent de développer des outils intégrant les recommandations issues de la recherche, il·elle·s doivent aussi veiller à ce que ces outils répondent aux besoins des enseignant·e·s et qu’ils puissent s’inscrire dans leur réalité professionnelle. Dans une approche de conception continuée dans l’usage, des allers-retours entre le laboratoire et les salles de classe sont par conséquent préconisés. De plus, une évaluation de l’efficacité des outils ainsi développés avec une approche expérimentale reste indispensable. Deux recherches illustrant les complémentarités possibles entre ces deux approches seront présentées : l’une traite de l’enseignement de la
lecture-décodage auprès d’élèves présentant une déficience intellectuelle, par des enseignant·e·s spécialisé·e·s, et l’autre de celui des premières compétences en mathématiques auprès d’élèves d’école enfantine (âgés de 4 à 6 ans).
... Des deux premiers niveaux de cette analyse ont été retenus plusieurs principes pédagogiques, tels que la nécessité d'enseigner aux élèves plusieurs « piliers de la lecture » (National Institute of Child Health and Human Development, 2000 ; National Institute for Literacy, 2008) de façon explicite et systématique Sermier Dessemontet, Martinet, de Chambrier, Martini-Willemin, & Audrin, 2019), l'importance de fournir des feedbacks correctifs systématiques incluant un « délai constant de réponse » (constant time delay, Spooner, et al., 2012) ou encore l'intérêt de procéder à un étayage progressif avec une gradation des aides de la moins intrusive à la plus intrusive (least to most intrusive prompt system, Downing, 2010). La réalisation d'une méta-analyse sur les pratiques efficaces d'enseignement du décodage aux élèves avec déficience intellectuelle a permis de confirmer l'importance de certains de ces principes mais aussi d'identifier les dimensions sur lesquelles nous ne disposons pas encore de suffisamment de données scientifiques (Sermier Dessemontet, Martinet, de Chambrier, et al., 2019). ...
Résumé – Dans cet article, nous croisons deux entrées : l’entrée activité, qui s’appuie sur des enquêtes collaboratives soutenues par la vidéo, et l’entrée cognitive, qui s’appuie sur des questionnaires et de l’expérimentation. Les verbalisations produites dans le cadre des enquêtes collaboratives ainsi que les réponses récoltées par les questionnaires reflètent des conceptions implicites, dont les processus sous-jacents font l’objet d’études en sciences cognitives. Dans cet article nous mettons les concepts clés relatifs au développement professionnel des enseignants en regard avec ceux relatifs au développement conceptuel et nous analysons les points de convergence et de tension. Outre une analyse théorique, nous portons un regard croisé sur les corpus et méthodologies existants, en analysant les atouts des différentes approches. Enfin, nous concluons en proposant un dispositif de recherche qui pourrait permettre aux deux entrées d’interagir de manière complémentaire.
... This study seeks to better understand the science learning experiences of all students, including individuals with intellectual disabilities, from the perspective of those individuals. Though a body of literature around best practices for teaching science to individuals with disabilities exists, including modified instruction in both science content and process skills (Abels & Marvic, 2013;Bakken, Mastropieri & Scruggs, 1997;Dexter & Hughs, 2011;Jiminez, Browder, Spooner, & Debase, 2012;Scruggs & Mastropieri, 2000;Spooner, Knight, Browder, & Smith, 2012), much of the suggested practices are based on research done on these individuals rather than research by or with these individuals. As a result the voices of individuals with disabilities are sometimes muted, interpreted, or changed by researchers or teachers. ...
This study examines the science learning experiences across the lifespan of two groups of college students: adults with intellectual and/or developmental disabilities in a post-secondary inclusive program, and adults in a preservice secondary education teacher candidate program. Data, in the form of personal narrativescience storieswere collected using a paired-interview approach in which students from each group interviewed one another about their science learning across their lifespans, and recorded responses using an online form. Across the stories, several clear themes emerged. Similarities and differences were found across and within the groups and are shared in a narrative format. Trends that emerged both across and within groups are shared,and recommendations are made for current and future teachers for best practices in teaching science to all students, including those with a variety of disabilities.
... The availability of research-based practices to support inclusive education for students with ID has grown considerably over the last few decades (e.g., Brock & Huber, 2017;Kuntz & Carter, 2019;Spooner et al., 2012). Although the everyday implementation of those research-based practices in inclusive classrooms requires the active involvement of general educators, it is unclear whether and how general educators have participated in or contributed to interventions evaluated within the research literature. ...
General educators are crucial players in efforts to support inclusive education for students with intellectual disability. In this systematic review, we examined the roles of general educators within interventions delivered and evaluated in their middle and high school classrooms. Among these 40 intervention studies, the involvement of general educators could be characterized as mixed and often minimal. Across studies, general educator involvement spanned six different areas: developing the intervention, arranging peer involvement, implementing intervention components, providing perspectives, collecting data, and delivering class instruction. The ways in which general educators have contributed to the delivery of interventions in their classrooms remains uneven. We offer recommendations for research and practice aimed at increasing the involvement of general educators in providing support to students with intellectual disability.
... The current study did not do this and only practiced words for subsequent recognition at the word and passage levels. Other strategies include linking vocabulary to meaningful examples and activities (Spooner et al., 2012), and integrating picture prompts or creating augmented alternatives of text and comprehension questions may help to facilitate understanding of keywords (Hudson et al. 2013), all of which are areas for future research. ...
The purpose of the current study was to determine the extent to which practicing keywords increased word recognition, reading fluency and comprehension for students with intellectual disability (ID). The dependent measures included word recognition (i.e., the percentage of previously unknown keywords read correctly in the given text), reading fluency (i.e., words read correctly in 1 minute), and reading comprehension (i.e., number of questions answered correctly out of five). The participants were three fourth-grade students who were identified as having ID in early childhood with IQ scores of 45, 62, and 78. Words from reading passages were practiced with Incremental Rehearsal (IR) using a multielement, single-case design. Practicing keywords led to higher subsequent in-text recognition and generalization for a high percentage of the taught words. Additionally, there was clear experimental control for increases in reading fluency. There was not a strong effect on reading comprehension. Implications for research and practice are discussed.
... Across these groups, students with special needs (SEN) are largely ignored in science education research and research on science in special education (SPED) contexts (e.g. Greene, 2016;Smith et al., 2013;Spooner et al., 2012;Taylor & Villanueva, 2017;Therrien et al., 2011). A review of research articles from leading scholarly science education publications reported that only 13 studies addressed science and SPED (Villanueva et al., 2012). ...
Students with special educational needs (SEN) are often left behind in science education, and research largely ignores this population. In particular, very limited research examines the intersection between the nature of science (NOS) and special education (SPED). To address this gap, the study investigated 18 preservice SPED teachers’ NOS plans and instructions in a methods course, as well as their perceptions of the role of NOS and its relevance to SEN. The data sources included written reflections, interviews, lesson plans and microteaching during class. Most preservice teachers planned and implemented NOS lessons within inquiry within the class, although NOS was not required. This finding represents a strong outcome as participants were non-science majors and were provided only a short period of NOS intervention. Importantly, the preservice SPED teachers considered NOS to be relevant to SEN, considering students’ unique ideas and different ways of thinking. This provided initial evidence that preservice SPED teachers may view teaching NOS as a way to highlight students’ differences in ideas/perspectives, supporting their contributions to science. Future research will investigate the NOS learning outcomes of SEN.
https://doi.org/10.1080/09500693.2021.1893857
... Across these groups, students with special needs (SEN) are largely ignored in science education research and research on science in special education (SPED) contexts (e.g. Greene, 2016;Smith et al., 2013;Spooner et al., 2012;Taylor & Villanueva, 2017;Therrien et al., 2011). A review of research articles from leading scholarly science education publications reported that only 13 studies addressed science and SPED (Villanueva et al., 2012). ...
Students with special educational needs (SEN) are often left behind in science education, and research largely ignores this population. In particular, very limited research examines the intersection between the nature of science (NOS) and special education (SPED). To address this gap, the study investigated 18 preservice SPED teachers’ NOS plans and instructions in a methods course, as well as their perceptions of the role of NOS and its relevance to SEN. The data sources included written reflections, interviews, lesson plans and microteaching during class. Most preservice teachers planned and implemented NOS lessons within inquiry within the class, although NOS was not required. This finding represents a strong outcome as participants were non-science majors and were provided only a short period of NOS intervention. Importantly, the preservice SPED teachers considered NOS to be relevant to SEN, considering students’ unique ideas and different ways of thinking. This provided initial evidence that preservice SPED teachers may view teaching NOS as a way to highlight students’ differences in ideas/perspectives, supporting their contributions to science. Future research will investigate the NOS learning outcomes of SEN.
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Formative assessment is a way to individualize learning and tailor instruction to learners’ specific needs. These practices are particularly relevant due to the increasing heterogeneity resulting from the transition to an inclusive education system and the associated question of how teachers can deal with this rise in heterogeneity. However, there is no systematic interlinking between these two areas vis-à-vis mathematics secondary education. Therefore, little is known about how the benefits of formative assessment can be achieved in inclusive secondary mathematics education, with its heterogeneous learning groups. Accordingly, we searched the FIS Bildung, PsycInfo, and PSYNDEX-plus Tests databases, resulting in 14 articles addressing either formative assessment in general or diagnostics and feedback as components of formative assessment, particularly in inclusive secondary mathematics education. These publications were coded and analyzed according to their affiliation with one of the key components or formative assessment in general. Results indicate that, first, diagnostics must be highly individualized while considering contextual factors to be accurate; second, teachers should be advised on how to proceed with the diagnosed issues; and, finally, teachers should provide their students with frequent, easily accessible feedback. Furthermore, we identify productive directions for future research, along with implications for inclusive everyday teaching, and discuss limitations.
Students with intellectual disability have encountered challenges related to inclusive placement, spending less time in general education classrooms, and experiencing slower progress in accessing inclusive settings. To support their needs and success in inclusive classrooms, research-based and effective interventions should be provided. We conducted a meta-analysis of the literature on interventions conducted in elementary general education classes for students with intellectual disability. Among 17 included articles, 14 designs from nine articles that met What Works Clearinghouse standards for single-case design research were analyzed for outcome analysis. Results demonstrated that interventions to support elementary students with intellectual disability in general education classes produced statistically significant and large effects on outcomes. Systematic instruction was the dominant intervention approach used. More high-quality studies with diverse research designs and contextual considerations are needed to advance inclusive practice for this population. Additional implications for research and practice are discussed.
Answering questions and solving problems are critical skills that affect the quality of life for all people. The content areas of science and engineering traditionally and most directly address the processes of inquiry and problem‐solving. While there is an increasing body of research surrounding teaching academic content (i.e., mathematics and science) as well as skills that are critical to support student success in these areas (i.e., communication and self‐determination), the research supporting instruction of math, science, and engineering practices and processes are only emerging. The purpose of this article is to provide a research‐based framework for instructional design that provides ideas for cognitive accessibility and supports for students with MSD in STEM. The framework aims to guide teachers in considering why to teach STEM, what to teach, and how to teach it. The framework guides teachers to use evidence‐based practices in special education to teach students to know about STEM (i.e., academic content), do STEM practices and processes (i.e., critical thinking skills combined into routines for asking questions or solving problems), and think in ways that support this learning (i.e., metacognitive behaviors).
This chapter provides the results from a large-scale systematic review of adjustments provided to children with special educational needs in general education classrooms. Initially, demographic characteristics of the research will be examined, including geographic region, types of school examined, diagnostic features and characteristics of participants contributing data. This is followed by a consideration of methodology and research quality. Subsequently, the nature of adjustments will be examined across the areas of assessment; instruction; curriculum; classroom environment; organisation and management; human resource use; and technology. Key findings in these areas will be contextualized and discussed. Finally, an analysis of the key themes identified across the research will be offered and some limitations of the review acknowledged.
Inclusion of children with special educational needs in general education classrooms has been a consistent trend over several decades. Many jurisdictions have introduced legislation and processes to require adjustments to educational programs to ensure the needs of students are addressed. This chapter provides the background to a large-scale systematic review examining the nature of adjustments provided in classrooms. Issues addressed include terminology used to refer to adjustments, frameworks relevant to the provision of adjustments such as Universal Design for Learning and various multitiered approaches, as well as the role of teaching assistants. The chapter also considers approaches to examining adjustments and presents the key aims of the systematic review.
Bu derleme makalesinde, çoklu yetersizliği olan öğrencilerin matematik becerilerini geliştirmek için kullanılabilecek etkili müdahale yöntemleri açıklanmıştır. Matematik, günlük yaşamdan meslek seçimine kadar birçok alanda önemli bir rol oynar ve başarılı bir matematik eğitimi, öğrencilerin bağımsız ve başarılı bireyler olmalarına katkıda bulunur. Ancak, çoklu yetersizliği olan öğrenciler matematik becerilerinde zorluklarla karşılaşmaktadırlar. Bu nedenle, matematik eğitiminde bu öğrencilere yetersizliklerine özgü yaklaşımların geliştirilmesi gerekmektedir. Araştırmalar, manipülatifler, görsel temsiller, şema temelli strateji öğretimi, sabit-bekleme süreli öğretim ve eşzamanlı ipucu yaklaşımları gibi müdahalelerin çoklu yetersizliği olan öğrencilerin matematik performansını artırmada etkili olduğunu göstermektedir. Gelecekteki çalışmalar, çoklu yetersizliği olan öğrenciler için daha etkili matematik eğitim yöntemlerini belirlemeye odaklanmalıdır. Öğrencilerin yaş, yetersizlik derecesi ve ön beceriler gibi faktörlerine uygun müdahalelerin tasarlanması önemlidir. Aynı zamanda, matematik eğitiminde daha karmaşık ve ileri düzeyde içerikleri kapsayan etkili yöntemlerin araştırılması ve matematik becerilerini geliştirmeye yönelik yeni yaklaşımların keşfedilmesi önerilmektedir. Sonuç olarak, bu derleme makalesi, çoklu yetersizliği olan öğrencilerin matematik becerilerini geliştirmek için kullanılabilecek farklı müdahale yöntemlerini özetlemekte ve matematik eğitimine yönelik gelecekteki araştırmalara yönelik öneriler sunmaktadır.
It is well established that adolescents with autism spectrum disorders often do not engage in physical activity, which may contribute to secondary health concerns (e.g., poor cardiovascular health and diabetes). The purpose of this study was to extend the research on a behavioral intervention package and address previous limitations (i.e., small number of exercises and minimal maintenance). A multiple baseline design across participants was used to determine if there was a functional relationship between the intervention and independence of physical activity, creating workouts, and navigating workouts. The results indicate that participants were able to acquire and maintain skills. When new exercises were presented in generalization, two participants demonstrated higher levels of independence in physical activity and one participant displayed a similar level to baseline. Implications and areas for future research are discussed.
This chapter examines evidence-based strategies which utilize principles of applied behavior analysis to improve academic achievement and learning. A historical review of using ABA to teach academic skills is provided and selected ABA principles are examined as part of instructional systems. A look back at prominent methods used to teach critical learning skills using principles of ABA are discussed and case examples with reference table of treatment procedures are provided.KeywordsApplied behavior analysisAcademicsTeaching strategies
The ability to maintain mathematical skills learned is critical for students to successfully engage in advanced mathematics and promote independence in daily living skills. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effectiveness of a graduated manipulative sequence consisting of virtual, representational, abstract, and an extended abstract phase (VRAEa) to teach various types of mathematical problems to three students with autism and mild intellectual disability using a multiple probe across behavior single case design. This study extended previous research on the virtual, representational, abstract sequence (VRA) to address deficiency in maintenance results through incorporating the extended abstract phase. The results indicate the intervention was effective, however, maintenance was variable. Implications for practice and ideas for future research to support the learning needs of students with developmental disabilities are discussed.
Financial education is vital to improving financial literacy for students with extensive support needs (ESN) to be successful in real-world scenarios and improve financial behaviors. Financial literacy skills should be taught and explored within the mathematics curriculum (Newman et al., 2009) in inclusive settings by both general and special educators with sensitivity to the needs of the students and families. This article introduces a series of steps that allow educators to integrate financial literacy skills in both inclusive school and community-based settings to support students and their families in the process. These steps include (a) assessing financial literacy skills, (b) gathering financial literacy resources, (c) integrating financial literacy activities in inclusive settings, and (d) monitoring and reflecting on financial literacy progress, of all stakeholders including educators, students, and their families. The article also includes financial literacy resources, a sample lesson plan, recommended financial literacy and transition-based learning goals, and guiding questions for families to support financial literacy for students with ESN.
Mathematical problem solving has been identified as one foundational area of mathematics for all students but is an area of weakness for students with disabilities. This investigation sought to determine the effects of peer-delivered schema-based instruction on the mathematical problem solving of the change problem type with four middle school students with extensive support needs using a single-case multiple-probe-across-participants design. We also wanted to determine if same-age peer tutors who received behavior skills training could deliver the academic instruction with fidelity. Students and peer tutors were representative of diverse backgrounds. Results showed a functional relation between peer-delivered modified schema-based instruction and students’ acquisition and maintenance of mathematical word problem–solving skills, and strong effect sizes were found. Peer tutors were able to provide instruction with high levels of fidelity across the study. Social validity data showed that all participants benefited from the peer-delivered instruction.
We conducted this systematic literature review to summarize single-case intervention studies in which academic instruction incorporated assistive and instructional technology for students with complex support needs. Thirty studies, published between 2012 and 2019, were included in the review and valuated for methodological rigor. Of the 97 student participants across all studies, most received language arts instruction in self-contained elementary classrooms. The majority of interventions used instructional technology on mobile devices in conjunction with systematic instruction focusing on teaching word recognition or letter identification skills. We discussed the key findings with recommendations for future research, and implications for practice.
Inclusive education means educating students with special needs in an age-appropriate general education setting where students receive high-quality, standard-based instructions, interventions, and support that enable them to experience success in the general education classroom. Effective pedagogical practices involve the collaboration of both special education teacher and general education teacher to identify and implement effective teaching practices which enhance student engagement and promote higher-order thinking skills. Special education teacher supports the general education teacher in adapting curriculum and teaching methods, modifying assessments, and providing accommodations to students with disabilities in inclusive classrooms. Effective pedagogical practices are affected by teacher's belief; students' disabilities; and their roles and responsibilities towards the students with disabilities. This chapter examines previous researches and studies that investigate effective pedagogical practices in inclusive classrooms for students with disabilities.
Preventive and responsive services is a major domain of school psychology practice, of which crisis prevention and intervention are central aspects. In this chapter, the historical context of crisis and its prevention and intervention is reviewed. Best practices for taking a leadership role in all aspects of crisis preparedness, including prevention and protection, mitigation, response, and recovery, are detailed, guided by NASP’s PREPaRE model (Brock et al., School crisis prevention and intervention: The PREPaRE model. NASP, Bethesda, 2009; Brock et al., School crisis prevention and intervention: The PREPaRE model (2nd ed.). NASP, Bethesda, 2016). The chapter concludes with the implications of these best practices for training and practice.
Research exists on mathematical interventions to support elementary students experiencing mathematical difficulties, yet little examines the provision of such interventions within an online learning environment. This study explored the online delivery of the virtual-representational-abstract (VRA) instructional sequence, taught via explicit instruction, coupled with the system of least prompts (SLP) to three elementary students with mathematics difficulties. From this single case design study, researchers determined the VRA instructional sequence with the SLP was effective for three elementary students with mathematical difficulties in terms of accuracy in solving double-digit subtraction with regrouping problems. Further, the students were relatively independent in solving the problems. The results of this study hold implications for the online delivery of effective mathematical interventions to struggling elementary students.
Giriş: Özel eğitimde etkili öğretim yöntemlerin kullanılması alanyazında sıkça vurgulanmaktadır. Özellikle akademik becerilerin öğretiminde yanlışsız öğretim yöntemleri oldukça etkilidir. Benzer şekilde fen bilimleri öğretiminde de yanlışsız öğretim yöntemlerinin etkili olduğu görülmektedir. Alanyazında yer alan uygulamaların incelenmesi ve tüm beceri öğretimlerinde olduğu gibi fen konularının öğretiminde de yanlışsız öğretim yöntemleri konusunda gereksinimlerin belirlenmesi gerekmektedir.Yöntem: Çalışmada, özel gereksinimli öğrencilere fen öğretiminde yanlışsız öğretim yöntemlerinin uygulandığı ve tek-denekli araştırma modellerinin kullanıldığı araştırmalara ilişkin sistematik derleme yapılmıştır. Belirlenen anahtar kelimeler veritabanlarında taranmış ve toplam 19 makale çalışma kapsamında belirli değişkenler açısından betimsel analiz tekniği ile incelenmiştir.Bulgular: Çalışmaya 2000-2020 yılları arasında ulusal ve uluslararası hakemli dergilerde yayımlanmış araştırmalar dâhil edilmiştir. Araştırmalarda çoğunlukla çoklu başlama ve çoklu yoklama desenlerinin kullanıldığı, araştırmalarda toplam 64 katılımcının yer aldığı, katılımcıların çoğunun zihin yetersizliği ve otizm spektrum bozukluğuna sahip öğrenciler olduğu görülmüştür. Ayrıca; kuvvet ve enerji, enerji dönüşümleri ve çevre kirliliği, canlılar dünyası gibi hedef davranışların öğretimine yer verildiği ve katılımcıların belirlenen hedef davranışları edindiği görülmüştür. Yanlışsız öğretim yöntemlerinden ise sabit bekleme süreli ve eş zamanlı ipucuyla öğretim yöntemlerinin daha yoğun olarak kullanıldığı görülmüştür.Tartışma: Bu çalışma ile her tür ve düzeyde yetersizliğe sahip özel gereksinimli öğrencilere fen bilimleri gibi akademik becerilerin öğretimi konusunda yanlışsız öğretim yöntemlerinin uygulandığı ve tek-denekli araştırma modellerinin kullanıldığı ulusal çalışmaların sayısının artması beklenmektedir. Sonuç: Özel eğitimde fen öğretiminde yanlışsız öğretim yöntemlerinin oldukça etkili olduğu görülmektedir. Ayrıca, araştırmaların tek-denekli araştırma yöntemleri kriterlerine uygun olarak gerçekleştirildiği belirlenmiştir.Öneriler: Öğretmenlerin hizmet içi eğitim programlarına etkili yöntemler konusu eklenebilir. Ulusal alanyazında bu konuda uygulamalar ve çalışmalar artırılabilir.
The purpose of this study was to investigate use of computers and video technologies to teach students to correctly make purchases in a community grocery store using the dollar plus purchasing strategy. Four middle school students diagnosed with intellectual disabilities participated in this study. A multiple probe across participants research design was used to evaluate the effectiveness of the treatment. Results indicated the program was effective at teaching the dollar plus purchasing strategy to three out of four participants and promoted generalization to the natural environment. Finally, limitations of the study, implications for practice, and future research questions are discussed.
A single subject alternating treatment design was used to compare the effectiveness of embedded and small-group instruction to teach vocabulary word definitions to four middle school students with developmental disabilities. Embedded instruction was implemented in the students' general education classes. Students were taught to verbally define five vocabulary words drawn from the general curriculum. Instructional trials were distributed within and across the ongoing activities of the general education class. Instructional procedures included constant time-delay, differential reinforcement, and systematic error correction procedures. Small-group instruction was implemented in the students' self-contained special education class. Students were taught to verbally define five vocabulary words drawn from the curriculum in their general education classes. Instructional procedures for small-group instruction were identical to those used during embedded instruction. The small-groups included the target student and two peers who were randomly selected from his or her special education class. Small-group instruction employed an intrasequential format with spaced-trials (Collins et al., 1991; Reid & Favell, 1984). Results suggest that embedded and small-group instruction were equally effective in promoting the acquisition and generalization of the target skill. Results are discussed in terms of future research and implications for supporting the inclusion of students with developmental disabilities in general education classes.
Single-subject research plays an important role in the development of evidence-based practice in special education. The defining features of single-subject research are presented, the contributions of single-subject research for special education are reviewed, and a specific proposal is offered for using single-subject research to document evidence-based practice. This article allows readers to determine if a specific study is a credible example of single-subject research and if a specific practice or procedure has been validated as "evidence-based" via single-subject research.
Determining evidence-based practices is a complicated enterprise that requires analyzing the methodological quality and magnitude of the available research supporting specific practices. This article reviews criteria and procedures for identifying what works in the fields of clinical psychology, school psychology, and general education; and it compares these systems with proposed guidelines for determining evidence-based practices in special education. The authors then summarize and analyze the approaches and findings of the 5 reviews presented in this issue. In these reviews, prominent special education scholars applied the proposed quality indicators for high-quality research and standards for evidence-based practice to bodies of empirical literature. The article concludes by synthesizing these scholars' preliminary recommendations for refining the proposed quality indicators and standards for evidence-based practices in special education, as well as the process for applying them.
An overview of the many types of studies that fall into the qualitative design genre is provided. Strategies that qualitative researchers use to establish the authors' studies as credible and trustworthy are listed and defined. So that readers will recognize the important contribution qualitative studies have made in the field of special education, a range of well-known and lesser known examples of qualitative research are reviewed. The quality indicators that are important in conducting and evaluating qualitative research are identified. Finally, as an example of the evidence that can be produced using qualitative methods, the authors provide a summary of how 3 studies have provided important information that can be used to inform policy and practice.
For students with or at risk for learning disabilities, developing fluency with reading connected texts remains a formidable challenge. In response, teachers often use repeated reading practices designed to provide students with multiple exposures to the same words. This study examined research focused on determining the efficacy of repeated reading approaches for, improving reading fluency for students with or at risk for learning disabilities. Studies employed experimental/quasi-experimental and single-subject research designs. Results suggest that repeated reading is not supported by rigorous research as defined by the quality indicators used and, therefore, is not an evidence-based practice based on those criteria for students with and at risk for learning disabilities. Implications for future research and for practice are discussed.
A comprehensive review of the literature was conducted for articles published between 1985 and May 2009 to (a) examine the degree to which science content was taught to students with severe developmental disabilities and (b) and evaluate instructional procedures in science as evidencebased practices. The review was organized by a conceptual model developed for science content. Seventeen experiments were analyzed for research quality where science content was taught to this population; 14 of these studies were viewed to be of high or adequate quality. In general, we found systematic instruction as an overarching instructional package to be an evidence-based practice for teaching science content. Furthermore, components of systematic instruction (i. e., task analytic instruction and time delay) were analyzed. We discuss the outcomes to reflect how to teach science, what science content to teach, why to teach science, and recommendations for future research and practice.
The present study investigated the effects of training parents of young adults with disabilities to use constant time delay to teach their children purchasing skills in the community. The parent intervention involved target skill selection and instructional planning (e.g., identifying prompts and reinforcers), parent training on constant time delay, and child training in the community using feedback. The student intervention included a parent-delivered constant time delay procedure. A multiple-probe design across three parent-child dyads was used to measure the effects of the intervention on the parent's ability to teach his or her child with disabilities and on the child's acquisition of purchasing skills in the community. Findings indicated that parents were able to apply the constant time delay procedure and that students successfully acquired the purchasing skill when taught by their parents. In addition, both parents and students maintained the effects of the instructional procedure and skill several weeks (i.e., 6-8) after the intervention was terminated. Implications for future research and practice regarding the parent-delivered time delay intervention are discussed.
In this topical issue of The Journal of Special Education, leading scholars in special education reviewed the literature and investigated whether special education is, indeed, special by examining to what degree (a) effective techniques have been developed for students with disabilities, (b) these effective techniques are applied and implemented with fidelity, and (c) utilization of these techniques is unique to special education. In this article, the authors analyze findings from this special issue regarding what is special-effective, implemented, and unique-about special education. The authors found that effective, empirically supported practices have been developed for students with disabilities, that these techniques are used predominantly in special education, and that these effective practices are not implemented regularly or with fidelity. Recommendations to enhance the implementation of effective, research-based practices are offered.
A major tenet of both the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act and the No Child Left Behind Act is the identification and use of evidence-based practices, or those instructional techniques shown by research as most likely to improve student outcomes meaningfully. However, much confusion exists regarding the meaning and potential applications of evidence-based practices in special education. Evidence-based practices are traditionally supported by the findings of multiple, high-quality, experimental research studies. Rather than changing the nature of teaching or limiting teachers to following prescribed methods, prioritizing evidence-based practices will allow teachers to maximize the impact of their instructional efforts.
The purpose of this study Was to train teachers to folloW a task analysis to teach a story-based literacy lesson using adapted, grade-appropriate middle school literature to students With moderate and severe developmental disabilities. A multiple-probe-across-participants design Was used to examine the effects of training teachers to folloW a literacy lesson plan task analysis on the number of steps completed by teachers on the literacy lesson plan template and changes made by students in response to teachers' use of the literacy lesson plan. Results indicated a functional relationship betWeen teacher training and the number of lesson plan steps folloWed, With a corresponding student increase in both overall and independent correct responses. Implications for practice and future research are discussed.
There has been an increasing focus on evidence-based practices in special education with efforts underway to authoritatively identify those practices that are evidence based. However, the identification of evidence-based practices is only the beginning of the process of implementing evidence-based special education. The professional wisdom of special educators will be necessary for evidence-based practices to be implemented effectively and result in improved outcomes for students with disabilities. Specifically, special educators will have to apply their professional wisdom in (a) selecting and adapting evidence-based practices to their students' learning needs and goals, their own teaching strengths, and the educational environments in which the practice will be implemented; (b) assessing the effects of evidence-based practices; and (c) integrating effective teaching techniques in the delivery of evidence-based practices.
We compared the effectiveness of tWo trial distribution schedules implemented in an embedded instruction package to teach academic skills to students With developmental disabilities in general education classes. In the first package, instructional trials Were distributed across a 30-min time period that reflected the typical length of a lesson in the content area (e.g., math or reading). In the second package, instructional trials Were distributed across a 120-min time period that cut across at least tWo lessons (e.g., math and reading). General education teachers provided instruction to students under both trial distribution conditions. The results indicated that both schedules lead to the acquisition of the target skills. In addition, students Were able to generalize their performance to natural stimuli found in general education classes. HoWever, the 30-min trial distribution schedule resulted in faster acquisition of the skills for tWo of the students. There Were no substantial differences in the rates of acquisition under the tWo schedules for the other tWo students. Results are discussed in terms of future research and implications for supporting the inclusion of students With developmental disabilities in general education classes.
In this investigation, the acquisition of both functional and core content sight Words Was compared as replicated across three formats: direct massed trial instruction in a special education resource room, direct distributed trial instruction in a general education classroom, and embedded distributed trial instruction in a general education classroom. Four students With moderate disabilities across three age groups participated. During direct instructional trials, both functional and core content sight Words Were presented using a constant time delay procedure. During embedded trials, the students received instruction in the same manner as their peers Without disabilities (e.g., teacher lecture, Worksheets, activities). Although the results varied slightly across participants, there Were minimal differences in the acquisition and maintenance of both functional and core content sight Words across the three presentation formats.
r: This article sets the context for the developrhent of research quality indicators and guidelines for evidence of effective practices provided by different methodologies. The current con- ceptualization of scientific research in education and the complexity of conducting research in spe- cial education settings underlie the development of quality indicators. Programs of research in special education may be viewed as occurring in stages: moving fiom initial descriptive research, to experimental causal research, to finally research that examines the processes that might affect wide- scale adoption and use of a practice. At each stage, different research questions are relevant, and different research methodologies to address the research questions are needed.
A single subject alternating treatment design was used to compare the relative effectiveness of one-to-one embedded instruction in the general education classroom and one-to-one massed practice instruction in a special education class. Four middle school students with developmental disabilities, their special education teacher, and paraprofessional participated in the study. The results indicate that embedded instruction is an effective instructional strategy for students with developmental disabilities being served in inclusive settings. However, the results indicate that there was some difference in the efficiency of the two instructional formats. Two students reached criterion more rapidly in the one-to-one massed instructional intervention while the one-to-one embedded instruction was more efficient for one student. There was no difference between the interventions for the fourth student. Finally, the study validated previous research that found that both special education teachers and paraprofessionals can, with minimal training, accurately implement embedded instructional interventions in the general education classroom. Implications for practitioners and researchers are discussed.
Research is reviewed that employs delay procedures with the severely handicapped as a means of shifting stimulus control. The parameters of delay procedures are delineated, including prerequisite student and teacher considerations, types of responses, levels of delay, single versus blocked trials, and basic delay methodology. Four special situations are discussed: tasks involving a choice, tasks necessitating an intermix procedure, students with long response latencies, and warm-up trials. Remediation strategies are suggested for handling students who make excessive errors or who fail to anticipate. Finally, techniques are described to encourage maintenance and generalization of learned skills.
This article discusses some of the issues associated with effective instruction for students with severe disabilities who are enrolled in general education classes. It is argued that developing a valid technology of instruction will require the field to reconceptualize our current model of teaching and learning for this group of students. Specifically, we must begin to view student learning as the combined effects of instructional methods used for all students in the class and those used to meet the unique needs of each student. Achieving these aims will require a two pronged approach. First, general and special educators in inclusive programs must adopt and implement teaching practices that can accommodate the diverse educational needs of all students in the class. Second, teachers must begin to employ strategies that infuse opportunities for students with severe disabilities to receive instruction on targeted routines, activities, and skills within the on-going activities of the class.
In this chapter, we explore prominent issues related to identifying and implementing evidence-based practices (EBPs) in education. We first describe the general context for evidence-based reforms in education. To clarify the meaning of EBPs, we then briefly define terms frequently used in education for recommended practice. We discuss three broad issues with which educators must wrestle if evidence-based education is to fulfill its significant potential: the conceptual and philosophical foundations of evidence- based education, technical issues related to determining EBPs in education, and pragmatic issues surrounding the implementation of EBPs. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2012 APA, all rights reserved)
T his article presents a set of quality indicators for experimental and quasi-experimental studies for the field of special education. We believe there is a critical need for such a set of indicators, given the current focus on the need for an increase in rigorous, scientific research in education. Recently, the National Re-search Council (NRC, 2002), in a report on sci-entific research in education, noted that they saw ABSTRACT: This article presents quality indicators for experimental and quasi-experimental studies for special education. These indicators are intended not only to evaluate the merits of a completed research report or article but also to serve as an organizer of critical issues for consideration in re-search. We believe these indicators can be used widely, from assisting in the development of research plans to evaluating proposals. In this article, the framework and rationale is explained by provid-ing brief descriptions of each indicator. Finally, we suggest a standard for determining whether a practice may be considered evidence-based. It is our intent that this standard for evidenced-based practice and the indicators be reviewed, revised as needed, and adopted by the field of special edu-cation.
An adapted alternating treatment design was used to measure the effectiveness of constant time delay and simultaneous prompting procedures within an embedded instruction format on the acquisition of academic skills. Four middle school students with moderate to severe disabilities and the paraprofessionals who supported these students in their general education classes participated in the study. The results of the study indicated that both procedures were effective in promoting the acquisition of the target skills. However, the constant time delay procedure was more effective for two of the students and the simultaneous prompting procedure was more effective for the remaining students. Results are discussed in terms of future research and implications for supporting the inclusion of students with moderate and severe disabilities in general education classes.
This study investigated the effects of a training package (written manual, individual training session, and ongoing verbal feedback) on middle school peer tutors' use of embedded, constant time delay procedures and on the learning outcomes for students with significant cognitive disabilities in general education settings. The study data showed that peer tutors could be trained quickly and efficiently to accurately use constant time delay and embedded instructional techniques in general education settings. The data also showed that peer tutors delivering embedded, constant time delay instruction in general education settings resulted in skill acquisition for students with significant cognitive disabilities. In addition, teacher and peer tutor measures were positive about the social validity of the procedures and outcomes of the peer-delivered embedded instructional package.
Three severely retarded boys acquired simple form discriminations errorlessly. Each was first taught to press a red key versus a simultaneously present white key. After this discrimination had been established, black figures were superimposed on the red and white keys. Each correct response affected the next trial by delaying the onset of the red stimulus an additional 0.5 sec. Transfer of stimulus control to the figures was indicated when the subjects responded correctly before the onset of the red stimulus. A series of errorless discrimination reversals was accomplished with this technique, during which the number of trials to transfer systematically decreased with successive reversals.
It's about integrating individual clinical expertise and the best external evidenceEvidence based medicine, whose philosophical origins extend back to mid-19th century Paris and earlier, remains a hot topic for clinicians, public health practitioners, purchasers, planners, and the public. There are now frequent workshops in how to practice and teach it (one sponsored by the BMJ will be held in London on 24 April); undergraduate1 and postgraduate2 training programmes are incorporating it3 (or pondering how to do so); British centres for evidence based practice have been established or planned in adult medicine, child health, surgery, pathology, pharmacotherapy, nursing, general practice, and dentistry; the Cochrane Collaboration and Britain's Centre for Review and Dissemination in York are providing systematic reviews of the effects of health care; new evidence based practice journals are being launched; and it has become a common topic in the lay media. But enthusiasm has been mixed with some negative reaction.4 5 6 Criticism has ranged from evidence based medicine being old hat to it being a dangerous innovation, perpetrated by the arrogant to serve cost cutters and suppress clinical freedom. As evidence based medicine continues to evolve and adapt, now is a useful time to refine the discussion of what it is and what it is not.Evidence based medicine is the conscientious, explicit, and judicious use of current best evidence in making decisions about the care of individual patients. The …
The effects of SMART Board technology, an interactive electronic whiteboard, and a 3s constant time delay (CTD) procedure was evaluated for teaching sight word reading to students with moderate intellectual disabilties within a small group arrangment. A multiple probe design across three word sets and replicated with three students was used to evaluate the effectiveness of SMART Board technology on: (a) reading target grocery words; (b) matching grocery item photos to target grocery words; (c) reading other students' target grocery words through observational learning; and (d) matching grocery item photos to observational grocery words. Results support use of this tool to teach multiple students at one time and its effects on observational learning of non-target information.
The purpose of this study was to determine the effect of systematic instruction with a concrete representation on the acquisition of an algebra skill for students with moderate developmental disabilities. Three high school students with moderate developmental disabilities participated in this study. A multiple probe across participants research design was used to evaluate the effectiveness of the treatment. Finally, this study was the first to teach an algebra skill to students with moderate developmental disabilities. Students were successful at learning how to solve an algebraic equation through the use of systematic instruction with a concrete representation, including mastery with generalization across materials and settings.
This research evaluated effects of a multi-media computer-based instruction (CBI) program designed to teach grocery store purchasing skills to three high-school students with intellectual disabilities. A multiple baseline design across participants used measures of computer performance mastery and grocery store probes to evaluate the CBI. All participants initially performed at low percentages of correct responses in purchasing items at grocery store checkout stands. Following introduction of CBI, all participants increased correct purchasing skills. Additionally, all participants performed at high levels in generalization probes at three different grocery stores and in a 30-day follow-up probe. Participants and parents rated purchasing skills higher following treatment. Results are discussed in terms of increased purchasing skills using CBI, generalization, maintenance, and implications for practice.
This article describes the usefulness of a scientific approach to improving knowledge and practice in education. Four approaches to a basis for knowledge in education are described: superstition, folklore, craft, and science. The value of craft and science are presented, and directions for making education a more scientifically based discipline are discussed.
Special education teachers often search for effective strategies to teach a variety of skills to students with moderate to severe disabilities through small group instruction. The investigators examined the acquisition of academic skills as well as chained and discrete tasks presented as nontargeted information by a small group of students with moderate to severe disabilities. The investigators assessed each student's acquisition of targeted stimuli, acquisition of discrete and chained nontargeted information presented through instructive feedback, and observational learning of targeted tasks and discrete and chained nontargeted information presented to other students in the group and found that the students each learned their targeted tasks as well as much of the nontargeted information.
This article reports on a comprehensive literature review and meta-analysis of 68 experiments on teaching mathematics to individuals with significant cognitive disabilities. Most of the studies in the review addressed numbers and computation or measurement. Within the computation studies identified, most focused on counting, calculation, or number matching. For the measurement studies, nearly all focused on money skills. Of the 54 single subject design studies, 19 were classified as having all quality indicators for research design (13 representing the National Council of Teachers of Mathematics Measurement standard and 6 representing the Numbers and Operations standard). These studies offer strong evidence for using systematic instruction to teach mathematics skills and for using in vivo settings.
Federal mandates as well as the National Science Education Standards call for science education for all students. IDEA (2004) and NCLB (2002) require access to and assessment of the general curriculum, including science. Although some research exists on teaching academics to students with significant disabilities, the research on teaching science is especially limited. The purpose of this investigation was to determine if teachers of students with moderate and severe intellectual disabilities could learn to use a task analysis for inquiry-based science instruction and if this training increased student responding. The findings of this study demonstrated a functional relationship between the inquiry-based science instruction training and teacher's ability to instruct students with moderate and severe disabilities in science.
A comprehensive review of research was conducted on teaching science to students with significant cognitive disabilities. Guidelines from the National Science Education Standards were used to identify categories of studies based on the strands of science. A total of 11 studies were identified from the 20 years of literature searched. In general, work in the area of science is sparse for students with significant cognitive disabilities. Eight of the 11 studies fell in Content Standard F: Science in Personal and Social Perspectives. Single subject experimental designs were the methodology used in all of the studies and outcomes suggest that this population benefits from instruction in highly specific skills with modeling and errorless learning strategies like time delay. The interventions found in the 11 studies that linked to science incorporated systematic response prompting methods similar to those found in evidence-based reading and math research for students with significant cognitive disabilities. Additional research is needed to identify methods to teach science to this population that includes both broader content and additional skills that link to state standards.
Research in the field of special education often incorporates single-subject designs to investigate the effectiveness of educational practices for students with disabilities. As such, it is important that educators and educational professionals understand the characteristics of single-subject research methodologies and how those characteristics allow conclusions to be drawn about effectiveness of practices. Because conclusions about whether an intervention causes changes in student outcomes can be derived from single-subject research, it has much to offer to discussion of evidence-based practice and the ultimate identification of evidence-based practices for students with disabilities.
A literature review was conducted to identify evidence-based practices in secondary transition using quality indicator checklists for experimental research. Practices were categorized by the Taxonomy for Transition Programming. Overall, 32 secondary transition evidence-based practices were identified. Two practices had a strong level of evidence, 28 had a moderate level of evidence, and 2 had a potential level of evidence. The majority of practices represented instruction of skills within the category of Student Development. No evidence-based practices were identified in the category of Interagency Collaboration. Findings provide practitioners with a set of evidence-based practices for improving transition services and researchers with an agenda for conducting future research.
Two groups of three students with moderate mental retardation were instructed using group procedures to compare static picture and video prompting simulation strategies. An alternating treatments design was used to compare individual student task acquisition and maintenance performances of purchasing and banking skills. The results indicated that these two strategies were equally effective and efficient. Individual differences suggest that simulation strategy materials benefit student learning by displaying relevant stimuli for a stationary period time during presentation.
This study investigated the use of a computer-based intervention for teaching orthographic symbols to children With autism. Through a structured seven-step fading procedure, children Were taught to identify Words from commercially available logos depicting food items. A multiple-probe design across participants Was used to examine the effects of exposing 6 children With autism to 8 food items selected individually based on their meaningfulness to each child. The acquired knoWledge Was then tested for generalization into the classroom. Results indicated that after exposure to the fading procedure, all children Were able to identify the orthographic symbols and maintain the knoWledge over time. Most of the children Were able to transfer the knoWledge and generalize to daily activities Within the classroom. Implications and future research directions are discussed.
Educators frequently lament the limited effect research has on educational practices. Special educators often are frustrated by the observation that there appears to be a haphazard or inverse relationship between popular intervention procedures and reliable research data. Addressing research-to-practice issues effectively requires getting researchers to do better research and getting policymakers to make better choices. Better research is characterized by trustworthiness, useability, and accessibility. In addition, research-based procedures should involve minimal risk of harm, be practical and sustainable, be believable and socially valid, be implemented with a high degree of fidelity, and be accompanied by systematic training programs. Consensus must be built among influence producers, knowledge producers, regulation producers, and knowledge consumers regarding needed research and criteria for selecting interventions. Future research should be directed toward finding ways to suppress the tendency to accept unsubstantiated claims for methods and materials and to construct a culture of support for research-based practices. Special attention should be given to finding ways to maintain research-based practices after they have been taught.
The authors field-tested the core quality indicators and standards for evidence-based practices for single-case design studies developed by Horner and colleagues (2005) by applying them to the literature exploring functional assessment-based interventions conducted with secondary-age students with emotional and/or behavioral disorders (EBD). First, we evaluated this knowledge base by applying the indicators to determine if the studies identified (n = 12) were of acceptable methodological quality. Second, we analyzed studies meeting the recommended quality indicators to determine whether function-based interventions with students with EBD might be considered an evidence-based practice. Results reveal that only 1 study addressed all proposed quality indicators, suggesting that function-based interventions are not yet an evidence-based practice for this population per these indicators and standards. Limitations and recommendations are posed. (Contains 2 tables.)
Research supports the importance of teaching skills within the contexts that they will be used (Falvey, 1989; Nietupski, Clancy, Wehrmacher, & Parmer, 1985), yet many school-based programs face resource constraints which limit the number of opportunities where instruction can occur in authentic, community-based settings. When community-based instruction is not available, due to these constraints, simulated instruction has been recommended (Snell & Brown, 2000). Attention has been given to the use of videotaped instruction (Alcantara, 1994; Haring, Breen, Weiner, Kennedy, & Bednersh, 1995; Harring, Kennedy, Adams, & Pitts-Conway, 1987; Wissick, Lloyd, & Kinzie, 1992) and multimedia, computer-based, video instruction (Langone, Shade, Clees, & Day, 1999; Mechling and Gast, 2003; Mechling and Gast, in press; Mechling, Gast, & Langone, 2002; Mechling & Langone, 2000; Wissick, Gardner, & Langone, 1999) as means for providing simulated instruction. The purpose of this study was to evaluate use of a multimedia computer-based program using video captions and still photographs to teach students to read aisle sign words and locate items in grocery stores. The ability to make grocery store purchases is valued as a functional skill for persons with disabilities to increase their independence within community settings (Morse, Schuster, & Sandknop, 1996; Snell and Brown, 2000; Westling and Fox, 2000).
A review of the literature was conducted for articles published between 1975 and 2007 on the application of time delay as an instructional procedure to teach word and picture recognition to students with severe developmental disabilities in an effort to evaluate time delay as an evidence-based practice. A total of 30 experiments were analyzed using quality indicators for single-subject design research. In general, we found that time delay was an evidence-based practice for teaching picture and sight word recognition supported by standards for evidence-based practice proposed by Horner et al. (2005). We discuss lessons learned in summarizing a body of literature to define an evidence-based practice and suggestions for better defining the practice.
The use of a three-step decoding strategy with constant time delay for teaching decoding and word reading to students with mild and moderate mental retardation was investigated in this study. A multiple probe design was used to examine the percentage of words correctly decoded and read as well as the percentage of sounds correctly decoded. The data indicate that all five students learned to read words using the three-step decoding strategy with constant time delay. This was replicated with increased learning efficiency using a second set of phonetically similar words. Implications of this study on phonological memory and reading ability are discussed.
This article presents the results of a comprehensive review of 128 studies on teaching reading to individuals with significant cognitive disabilities. The review compared these studies against the National Reading Panel's components of reading; although it revealed an inadequate consideration of the components of reading, it found strong evidence for teaching sight words using systematic prompting and fading. The reviewers considered not only the number of studies, but also indicators proposed for evidence-based practice and effect size. This study identified some high quality studies with strong effect size for comprehension and fluency, but only one phonics study was strong in both quality and effects. Additional research is needed to promote broader skills in literacy for this population.
Perspective on defining scientifically based research. Research and Practice for Persons With Severe Disabilities
- F Spooner
Spooner, F. (Ed.). (2003). Perspective on defining scientifically
based research. Research and Practice for Persons With
Severe Disabilities [Special issue], 28(3).