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The purpose of the study was to determine the efficacy of the Class-Wide Function-Related Intervention Teams (CW-FIT) program for improving students’ on-task behavior, and increasing teacher recognition of appropriate behavior. The intervention is a group contingency classroom management program consisting of teaching and reinforcing appropriate behaviors (i.e., getting the teacher’s attention, following directions, and ignoring inappropriate behaviors of peers). Seventeen elementary schools, the majority in urban and culturally diverse communities, participated in a randomized trial with 86 teachers (classrooms) assigned to CW-FIT, and 73 teachers (classrooms) assigned to the comparison group. Class-wide student on-task behavior improved over baseline levels in the intervention classes. Teachers were able to implement the intervention with high fidelity overall, as observed in adherence to 96% of the fidelity criteria on average. Teacher praise and attention to appropriate behaviors increased, and reprimands decreased. These effects were replicated in new classrooms each of the 4 years of the study, and for all years combined. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

Families in rural or remote areas have limited access to evidence-based intervention for their children with autism. Using web-based training and telemedicine technology, the current study investigated the feasibility of training seven parents to implement Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA) strategies with their children with autism. In this exploratory formative evaluation, parents increased their knowledge of ABA strategies and concepts by an average of 39 percentage points, and improved their implementation of ABA strategies with their children by an average of 41 percentage points. A total of 9,052 driving miles were saved across the four families. Implications for families living in remote areas, improvements in the training program, and future research directions are discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

The purpose of the study was to determine the effectiveness of the Class-Wide Function-related Intervention Teams (CW-FIT) program, a group contingency intervention for whole classes, and for students with disruptive behaviors who are at risk for emotional/behavioral disorders (EBD). The CW-FIT program includes four elements designed from empirical studies on the assessment and treatment of problem behavior: (a) teaching socially appropriate communicative skills to access attention or brief escape; (b) extinction of or eliminating potential reinforcement (attention, escape) for problem behavior; (c) strengthening alternative or replacement behaviors, that is, differential reinforcement at individual levels within the context of peer groups with shared group contingencies; and (d) self-management for program maintenance. Procedures were designed to fit within a School-wide Positive Behavior Support framework as Tier II interventions. The CW-FIT implementation was completed in six classes drawn from three schools with 107 students and 8 target students with EBD risks. Results showed clinically important improvements. Group on-task data improved during CW-FIT over baseline levels. For target EBD risk students, results included decreased disruptive behaviors and increased on-task behavior during CW-FIT. Implications for teachers and practitioners are discussed; improved student behavior translates to important levels of increased instruction time in urban classrooms. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The authors developed and evaluated an online foster parent training system designed specifically for low-bandwidth Internet connections and individuals with limited Internet/computer experience. After preliminary onsite evaluations, a 2-week field test was conducted to evaluate the following dimensions: foster parents' pre- to post-test scores on two training modules; user satisfaction ratings; foster parent dropout rate; and amount of communication between participants and researchers. Foster parents made statistically significant pre-/post-test gains in both content areas (Pre-test M 1 = 46.6%, Post-test M 1 = 86.4; Pre-test M 2 = 46.6%, Post-test M 2 = 92.6%), both foster parents and social workers gave the system high ratings on all satisfaction survey items, and the foster parent dropout rate was 27%. Future research and implications for the foster care system are discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Focuses on training behavioral aides in special education in the U.S. with a combination of online and face-to-face procedures. Concept of the training program; Elements of online tutorials. INSETS: What Does the Literature Say About the Incidence and ...;What Does the Literature Say About Effective Interventions ...;Is Online Instruction Better Than Classroom Instruction?.