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An adapted alternating treatments design was used to compare the effects of class-wide applications of Taped Problems (TP) and Explicit Timing (ET) interventions on digits correct per minute (DCPM) scores. The study also investigated whether initial fluency scores would differentiate intervention effectiveness between TP and ET procedures. Results showed that both TP and ET resulted in similar DCPM increases, with both approaches significantly outperforming a control condition. Although the interventions showed similar effectiveness at the class-wide level, the interaction between intervention type and initial fluency levels suggested a differential effect. For students with initial fluency scores in the frustrational range (≤10 DCPM), it was found that TP resulted in a higher growth rate than both ET and the control. For students with initial fluency scores in the instructional range (>10 DCPM), both ET and TP interventions resulted in higher DCPM scores than control but did not differ from one another. The discussion focuses on using skill by treatment interactions to inform intervention selection, explores opportunities and challenges in this research area, and addresses study limitations. Impact Statement This study compares two empirically based interventions, Taped Problems and Explicit Timing, to determine which one is more effective to increase digits correct per minute (DCPM) scores. Results showed that both interventions could be successfully used to increase student DCPM scores but that for students initially scoring below 10 DCPM Taped Problems was more effective. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A multiple baseline design was used across probe sets to evaluate the effect of detect, practice, and repair (DPR) on the math fact fluency rates of a third-grade class. DPR was applied with a large group (n = 11) selected from an intact class (n = 17) in a manner that allowed each student to work on specific problems from a specific basic fact operation (i.e., subtraction, multiplication, or division) based on a daily assessment of their instructional needs. Prior to the implementation of DPR, students were computing an average of 18.4 digits correct per minute (DCPM). After using DPR for 11 sessions, students were computing an average of 31.2 DCPM. This 12.8 DCPM increase over 36 problems required approximately 132 min (12 min per session). Discussion focuses on the need for and challenges associated with developing intervention strategies and procedures that efficiently increase student skills at the class-wide level, with an emphasis on simultaneously meeting the needs of both high and low achievers by differentiating instruction. Keywords Math facts * Fluency * DPR * Response to intervention * Differentiated instruction, Introduction According to the most recent findings presented by the United States Department of Education, students are struggling with basic mathematical skills (National Center for Education Statistics (NCES), 2011). Results [...]

Many school psychologists enter the field unprepared to provide services to culturally diverse populations, but adequate training can prevent this outcome. This article introduces the development and utilization of the School Psychology Graduate Organization Diversity Self-Study (DSS). It is a survey designed to address graduate students' diversity training and includes scales for diversity standards outlined by regionally accredited universities/colleges, the American Psychological Association, and the National Association of School Psychologists. The DSS was administered to 39 students attending a South-Central United States school psychology graduate program in the fall and 30 students in the same program in the spring. The outcome data and its interpretation are provided to demonstrate its use in developing diversity training recommendations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: There is a prevailing notion that children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) exhibit intense negative and attenuated positive emotions, although the empirical evidence regarding their emotional expressiveness (EE) is limited. Given the importance of emotions in shaping social and cognitive development, we examined intensity and valence of EE and links between EE and autism severity and parent-reported temperament in ASD.Method: Toddlers (aged 21.2 months) with ASD (n = 43), developmental delay (DD, n = 16), and typical development (TD, n = 40) underwent standardized probes designed to induce anger, joy, and fear. Intensity of EE through facial and vocal channels were coded offline. Autism severity and temperament were quantified using the Autism Diagnostic Observation Schedule-2 (ADOS-2) and Early Childhood Behavior Questionnaire (ECBQ).Results: The ASD group exhibited less intense fear compared to both the DD and TD groups, more intense anger than DD but not TD, with no differences in joy intensity. All groups showed similar levels of incongruous negative EE. Intensity of fear and anger were not associated with severity of autism symptoms, but lower intensity of joy was related to greater autism severity. Expressed fear and joy were associated with temperament.Conclusion: The study provides no support for a negative emotionality bias in ASD. Instead, toddlers with ASD display a muted response to threat and an accentuated response to goal blockage, whereas the ability to express positive emotions appears intact. Negative emotionality and social disability dimensions are independent. The study demonstrates the complexity of EE in ASD and motivates investigations into underlying mechanisms as well as its role in shaping complex phenotypes of affected children. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]