The purpose of this study was to evaluate the use of a Personal Digital Assistant with multiple prompt levels to increase completion of novel task boxes and transitioning within and between tasks. The study used a multiple probe design across three sets of task boxes replicated with three students with a diagnosis of autism spectrum disorder.…

A literature review was conducted on the effectiveness of activity schedules. Twenty three studies that a) were peer-reviewed, b) were experimental, c) implemented activity schedule as a primary intervention, d) incorporated multiple activities, and e) aimed to teach learners to self-manage individual schedules were included in the review. The…

The present study compares the effects of providing choice between activities or between materials for completion of activities on the on-task behavior of 4 boys with autism spectrum disorders. Results showed that the participants displayed higher levels of on-task behavior during the choice conditions than in the no-choice condition. However, the…

Work systems provide visual information and organization for students with autism spectrum disorders (ASD) and assist in increasing on-task behavior and productivity while simultaneously decreasing adult prompting. Work systems are a core component of the Treatment and Education of Autistic and Related Communication-Handicapped Children…

We assessed the use of a joint activity schedule to increase peer engagement for preschoolers with autism. We taught 3 dyads of preschoolers with autism to follow joint activity schedules that cued both members of the pair to play a sequence of interactive games together. Results indicated that joint activity schedules increased peer engagement…

The current study investigated the effects of Social Stories written according to Gray's specifications on on-task behavior in inclusive classroom settings in three children with autism. Using a multiple-baseline design across participants, modest improvements in on-task behavior were associated with implementation of an auditory-visual Social…

The study assessed the effects of redesigning the classroom physical environment to minimize stimulation on the occurrence of self-stimulation, on-task behavior, inappropriate behavior, and inactivity with 3 autistic males (16, 16, and 26 years old). Self-stimulation and inactivity decreased and on-task behavior increased. (Author/DB)

Task completion time was substantially decreased for two middle school students with a diagnosis of moderate mental retardation and autism spectrum disorder (ASD) following the presentation of high-preference items and choice via a computer-based video program. The study used an ABAB design to evaluate the effects of the program compared to…

Objective: Children with autism often demonstrate distress and oppositionality when exposed to requests to complete academic or household tasks. Errorless academic compliance training is a success-focused, noncoercive intervention for improving child cooperation with such activities. In the present study, the authors evaluated treatment and…

The purpose of this study was to evaluate intervention procedures to teach conditional use of a communicative request for assistance and independent task performance. A 40-year-old man with autism and severe mental retardation with a history of escape-related problems was taught to use a graphic symbol to request assistance and to engage…

The project attempted to experimentally validate the use of tutoring and small group teaching formats as alternatives to one-to-one teaching procedures involving autistic children. Single-subject studies and experimental-control group designs were used to compare the effects of tutoring and small group teaching formats in public and private school…

Experimental analysis of social stimuli has typically been restricted to the presence or absence of verbal attention. In the present study, an ABAB design was used to assess the influence of proximity as a social stimulus. Close and distant proximity of a familiar adult was systematically manipulated to evaluate the effect of proximity on the…

This action research project examined the impact of a program for improving age-inappropriate behaviors that interfere with personal and academic progress. A total of 69 students from 3 elementary classrooms and 2 speech therapy groups were involved in the research. The targeted population consisted of fourth and sixth graders; students with…