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The current study examined the effects of a shared reading instructional package on the receptive identification of English sight vocabulary in multilingual learner students with extensive support needs. Two participants received the intervention, one in a face-to-face format and one in a videoconferencing format (due to the COVID-19 pandemic). To establish experimental control, the researchers used a multiple probe design with conditions across word sets and replicated across participants. Results showed both students met criterion on word sets as a result of the intervention. Considerations in interpreting the results for classroom implementation and future research are discussed.

Although sometimes neglected, safety skills instruction should be considered as important a teaching area as others (e.g., self-care, academic, communication skills) because these skills can lead to more independence in a less restrictive environment. The researchers designed this study to reveal the opinions of Turkish parents, teachers, and higher education faculty members regarding safety skills instruction for children with an autism spectrum disorder. They interviewed parents (n = 11), special education teachers (n = 16), and higher education faculty members (n = 11) and analyzed the resulting data descriptively. Findings showed both parents and teachers lacked information about safety skills and how to teach them. Higher education faculty members advised using evidence-based practices in teaching safety skills and stated that safety skills instruction was not covered in the special education teacher training curriculum in the programs in which they taught. Implications and future research needs are discussed.

We used a multiple probe across participants design to assess the effects of a peer-delivered simultaneous prompting procedure on the health content learning of three high school students with moderate intellectual disability. One student without a disability served as the peer tutor to deliver the simultaneous prompting procedure during a physical education class. The participants' special education teacher collected daily probe data to determine the effects of the intervention on targeted (i.e., importance of aerobic exercise) and nontargeted (i.e., examples of aerobic exercise) information. Results of the study showed that all three students with moderate intellectual disability improved both targeted and nontargeted content learning.

Appropriate physical education program for students with an intellectual disability can increase their engagement in inclusive physical activity; however, fewer than a quarter of students with an intellectual disability meet the current physical activity guidelines. In this study, we used a single-case multiple probe across participants design to examine the effects of a peer-delivered simultaneous prompting procedure on a chained task of shooting a basketball and nontargeted (The term "collateral skill" is sometimes used) content learning (related to fine motor, gross motor, and movement knowledge). Four middle school students with mild to moderate intellectual disability participated in this study. Three students without a disability served as the peer tutors to deliver the simultaneous prompting procedure and to collect probe data. The study took place in an inclusive physical education setting. Results of the study demonstrated a functional relation between the participants' improved motor performance of basketball shooting and the intervention. All three participants with available maintenance data retained their chained motor performance up to 2 or 3 weeks after the intervention ended; however, only one participant slightly improved the nontargeted content learning. Limitations and implications for practice and future research are discussed.

We conducted a descriptive analysis of single-case research design (SCRD) studies on safety skills instruction (SSI) for individuals with autism spectrum disorder (ASD). Once we identified studies through electronic databases and reference lists, we used What Works Clearinghouse (WWC) Standards to evaluate each study. We analyzed studies in terms of various descriptive variables, calculated effect sizes through improvement rate difference (IRD), and aggregated effect sizes across studies to produce an omnibus effect size. Results showed 18 of 29 studies met the WWC Standards to "meet design standards" (MS) and "meet design standards with reservations" (MS-R), and various types of SSI were effective in teaching various skills. Of 18, 12 studies resulted in a large effect, and we found a behavioral skills training package (BST) to be evidence-based when we applied a 5-3-20 rule. Implications for researchers and practitioners are discussed.

AbstractCulturally and Linguistically Diverse Exceptional (CLDE) students represent a vulnerable demographic often underserved in high school transition services. These students, who have diverse backgrounds and learning exceptionalities, face significant disparities in post-secondary outcomes. Specifically, CLDE students with Learning Disabilities (LD) exhibit lower rates of employment, post-secondary education attendance, and independent living outcomes. In alternative schools, students of color and those from low-income backgrounds are disproportionately represented and often encounter structural inequities that hinder their educational success. These settings may perpetuate marginalization, particularly in special education services and transition planning. This study explored the perceptions of secondary CLDE students with LD regarding their transition planning process, comparing their views with the actual ITP documents to assess alignment and effectiveness. Survey responses and student interviews revealed that most secondary CLDE students with LD at an alternative high school had positive perceptions of their Individualized Transition Plan (ITP) process, feeling involved and supported. The ITP, a critical component of the Individualized Education Plan (IEP), is intended to guide students’ post-secondary goals. However, research indicates that ITPs for CLDE students are frequently generic and culturally exclusive, resulting in insufficient preparation for future success. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this study, we examined the effects of a tiered teacher coaching intervention package, including video coaching and in situ coaching with use of the bug-in-ear technology, on the implementation fidelity of four general education teachers in supporting students with persistent off-task behaviors to self-monitor own behaviors in the general education setting. In addition, we evaluated the effects of teachers' implementation on the on-task behavior of four target students. Results of the multiple probe across participants design showed that there was a functional relation between the tiered coaching intervention and the teachers' implementation fidelity. There was also an overall improvement in all of the four students' on-task behaviors. Limitations, suggestions for future research, and implications for practice are discussed.

In this study, a computer-aided listening comprehension intervention package supported both listening comprehension and communication goals for three students with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) and intellectual disability (ID). The package consisted of systematic instruction (i.e., system of least prompts [SLP] procedure) to teach listening comprehension, an iPad-supported electronic communication book, and a peer support arrangement. The students with ASD and ID who participated in the study increased both listening comprehension and communication skills, while showing an increase in generalizing communication turns to interactions with their peers without disabilities. The researchers found a functional relation between the SLP procedure and both dependent variables. All three participants experienced concurrent growth between the dependent variables, implying a connection between text-based listening comprehension and communication outcomes. Further implications for academic instruction for students with ASD who use augmentative and alternative communication as well as for future inquiry concerning cross-modal generalization to social communication discourse are discussed.

In this study, we used an instructional package consisting of a constant time delay procedure with multiple exemplars to teach five elementary students with moderate intellectual disability to identify geometric shapes listed in their state's core content standards and included on their state's alternate assessment. In addition, we included four pieces of nontargeted information (i.e., identification of shape words, spelling of shape words, number of sides on shapes, and number of angles in shapes) as instructive feedback in each trial. The students acquired identification of the targeted shapes. They also demonstrated high degrees of maintenance and generalization to novel exemplars. In addition, they acquired the majority of the nontargeted information.

Researchers have investigated the simultaneous prompting (SP) procedure across three decades; however, no meta-analysis has been conducted. In the present systematic review, we conducted both a descriptive and meta-analysis of SP studies from a seminal publication of an SP study through 2017. Our search resulted in 20 studies published in English in internationally disseminated peer-reviewed journals that used single-case methodology and also met criteria for methodological rigor. To analyze effect sizes, we used percentage of non-overlapping points and Tau-U, with both revealing highly consistent results. We concluded that there is a substantial body of evidence to support the SP procedure to teach a variety of skills to individuals with disabilities when consistent parameters of the procedure are employed; however, future research is needed to specifically validate the procedure as effective in regard to specific types of disability (e.g., autism spectrum disorder) and specific types of tasks.

We conducted a descriptive analysis and meta-analysis of single-case research design (SCRD) studies investigating the effectiveness of the graduated guidance procedure. Once we identified studies through electronic databases and reference lists, we used What Works Clearinghouse (WWC) Standards to evaluate each study. Then, we described studies in terms of various descriptive variables, calculated effect sizes through three non-parametric effect size methods, and analyzed results across studies. Results showed 11 of the 27 studies met WWC Standards or met standards with reservation. Of the 11, seven studies resulted in a large effect. We found the graduated guidance procedure to be an evidence-based practice when evaluating the findings against contemporary evidence standards. However, this review also showed that the majority of the reviewed studies (n = 20) had no effects and only one third of the studies had moderate or strong effects. Implications for researchers and practitioners are discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Preliminary research shows promise for the use of supported electronic text (eText) combined with explicit instruction in facilitating comprehension for students with intellectual disability. Researchers used a multiple probe across participants design to evaluate effects of supported eText including explicit instruction on measures of vocabulary, literal comprehension, and application questions of four high school students with moderate intellectual disability. Authors found a functional relation between supported eText using embedded, explicit instructional supports (i.e., animated coaches to deliver the model-lead-test procedure and use of examples and nonexamples) and the number of correct responses on the probe. In addition, students generalized to untrained exemplars, and social validity indicated the program as practical and useful.

The field of special education's focus on moderate and severe disabilities (MSD) has undergone a number of changes in the past five decades. Some have been philosophical, some based on research, some based on mandated practices through U.S. law, and some based on the development of better technologies. While pioneers in the field first established the basic principles on which an appropriate education for students with MSD is based, subsequent scholars and professional organizations have determined how those principles are best implemented. As rural special educators involved in the field since the 1970s, we provide a reflection on the barriers and challenges faced by rural special education teachers as they continue to address the needs of rural students with MSD and make suggestions for current and future practices.

Response-prompting procedures are a form of systematic direct instruction based on the principles of ABA. Researchers have identified six specific and distinct response-prompting procedures for teaching both academic and functional skills: (1) graduated guidance; (2) most-to-least prompting; (3) system of least prompts; (4) progressive time delay; (5) constant time delay; and (6) simultaneous prompting. In addition to being effective, response-prompting strategies can be an efficient way to teach. Response-prompting strategies often require less instructional time to implement than other procedures because instructors do not have to spend a lot of time correcting errors. Despite the reasons to use response-prompting procedures, there are a number of myths teachers may believe that can decrease their willingness to teach in this way. These include the belief that response prompting can be delivered only by a trained special education teacher in a special education classroom in a massed trial format when teaching discrete skills (e.g., teaching multiple repetitions of a one-step response, such as a sight word) in a one-to-one format. In reality, response-prompting procedures are more flexible and less regimented than what teachers may believe.

A home-based interventionist effectively taught four mothers to embed the mand-model procedure in daily activities to teach expressive language skills to their young children with speech delays. During the intervention phase, parents were provided with feedback along with specific encouragement to use the individualized instructional program daily. The intervention resulted in children's acquisition of target verbal responses across settings. (Contains references.) (Author/DB)

Special education teachers have a unique set of skills and opportunities to become leaders in the field of education. Some rural special education teachers, however, may not see themselves as potential leaders or believe they have opportunities to be leaders. This article provides guidelines for rural special education teachers to consider in becoming leaders at the school, community, and national levels.

The researchers in this study used a multiple baseline design across dyads to examine the effects of professional development with coaching to train general education teachers to use a simultaneous prompting procedure when teaching academic core content to students with autism and the effects of the procedure on the students' outcomes. Three teacher-student dyads participated in the study. Results showed that (a) teachers acquired the ability to use the simultaneous prompting procedure with 100% accuracy, maintained the acquired teaching behaviors over time, and generalized them in teaching new academic content to their students; and (b) students acquired the targeted academic content, maintained it over time, and generalized it across different persons and settings. In addition, the students acquired instructive feedback stimuli added to instruction and maintained these over time as well. Last, both the opinions of the teachers and students about the social validity of the study were positive. Future research is needed to support these findings.

Within the context of a multiple baseline design, the researchers in this investigation used a constant time delay (CTD) procedure to teach two classroom support personnel (i.e., paraprofessional, peer tutor) to use a simultaneous prompting (SP) procedure when teaching a high school student with a moderate intellectual disability to (a) identify words from science core content, (b) identify words from social studies core content, (c) make Kool-Aid, and (d) alphabetize last names by their first letters. The classroom teacher implemented the CTD procedure with a high degree of fidelity, the paraprofessional and the peer tutor implemented the SP procedure with high levels of fidelity, and the student increased his ability to perform the targeted skills.

This investigation used a multiple-probe-across-participants design to examine the effects of using a simultaneous prompting procedure to teach four secondary students with mild intellectual disabilities the employment task of caring for plants in a greenhouse. The instructor also embedded photosynthesis science content as nontargeted information within instructional trials on the task analysis. Following the intervention, all four participants achieved criterion on the employment task and increased their knowledge of core science content. Maintenance data indicated students retained both skills for up to 8 weeks following intervention. Implications for practice and suggestions for research are discussed.

This article explores how international collaboration among researchers can contribute to developing evidence-based practices and disseminating knowledge in the field of special education. A review of a sample of special education journals published in English to identify articles written in collaboration by researchers from different countries is followed by an example of a collaborative relationship between special education researchers in Turkey and the United States that illustrates the potential of international collaboration to impact evidence-based practices. The article concludes with a discussion of the importance of international collaboration and recommendations for others who are interested in international collaboration.

Effects of an embedded simultaneous prompting procedure to teach STEM (science, technology, engineering, math) content to three secondary students with moderate intellectual disabilities in an inclusive general education classroom were evaluated in the current study. Students learned discrete (i.e., geometric figures, science vocabulary, or use of technology to publish) and chained tasks (i.e., linear equation, Punnett square, or Internet research) from a peer tutor and paraprofessionals. Using a multiple probe across participants design, results showed students reached criterion in two to eight sessions and maintained the skills for one month following intervention. Generalization was also at higher levels than in the baseline condition. In addition, general education students who attended class with the participants expressed positive comments based on the intervention.

An important part of quality of life for people with moderate and severe disabilities (MSDs) is being involved in extracurricular and community activities. However, volunteers, who may not have experience with including people with MSDs, lead most community activities. The purpose of this study was to demonstrate the effectiveness of teacher coaching on a volunteer church school teacher's use of effective teaching behaviors (opportunities to respond, behavior-specific praise, and opportunities to participate) in educating a child with MSD. The investigators used a multiple-baseline-across-behaviors design to evaluate the effectiveness of coaching. The results showed a functional relation between coaching and an increase in the number of teaching behaviors used by the volunteer.

Despite the importance of written expression to the lives of individuals with autism spectrum disorders (ASD), there is limited research on teaching writing skills to this population. In the current study, we used a multiple probe across behaviors design to evaluate the effects of simultaneous prompting (SP) and computer-assisted instruction (CAI) on the story writing responses of five males with autism, 6 to 10 years of age. The data indicated that SP and CAI were effective in improving the story writing skills of all five participants. In addition, all participants increased non-targeted reading skills, the use of novel response forms, and demonstrated at least partial maintenance and generalization of story writing skills.

The Education and Professional Standards Board (EPSB) is the governing organization for teacher certification in Kentucky. According to the EPSB (2013a), only three institutions of higher education in the state (i.e., Morehead State University, University of Kentucky, University of Louisville) offer an approved alternate certificate program in moderate to severe disabilities (MSD). This work grew out of a collaboration between the EPSB and a Low Incidence Higher Education Consortium funded through a federal State Personnel Development Grant to focus on the needs of students with MSD. This manuscript describes an effort by the Low Incidence Higher Education Consortium to assess the effectiveness of the Moderate and Severe Disabilities Strategic Addendum (MSDSA) after it was placed on the Kentucky Teacher Internship Program (KTIP) website as a resource for MSD interns and their committees. The MSD survey targeted certified teachers in Kentucky who were serving as resource teachers (e.g., mentors) to new MSD teachers entering the field of special education during their KTIP year. The researchers sent the survey to all resource teachers in Kentucky as identified by the EPSB. Eight hundred and ninety-five resource teachers (39.2 %) responded to the online survey. The survey focused on basic demographic characteristics (e.g., gender, race, age, experience level, etc.), as well as qualifications to serve as a resource teacher. Findings include the following: (1) Of the 99% of teachers who responded to the question of their awareness of the MSDSA, 26.5% did indicate an awareness of the instrument; (2) A smaller percentage (16.5%) actually reported using the instrument; and (3) Of the resource teachers who had actually used the addendum (N = 148), a total of 99 reported on its usefulness, with 68.7% of those teachers rating the addendum as "helpful" to "very helpful."

The purpose of this study was to investigate the effects of a simultaneous prompting procedure in teaching four secondary students with moderate intellectual disability to acquire and generalize core content embedded in a functional activity. Data gathered within the context of a multiple probe design revealed that all participants learned the following core content during a cooking activity: (a) reading--reading and defining age appropriate content, (b) math--computing percentages in an applied problem, and (c) science--applications of force. Practical implications are discussed for teaching academic core content within meaningful and functional activities for students with moderate intellectual disability.

Although religion and spirituality have received relatively limited attention in the literature addressing people with disabilities, each is strongly associated with a host of positive outcomes, including enhanced quality of life. One way to participate in religious activities and enhance spirituality is to participate in a faith community. In this article, we report findings from a survey of 416 parents exploring the ways in which they and their children with disabilities participated in their congregations and examining factors associated with participation and inclusion in those communities. Consistent with findings from general social surveys, the majority of parents indicated their faith was important to them and many--along with their sons or daughters with disabilities--participated in congregational activities. Although parents reported their sons and daughters with disabilities participated in somewhat fewer types of activities than they did, this involvement occurred most often in activities involving peers without disabilities. However, parents generally were not satisfied with the level of supports provided by faith communities, and they highly valued a welcoming and supportive attitude by the community. We discuss implications for extending inclusive efforts into congregational contexts and suggest future research directions.

Teachers of students with moderate and severe disabilities must possess the skills and knowledge to address a unique set of needs and challenges. These may include, but are not limited to, management of challenging behaviors, performance of health-related procedures, use of assistive technology, and instruction using evidence-based strategies. This article describes the process undertaken by a higher education consortium of faculty with expertise in low incidence disabilities from across institutions of higher education in Kentucky to address the challenge of supporting 1st year teachers (i.e., interns) when assigned mentors and administrators who do not have expertise in this area. This consortium addressed this challenge by creating two documents: (a) an alignment of state standards to professional standards and (b) an addendum to the state internship materials. The intent of this article is to share the development process with others who may wish to design similar documents to address state and national standards for teacher interns. (Contains 2 figures.)

Many students with complex disabilities (e.g., moderate and severe disabilities, autism spectrum disorder) require explicit instruction in social skills in order to respond to and initiate interaction with their peers. This article reviews the research on developing social skills groups to teach peer interactions for students with complex special needs disabilities, with an emphasis on students with ASD who have complex needs. The article discusses 10 steps for developing, implementing, and monitoring a social group for these students. The authors also offer suggestions for helping students transfer social skills to other settings and other social groups. (Contains 5 tables.)

This investigation focused on the systematic instruction of a science skill from the core content standards in accordance with the Kentucky Alternate Assessment for students with moderate and severe disabilities (MSD). Specifically, this study examined the effectiveness of using a constant time delay procedure with multiple exemplars in teaching the principles of heredity (i.e., transmission of genetic information) to high school students with MSD. In addition, the study assessed whether or not students with MSD could draw conclusions based on meaningful related nontargeted information presented in the consequence of instructional trials during the science lesson and generalize both the target and nontargeted information to novel exemplars. The results of the multiple probe design replicated across five students with MSD show that the procedures were effective. (Contains 5 figures and 3 tables.)

Providing standards-based instruction in core content areas for individuals with moderate and severe disabilities is a hot topic in the field of special education, and teachers struggle to find the best methods for providing high-quality standards-based instruction in core content areas that also has personal relevance for the students. This investigation evaluated the effectiveness of a simultaneous prompting procedure to teach four adolescents with moderate intellectual disabilities to use the Pythagorean theorem to solve real-life scenarios (i.e., sewing, using a ladder, finding dimensions of a screen) shown on a short video on an iPad. A multiple probe design across participants evaluated the effectiveness of the procedure. Results indicate the participants acquired the skill of using the Pythagorean theorem and generalized it to additional real-life, novel problems. Social validity, limitations, and implications for practitioners are also discussed.

This article provides an overview of the planning and instructional delivery of a course in Applied Behavior Analysis using Adobe Connect Pro™. A description of software features used by course instructors is provided along with how each feature compares to resources found to deliver instruction in a traditional classroom setting. In addition, the article describes the results and implications from instructional delivery designed to increase student participation, correct responding, and levels of satisfaction with various features of the software. Outcome from instruction suggest high rates of student participation, correct student responding, and high levels of student satisfaction with the various features of Adobe Connect Pro™.

This investigation compared the effectiveness and efficiency of constant time delay (CTD) and simultaneous prompting (SP) procedures in teaching discrete social studies facts to 4 high school students with learning and behavior disorders using an adapted alternating treatments design nested within a multiple probe design. The results indicated that both procedures were effective, with the simultaneous prompting procedure being slightly more efficient in terms of errors during instructional and maintenance phases. In addition, when interviewed about their preferences, both the instructor and participants preferred the simultaneous prompting procedure. This investigation extends current research as there are small numbers of studies comparing SP to other response prompting strategies, and to date, SP and CTD have not been compared with high school students with high-incidence disabilities. Future research issues are discussed.

The purpose of this investigation was to add functional content during core content instruction of language arts, science, and math. The investigation involved three middle school students with moderate disabilities who participated in the state's alternate assessment. During instruction using a constant time delay procedure to teach required grade level core content, the special education instructor added functional content as follows: (a) language arts-information found in the news added to grade level sight word vocabulary, (b) science-cooking skills or appropriate dress for weather conditions added to the properties of elements in the periodic table, and (c) math-computation of sales tax for items appearing in advertisements added to order of operations. The results showed that students could learn, maintain, and generalize both types of content presented within the same lesson. (Contains 2 tables and 3 figures.)

Many students identified as having moderate and severe disabilities (MSD) benefit from a curriculum that includes instruction on the functional skills that they will need to successfully transition to adulthood. In particular, this includes students with cognitive disabilities who are most likely to qualify in the 1% who are eligible for the alternate assessment developed by states in compliance with the requirements of No Child Left Behind. Because of the need to teach both functional and core content, teachers of students with MSD may find themselves in a quandary when prioritizing skills and designing instruction. Although functional skills may be prioritized by the team developing the individualized education program (IEP), teachers also need to balance these skills with core content that must be addressed. Core content and functional content can be addressed in the same lesson which is especially beneficial when teaching secondary students with moderate and severe disabilities. This article provides guidelines for teaching core content with meaningful applications to facilitate successful transitions for secondary students with MSD using two approaches. The first approach consists of a teacher identifying core content that can be embedded in instruction while teaching life skills; the second approach consists of a teacher identifying functional applications that can be added as nontargeted information when teaching required core content. (Contains 3 tables and 2 figures.)

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. (Contains 5 tables and 3 figures.)

Using the telephone to contact others can be an important skill in maintaining friendships with peers. This investigation used a system of least prompts (SLP) procedures to teach two telephone skills to 3 elementary students with cognitive disabilities: (a) placing phone calls and (b) leaving recorded voicemail messages. The SLP procedure was effective in teaching both skills to all 3 students. Results for maintenance and generalization, however, were mixed.

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. (Contains 4 tables and 4 figures.)

Relative efficiency of hand raising and response cards within the context of an ABAB design when teaching time to middle school students with moderate and severe disabilities was investigated. Effects of the two strategies were assessed on four dependent variables: (a) student active responding, (b) on-task behavior, (c) inappropriate behavior, and (d) acquisition of the target behavior. Results indicated that the response card conditions resulted in higher levels of active responding and on-task behavior and lower levels of inappropriate behavior when compared to hand raising conditions. Two of the three students had higher accuracy during response card conditions as compared to hand raising conditions. For the third student there were minimal differences between the conditions for the accuracy measure. Future research needs also are discussed. (Contains 3 tables.)