Preschool children experience a variety of risk factors that could result in the development of more severe mental and behavioral health issues later in life. Simple, teacher-delivered interventions, such as behavior-specific praise, are effective for altering at-risk preschool children's behavioral trajectory. However, preschool teachers are…

Children on the autism spectrum often experience difficulty generalizing social skills across environments and contexts, which can make developing friendships challenging in early childhood. This means that, in addition to initial social skills instruction, children with autism may need specialized supports to promote the generalization of newly…

Verbal praise is frequently used as motivation by teachers in class and truly effective verbal praise plays an important role in maintaining classroom order and stimulating positive student behavior. In this study, students from three classes of X Primary School of Jiangxi Province were interviewed and 328 verbal praise expressions collected. The…

We observed three children with autism spectrum disorder during structured play dates in which play partners displayed interest or disinterest in the toys with which they were playing. We then taught subjects to identify play partners' preferences and to make appropriate toy offers using a multiple-exemplar training package consisting of rules,…

Novice teachers need to develop foundation teaching skills to effectively address student behavior and academics in the classroom. The TLE TeachLivE™ simulation laboratory (TLE) is a virtual classroom used to supplement traditional didactic instruction and field experiences in teacher preparation programs. In this study, repeated practice and…

Few studies have been conducted in Greece, which focus on the education of children with multiple disabilities (motor and intellectual disabilities, ID). Four children between the ages 9 and 15 with multiple disabilities (motor and ID) were selected to be taught social skills. The aim of this qualitative study was to provide training with regard…

In today's autistic-support classrooms, paraeducators are tasked with working with our neediest students yet report that they are unprepared for their roles despite attempts at training. The special education teachers who are tasked with coaching and supervising several paraeducators at a time in their classrooms report that they too are…

There are many benefits to engaging in regular physical activity such as increased quality of life and decreased levels of obesity. However, individuals with autism spectrum disorder often do not engage in healthy levels of physical activity. Low motivation, poor motor skills, and behavioral challenges combine to make engaging in regular physical…

Social skills training programs have increasingly enlisted same-age typical peers as instructors in the teaching of social skills to children with high-functioning autism spectrum disorder (ASD). The inclusion of peers in the teaching process has been found to be a critical component in these programs. Despite strong support for incorporating…

Research suggests that school-aged individuals with intellectual disabilities (ID) tend to be less physically active than their typically developing peers (e.g., Shields, King, Corbett, & Imms, 2014). While these students can be successful in acquiring motor and sport-related skills during physical education, they tend not to use those skills…