Using Adaptive Computer-based Instruction to Teach Staff to Implement a Social Skills Intervention

This study evaluated the effectiveness of an adaptive, computer-based staff training software program called Train-to-Code (TTC) to teach the administration of a social skills intervention. The software program actively trained participants to identify whether video models illustrated each step of the procedure effectively or ineffectively. Multiple exemplars of each step of the social skills task analysis were represented. Most-to-least prompting as well as feedback and error correction were embedded into the software program and prompts were faded through seven levels as the participant reached criterion accuracy. A multiple-probe across participants design was used to evaluate the effectiveness of this program by comparing pre- and post-training in vivo probes conducted with a confederate learner. All participant scores increased from pre-training to post-training, indicating that Train-to-Code was effective at teaching administration of the social skills intervention. These results have implications for training staff in applied community settings. Due to Train-to-Code's ability to be internet-based and to measure actual viewing performance, it has the potential for "distance training" deliveries.

Behavior Skills Training with Voice-Over Video Modeling

The present study used behavior skills training (BST) to teach three adult participants to implement a video modeling intervention aimed at teaching social skills to adults with autism spectrum disorder (ASD). During baseline trials, participants were given access to written instructions before role-play with two actors (who simulated a quiet conversation) and one confederate (who played the role of an adult with ASD). During treatment, participants were given a video model with voiceover instruction depicting how to implement the video modeling intervention to teach social skills, repeated roleplay trials, and feedback following their performance. All participant scores (percentage of steps correctly implemented in each session) increased from baseline to treatment, and generalization was demonstrated with an actual consumer diagnosed with ASD. Additionally, after training participants to use a video model to teach one social skill, there was generalization to teaching as many as three additional novel social skills. Participants showed maintenance of skills during a treatment study that involved training adult clients with ASD to engage in the social skills.

Application of a Three-Tiered Response To Intervention Model for Instructional Planning, Decision Making, and the Identification of Children in Need of Services

An alternative to the IQ-achievement discrep ancy model for identifying students with learn ing disabilities is the response to intervention (RTI) model. There is a growing literature base in support of the RTI model, and within the reauthorization of IDEA there is an allowance for an RTI approach whereby RTI "may" be used by school psychologists when evaluating students for special education. The research base on RTI is expanding but there has been little empirical work directed toward understanding RTI as it is implemented by school-based practitioners. The current study examined a simple three-phase RTI model. Universal screening in mathematics was used in Phase I in conjunction with a brief skill/per formance deficit assessment to identify stu dents in need of instructional intervention. In Phase II, a classwide intervention was imple mented to evaluate the extent to which poor academic performance was a function of lack of instruction. Phase III provided intensive intervention to five students who did not respond adequately to the classwide interven tion. Only one student did not respond ade quately to individual intervention.

Dismantling the Active Ingredients of an Intervention for Children with Autism

This study evaluated the association of fidelity to each of the components of the Strategies for Teaching based on Autism Research (STAR) program, a comprehensive treatment package for children with autism that includes discrete trial training, pivotal response training, and teaching in functional routines, on outcomes for 191 students ages 5-8 years in a large public school district. Fidelity to all components was relatively low, despite considerable training and support, suggesting the need to develop new implementation strategies. Fidelity to pivotal response training, but not discrete trial training or functional routines, was positively associated with gains in cognitive ability despite low levels of fidelity, and may be an effective intervention choice in under-resourced settings.

Child characteristics associated with outcome for children with autism in a school-based behavioral intervention

This study examined the extent to which clinical and demographic characteristics predicted outcome for children with autism spectrum disorder. Participants included 152 students with autism spectrum disorder in 53 kindergarten-through-second-grade autism support classrooms in a large urban public school district. Associations between child characteristics (including age, language ability, autism severity, social skills, adaptive behavior, co-occurring psychological symptoms, and restrictive and repetitive behavior) and outcome, as measured by changes in cognitive ability following one academic year of an intervention standardized across the sample were evaluated using linear regression with random effects for classroom. While several scales and subscales had statistically significant bivariate associations with outcome, in adjusted analysis, only age and the presence of symptoms associated with social anxiety, such as social avoidance and social fearfulness, as measured through the Child Symptom Inventory-4, were associated with differences in outcome. The findings regarding the role of social anxiety are new and have important implications for treatment. Disentangling the construct of social anxiety to differentiate between social fearfulness and social motivation has important implications for shifting the focus of early treatment for children with autism spectrum disorder.

Training Teachers to use Evidence-Based Practices for Autism: Examining Procedural Implementation fidelity

The purpose of this study was to examine the extent to which public school teachers implemented evidence-based interventions for students with autism in the way these practices were designed. Evidence-based practices for students with autism are rarely incorporated into community settings, and little is known about the quality of implementation. An indicator of intervention quality is procedural implementation fidelity (the degree to which a treatment is implemented as prescribed). Procedural fidelity likely affects student outcomes. This project examined procedural implementation fidelity of three evidence-based practices used in a randomized trial of a comprehensive program for students with autism in partnership with a large, urban school district. Results indicate that teachers in public school special education classrooms can learn to implement evidence-based strategies; however they require extensive training, coaching, and time to reach and maintain moderate procedural implementation fidelity. Procedural fidelity over time, and across intervention strategies is examined.

Teaching helping to adolescents with autism

This study is a replication and extension of Reeve, Reeve, Townsend, and Poulson (2007) evaluating the effects of a treatment package that included multiple-exemplar training, video modeling, prompting, and reinforcement on helping of 3 adolescents with autism. Results demonstrated that all participants acquired the helping responses. Probes before and after intervention also demonstrated generalization of helping across settings and categories of helping behavior.

We're all in this together now: group performance feedback to increase classroom team data collection

This study's primary goal was to evaluate the use of performance feedback procedures delivered to a classroom team to increase daily data collection. Performance feedback (PFB) was delivered to four classroom teams responsible for the daily collection of data representing student performance during prescribed instructional activities. Using a multiple-baseline design, the effects of the team performance-feedback were evaluated for the target student, and for generalization to data collection for all classroom students. A secondary question evaluated if student on-task behavior correlated with increased data collection. Finally, social validity was investigated to evaluate team satisfaction with the PFB intervention. The results demonstrate improved data collection across all four classroom teams for the target student in each classroom and generalization within classrooms to all remaining students. Slight increases in student on-task behavior were observed in three of the four classrooms, and teacher satisfaction ratings were high.

Applications of computer-based instruction: using specialized software to aid letter-name and letter-sound recognition

We evaluated computerized training and testing programs with children who were having difficulties learning prereading skills. The programs were derived from equivalence research and were written in authoring software designed for educators. After learning to match uppercase and lowercase printed letters to the corresponding letter names (Tasks 1 and 2), the children matched the letters to one another (Tasks 4 and 5). Then, after learning to match uppercase letters to sounds (Task 3), they also matched lowercase letters to sounds (Task 6) and matched printed to spoken words (Tasks 7 and 8). The results recommend equivalence-based protocols and user-friendly software in further development of prereading instruction.

Fixed-time schedule effects as a function of baseline reinforcement rate

Using an arbitrary response, we evaluated fixed-time (FT) schedules that were either similar or dissimilar to a baseline (response-dependent) reinforcement schedule and extinction. Results suggested that both FT schedules and extinction resulted in decreased responding. However, FT schedules were more effective in reducing response rates if the FT reinforcer rate was dissimilar to baseline reinforcer rates. Possible reasons for this difference were evaluated with data analysis methods designed to identify adventitious response-reinforcer relations.

aubergine enhances oskar translation in the Drosophila ovary

Although translational regulation of maternal mRNA is important for proper development of the Drosophila embryo, few genes involved in this process have been identified. In this report, we describe the role of aubergine in oskar translation. Previously, aubergine has been implicated in dorsoventral patterning, as eggs from aubergine mutant mothers are ventralized and seldom fertilized (Schupbach, T. and Wieschaus, E. (1991) Genetics 129, 1119–1136). We have isolated two new alleles of aubergine in a novel genetic screen and have shown that aubergine is also required for posterior body patterning, as the small fraction of eggs from aubergine- mothers that are fertilized develop into embryos which lack abdominal segmentation. Although aubergine mutations do not appear to affect the stability of either oskar mRNA or protein, the level of oskar protein is significantly reduced in aubergine mutants. Thus, aubergine is required to enhance oskar translation. While aubergine-dependence is conferred upon oskar mRNA by sequences in the oskar 3′ UTR, aubergine may influence oskar translation through an interaction with sequences upstream of the oskar 3′ UTR.

Novel genetic screen for genes involved in posterior body patterning in Drosophila

Much of our current understanding of how cytoplasmic determinants are localized and activated stems from genetic analyses in Drosophila. Characterization of mutants defective in establishing the initial embryonic body pattern has revealed the importance of mRNA localization and translational control and identified several factors required for these processes. Nevertheless, many additional genes are likely to be involved. Here, we describe a novel genetic screen designed to identify genes that participate in posterior body patterning, an elaborate process involving the sequential use of two localized cytoplasmic determinants, the products of the oskar and nanos genes. From the screen, we recovered new alleles of genes known to be required for posterior body patterning, demonstrating the validity of the approach. In addition, we isolated numerous other mutants. Further characterization of one mutant, P58, revealed that it is a novel allele of bullwinkle. We find that in bullwinkle mutants, oskar mRNA localization is not maintained in the embryo and oskar protein accumulates ectopically and to abnormally high levels. These defects are distinct from previously described perturbations in oskar activity and provide new insights into the regulation of oskar.

Health care and philanthropy: where are we headed?

Peering into health-care's future means examining social, economic and political issues. Knowing what's coming will help development professionals deal with this new world.

Demographics and the charitable estate planning marketplace. Part 1--The changing landscape of planned giving

This award-winning article will appear in two parts. Part 1 examines demographic changes among older Americans and how such changes will, and should, affect planned giving programs. Part 2, which will appear n in the AHP Fall Journal, will more closely examine the various subgroups within the "mature market."

Nutritional management of children and adolescents with insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus: a review by the diabetes care and education dietetic practice group

Although individuals with insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus (IDDM) represent only a small proportion of the total number of persons with diabetes, IDDM is one of the most prevalent chronic childhood diseases. The goals of management in IDDM include normal growth and development, control of blood glucose, maintenance of optimal nutritional status, and prevention of complications. Insulin replacement is the mainstay of treatment in IDDM; however, optimal therapy requires a careful balance of food, insulin, and physical activity. To our knowledge, this is the first comprehensive nutrition review of IDDM that emphasizes research specifically in the area of IDDM (vs non-insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus), including data on children and adolescents when available. the process of nutrition education utilizes a staged approach beginning with "survival" information and progressing to in-depth or continuing education and counseling. Important considerations should be to guide the child/adolescent to a meal plan that fits individual life-style, promotes optimal compliance, and advances the goals of management. Throughout the diabetes nutrition education process, the dietitian can positively affect the lives of children/adolescents and their families. More research is needed to better define ways of meeting the nutrition needs of children and adolescents with IDDM in the areas of fiber and glycemic control, fish oil and lipids, sodium and hypertension, and weight control.

Pizazz in the pediatric population

Teaching the Exchange Lists for Meal Planning to children with insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus requires a different approach from that used with patients in other stages of the life cycle. To fill your nutrition education sessions with pizazz and capture the childrens' attention, use some of the creative ideas for teaching and utilizing the exchange system presented here.

Marry capital giving cycle with deferred giving cycle

This article suggests a way to transform the future to the present by transferring planned giving techniques into capital campaigning. The author discusses the merits of his case by instilling the needs of the donor first and the success of the institution as a natural second.