Education
and Training in Mental Retardation and Developmental Disabilities
VOLUME
43 NUMBER 2 June
2008
Further Conceptualization of Treatment Acceptability
Utah’s Alternate Assessment: Evidence Regarding Six Aspects of Validity
Do Spanish Parents Prefer Special Schools for Their Children with Autism?
Teacher’s Perceived Efficacy and the Inclusion of a Pupil with Dyslexia or Mild Mental Retardation: Findings from Sweden
Descriptive Analysis of Classroom Setting Events on the Social Behaviors of Children with Autism Spectrum Disorder
Comparison of PECS and the use of a VOCA: A Replication
Comparison of Assessment Results of Children with Low Incidence Disabilities
Comparison of Simultaneous Prompting Procedure in 1:1 and Small Group Instruction to Teach Play Skills to Preschool Students with Pervasive Developmental Disorder and Developmental Disabilities
Parent-Delivered Community-Based Instruction with Simultaneous Prompting for Teaching Community Skills to Children with Developmental Disabilities
Teaching an Algebraic Equation to High School Students with Moderate Developmental Disabilities
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Abstracts
Further
Conceptualization of Treatment Acceptability
Stacy
L. Carter
Abstract: A
review and extension of previous conceptualizations
of treatment acceptability is provided
in light of progress within the area
of behavior treatment development and
implementation. Factors including legislation,
advances in research, and service delivery
models are examined as to their relationship
with a comprehensive conceptualization
of treatment acceptability. Extensions
to previously described conceptualizations
of treatment acceptability are presented
and a discussion of the potential impact
of these extensions on treatment acceptability
research is provided.
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Utah’s
Alternate Assessment: Evidence Regarding
Six Aspects of Validity
Karen D. Hager and
Timothy A. Slocum
Abstract: Alternate
assessments are the means through which
students with significant cognitive
disabilities participate in accountability
testing, thus measurement validity
of alternate assessments is a critical
aspect of state educational accountability
systems. When evaluating the validity
of assessment systems, it is important
to take a broad view of validity that
acknowledges its many facets. Evidence
regarding six aspects of validity of
Utah’s Alternate
Assessment (UAA) is presented in this
paper. These six aspects are: (a) test
content, (b) performance standards,
(c) administration of the test, (d)
reliability of scoring, (e) stability
of scores, and (f) impact of use of
UAA. Results of the validity study
conducted on UAA are presented along
with recommendations for improving
the system based on these results.
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Do
Spanish Parents Prefer Special Schools
for Their Children with Autism?
Javier Moreno,
Antonio Aguilera and David Saldaña
Abstract:
The
social and communication difficulties
of children with Autism Spectrum Disorders
(ASD) pose a special challenge to educational
inclusion. Previous research has suggested
that, because of this, parents of children
with ASD might be less favorable to
educating their children in inclusive
settings. In this study, 60 parents
of children with ASD in the city of
Seville (Spain) were interviewed about
their perception of educational provision.
Parents were from three different groups,
according to the children’s educational
placement: mainstream non-segregated
settings (regular schools and sharing
time with other children without disabilities),
mainstream segregated settings (special
classes in regular schools) and special
schools. These contexts differ in teacher
training, resources and contact with
other children in ways that allow a
comparison of the relative influence
of these variables on parental perception.
Overall parental satisfaction was high.
However, parents in mainstream segregated
settings were less satisfied than those
in special schools. There were no differences
between the satisfaction of parents
with children in mainstream segregated
and non-segregated settings. Results
seem to indicate that it is resources
and teacher training, rather than severity
of the disorder, the classroom structure
or fear of contact with other children
without ASD, that determine positive
parental perception.
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Teacher’s
Perceived Efficacy and the Inclusion
of a Pupil with Dyslexia or Mild Mental
Retardation: Findings from Sweden
Lise Roll-Pettersson
Abstract:
This study compared general
educators’ (175) perceptions regarding
the envisioned inclusion of a pupil with
either dyslexia or mild mental retardation.
Educators filled out three questionnaires,
Teacher Efficacy Scale, Teachers Response
to Inclusion and a School Climate Scale.
Fifty-three percent filled out the surveys
based on having a pupil with dyslexia,
and 47% based on having a pupil with
mild mental retardation. A factor analysis
conducted on the Teacher Efficacy Scale
revealed two factors: personal teaching
efficacy and general teaching efficacy.
Results indicated that educators were
more negative regarding the inclusion
of a pupil with mild mental retardation
than with dyslexia. In addition, personal
teacher efficacy was associated with
teaching a pupil with mild mental retardation,
while general teaching efficacy was associated
with teaching a pupil with dyslexia.
Findings revealed that high personal
teacher efficacy was positively related
to the number of credits in post graduate
special education course work and active
parental participation but not to experience.
High personal teacher efficacy was negatively
related to support from school administration.
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Descriptive
Analysis of Classroom Setting Events
on the Social Behaviors of Children with
Autism Spectrum Disorder
Brian A. Boyd,
Maureen A. Conroy, Jennifer M. Asmus,
Elizabeth L.W. McKenney, and G. Richmond
Mancil
Abstract: Children
with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD)
are characterized by extreme deficits
in social relatedness with same-age
peers. The purpose of this descriptive
study was to identify naturally occurring
antecedent variables (i.e., setting
events) in the classroom environments
of children with ASD that promoted
their engagement in peer-related social
behaviors. Over a 12-week period, seven
preschool-aged children were individually
observed an average of 3.4 – 5.9
hours across the following classroom
setting events: (a) contexts with varying
peer group sizes, (b) contexts in which
the adult or child directed the activities,
and (c) contexts with varying levels
of teacher engagement. Results based
on a continuous, sequential behavioral
coding system showed that for the majority
of participants; small group sizes,
child directed activities, and limited
teacher engagement most influenced
the occurrence of target children’s
social behaviors. Implications of this
study to practice are addressed.
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Comparison
of PECS and the use of a VOCA: A Replication
Ann
R. Beck, Julia B. Stoner, Stacey J. Bock,
and Tom Parton
Abstract: This
study compares use of the Picture Exchange
Communication System (PECS) and a Voice
Output Communication Aide (VOCA) with
four preschool children who were either
non-speaking or limited in their ability
to speak and did not use an AAC system
to communicate functionally. An alternating
treatment single subject design was
used to measure participants’ preferences
for each system and the verbalizations
of the participants during system use.
Results indicated that participants
learned PECS in a relatively short
time period, preferences for one mode
of communication are not predictable,
and the influence of the communication
systems on each participant’s
verbalizations varied.
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Comparison
of Assessment Results of
Children with Low Incidence
Disabilities
Dennis J. Campbell,
AmySue Reilly, and Joan Henley
Abstract:This
paper describes a research
study that assessed young
children with a low incidence
disability, specifically
Cri-du-Chat Syndrome
(CDSC). A description
of the concerns of assessing
individuals with low
incidence disabilities
is described. Parent
reports (using the Development
Observation Checklist
System) on the functioning
of their children are
analyzed and compared
to data collected from
more formal assessment
(specifically, the Battelle
Developmental Inventory).
Data collected from parent
report and formal assessments
are included. A result
of the analysis shows
that parents’ reports
are congruent with formal
assessment data.
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Comparison
of Simultaneous Prompting Procedure in
1:1 and Small Group Instruction to Teach
Play Skills to Preschool Students with
Pervasive Developmental Disorder and
Developmental Disabilities
Gail A. Colozzi,
Louise W. Ward, and Kerry E. Crotty
Abstract:
This study examined and compared
the effectiveness of a simultaneous
prompting procedure used in both 1:1
and small group instruction to teach
pretend play skills to a group of preschool
students, three having a diagnosis
of pervasive developmental disorder
and one having a diagnosis of severe
developmental disabilities. The
study also assessed acquisition of
instructive feedback and observational
learning stimuli. A multiple
probe design across responses and replicated
across students and the two instruction
formats assessed and compared effectiveness
of the simultaneous prompting procedure. Data
indicates that simultaneous prompting
procedure resulted in acquisition,
maintenance, and some generalization
of the target skills and instructive
feedback stimuli in both instruction
formats with minimal differences. The
group format allowed the opportunity
for observational learning to occur
and data on observational learning
accuracy and generalization are reported.
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Parent-Delivered
Community-Based Instruction with Simultaneous
Prompting for Teaching Community Skills
to Children with Developmental Disabilities
Elif
Tekin-Iftar
Abstract:
The present study was designed to determine
whether parents (three mothers and
one grandmother) could implement
CBI with SP reliably for teaching
community skills to their children
and the effects of parent-delivered
intervention on teaching the community
skills. Maintenance and generalization
effects of the intervention were
also analyzed in the study. Lastly,
the study was designed to reveal
the participants’ opinions
about the intervention. Four parents
and their children participated in
the study and mother-child dyad was
formed. A multiple probe design across
community skills and replicated across
children was used. Results showed
that all parents implemented the
intervention with a high degree of
treatment integrity. Parent-delivered
intervention was effective on teaching
community skills. Participants were
able to maintain the acquired community
skills over time and generalized
the acquired skills to generalization
sites. The participants’ opinions
regarding the social validity aspects
of the study were positive in general.
Based upon evaluation of the findings
and implications of the study, future
research needs are discussed.
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Teaching
an Algebraic Equation to High School
Students with Moderate Developmental
Disabilities
Bree A. Jimenez, Diane M.
Browder and Ginevra R. Courtade
Abstract: The purpose of this
study was to determine the effect
of systematic instruction with a
concrete representation on the acquisition
of an algebra skill for students
with moderate developmental disabilities.
Three high school students with moderate
developmental disabilities participated
in this study. A multiple probe across
participants research design was
used to evaluate the effectiveness
of the treatment. Finally, this study
was the first to teach an algebra
skill to students with moderate developmental
disabilities. Students were successful
at learning how to solve an algebraic
equation through the use of systematic
instruction with a concrete representation,
including mastery with generalization
across materials and settings.
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