Despite the importance of centering autistic perspectives in educational decision-making for autistic children, few studies have directly assessed autistic perspectives on the social acceptability of early childhood practices. We conducted an online survey to recruit perspectives of autistic adults on a current, comprehensive range of educational…

This study used a multiple baseline across behaviors design to analyze the effects of didactic training plus simulated rehearsal and feedback on a preservice teacher's implementation of behavior management skills (i.e., opportunities to respond, behavior specific praise, token reward system) with students with autism spectrum disorders (ASD).…

This article describes an empirical study that explored the cognitive and emotional effects of teaching through shadow theater as compared to traditional storytelling of the same texts and songs in children on the autism spectrum disorder (ASD). The rationale is based on broken mirror theory anchored in research on mirror neurons. Fifty-seven…

This study evaluated the effects of behavior skills training (BST) as a means to acquire and generalize self-instruction behaviors using video activity schedules (VidAS) loaded on an iPod Touch for four U.S. high school students with intellectual disabilities. Behavior skills training procedures were implemented in two different vocational…

Family-school partnerships are valuable and are associated with improvements in students' academic success. However, teachers often do not receive sufficient training to confidently collaborate with families. Furthermore, parents report feeling unsure of how to support learning at home and dissatisfaction with the special education process. The…

Focus groups and interviews can help to determine teachers' perspectives on classroom management. The problem with special education in the United States is that teachers are not prepared for specific classroom challenges, and their perceptions of classroom management have not been thoroughly documented. Gaps in the literature included teachers'…

Naturalistic developmental behavioral intervention (NDBI) strategies appear to be well-suited for implementation by preschool teachers of young children ages 3 through 5, yet research exploring NDBI implementation within this specific context is extremely limited. We applied an implementation science framework to examine reported knowledge,…

Healthcare services outside of school impact the likelihood of receiving a school-based special education classification and services. Using Massachusetts administrative data on public school students, this paper employs difference-in-differences to examine the impacts of expanded Medicaid coverage for mental and behavioral healthcare brought by…

The shift to online teaching during the COVID-19 pandemic forced schools to swiftly develop strategies for virtual settings to ensure students received effective instruction. Antecedent- and consequence-based interventions have been shown to be effective in classrooms; however, to our best knowledge, there have been no reports on the effects of…

Students with emotional or behavioral disorders (EBD) often display externalizing behaviors (e.g., aggression and defiance) and experience internalizing symptoms (e.g., anxiety and depression). When left untreated, these difficulties can result in negative outcomes for students in school and beyond. Cognitive-behavioral interventions (CBIs) offer…

The presented challenge in education revolves around the effective utilization of differentiated and individualized instruction by special education teachers, aiming to address the unique needs of students with learning disabilities. This study's purpose was to identify ways to use these instructional methods to develop methods that create better…

This Spotlight explores key aspects of MTSS implementation, including its relationship to special education and effectiveness in improving student outcomes. Discover how MTSS can be used to support social-emotional learning, address discipline disparities, and ensure equitable access to resources and support. By combining data-driven…