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Building on previous research in the area of written expression for individuals with ASD a research synthesis was conducted to identify (1) writing interventions that have been studied and their effect in improving writing skills of individuals with ASD, (2) intervention features that influence the writing skills of learners with ASD, and (3) the quality of the research. A total of 62 participants were represented across the 24 single case design studies meeting inclusion criteria. Nine interventions emerged with a majority focused on self-regulated strategy development. Effective interventions (PND above 70%) are reported, along with the emergent feature of "packages" using co-occurring combinations of visual, motivational, choice, technology, behavioral, peer, auditory, and tactile supports in conjunction with writing interventions.

College may be considered a gateway to success, yet access to college is limited for young adults with autism. Given the research recommendations to elicit student experiences and to communicate among universities to improve college access, success, and equity, the present study examined the questions: What factors are perceived as pathways to success or barriers to success by college students on the autism spectrum? What university provided accommodations and/or support services do they prefer? Participants from four universities completed surveys and semi-structured interviews. Findings from the multi-university study suggest the need to provide transition planning and systematic non-academic social and emotional supports from the start of the college experience as well as specific training for faculty, staff, and peers.

This 2-year study investigated the accommodations and support services preferred by college students with autism spectrum disorder using sequential mixed methods non-experimental survey and semi-structured follow-up interviews. Students with autism spectrum disorder reported using both academic and non-academic supports with frequency (e.g. extended time on exams, transition program), using academic supports in line with other disability populations, and using non-academic supports connecting them one-to-one with a faculty member or coach as preferred (e.g. academic coach, counselor, faculty mentor). Findings suggest a need for university disability service centers, counseling services, and faculty to work together to develop systematic support systems for college students with autism spectrum disorder.

This article reports the results of a systematic review of the emerging research on programs and services designed to meet the needs of students with ASD. For the purposes of this review, only articles that included data on program outcomes were included. A total of eight studies that met this criterion were identified. These studies included three that examined the effects of cognitive-behavioral interventions, three that reported the results of methods to enhance social communication skills, one study of a transition to college program, and one evaluation of a variety of widely used accommodations. This review identifies methods that have been found to be effective supporting students with ASD in higher education settings as well as needs for future research.

This article presents an update and extension of the research on instructional methods for vocabulary learning by secondary-age students with learning disabilities. Seven studies that have been published since the last comprehensive review of the research were located. Four instructional methods were found to be the most effective: mnemonic instruction, learning strategies that utilized morphemic analysis, direct instruction, and multimedia instruction. In addition, peer-mediated instruction was found to be a successful approach for supporting vocabulary learning, although it was not possible to separate the effects of peer mediation from the instructional methods used. Implications for classroom practice and for future research are discussed.

Mr. Perez and Mrs. Peterson co-teach a ninth-grade algebra class. Perez and Peterson's class includes four students with individualized education programs (IEPs). In response to legislation, such as the No Child Left Behind (NCLB) Act (2001) and the Individuals with Disabilities Education Improvement Act (2006), an increasing number of students with disabilities are taking mathematics classes, including algebra, in inclusive settings. This situation brings up key questions: Which instructional methods can teachers such as Perez and Peterson use to determine if instruction is working for all students in their mixed-ability classroom? Which daily instructional methods can teachers implement to ensure that all students are making progress? One method for monitoring student learning is formative assessment. As part of a project funded by a state department of education grant, mathematics teachers received professional development (PD) in the principles of formative assessment to enhance the learning of all students in their classroom, including those with exceptional learning needs. This article shares the formative assessment methods spotlighted in this project, along with how formative assessment was implemented in two algebra classrooms. Through the formative assessment project, teachers received PD on formative assessment provided by university faculty with expertise in mathematics education and instructional methods for students with exceptional learning needs. The teachers were supported in implementing formative assessment methods by coaches who observed instruction and provided feedback and suggestions. Specifically, the teachers formed professional learning communities and agreed on the use of specific questions to guide implementation of formative assessment repeatedly in their mathematic classrooms. Throughout the project, teachers received PD on formative assessment methods, including breaking problems into steps for error analysis; using data collection charts to identify student response patterns; providing multiple probes to assess student understanding; and embedding one key question into a formative assessment for analysis. This article provides classroom examples using these methods, along with how each teacher adjusted instruction based on the resulting student formative assessment data.

Spoken communication between residents (n=10; ages 12-21) and staff members in an institution for people with mental retardation was examined. Findings suggest that staff members and residents differed in their use of topics, with staff members talking primarily about instructional and behavior management topics and residents focusing mostly on social topics. (Author/JDD)

The study with 26 learning disabled students (7- to 10-years old) receiving a direct reading instruction program found that phonological ability was related to progress in word attack skills and that syntactic ability was related to improvement in comprehension skills. (DB)

The communicative performance of 10 institutionalized persons (ages 12 to 21) with mental retardation was examined. The residents were observed in a classroom and in a residential living area. Results indicated that, although the overall amount of interaction was low, residents initiated the majority of the interactions. (Author/DB)

The reading achievement of students with learning disabilities (N=24) who received DISTAR instruction was compared to that of similar students using basal reader materials. The overall reading scores were not significantly different following one and two years of instruction, although DISTAR students had somewhat better word attack skills. (DB)

Five ways of preventing behavior problems in children with learning disabilities are described: (1) consider the classroom environment; (2) develop effective methods for managing behavior, including a workable set of classroom rules; (3) use scheduling to prevent behavior problems; (4) use lesson planning as a behavior management tool; and (5) take interpersonal M relationships into consideration. (CL)