Family routines provide young children with predictable, repeatable, and functional contexts for learning about the world. Participating in family routines is a critical pathway by which all children learn. While the use of family routines in caregiver-implemented interventions (CIIs) is supported by theories, research, and recommended practices,…

Findings from a randomized controlled design study of an ability-based versus needs-based approach to response-contingent learning among children with significant developmental delays and disabilities who did not use instrumental behavior to produce reinforcing consequences are reported. The ability-based intervention and needs-based intervention…

A single subject alternating treatment design across three student-teacher dyads was used to investigate the comparative impact on student academic engaged time of three opportunity-to-respond (OTR) strategies: guided notes, class-wide peer tutoring, and response cards. Participants were three high school students with disabilities with noted…

Of the diagnostic features of autism, relatively little research has been devoted to restricted and repetitive behavior, particularly topographically complex forms of restricted and repetitive behavior such as rigidity in routines or compulsive-like behavior (e.g., arranging objects in patterns or rows). Like vocal or motor stereotypy,…

We investigated autism spectrum disorder (ASD) symptomatology, hyperactivity and affect in seven genetic syndromes; Angelman (AS; n = 104), Cri du Chat (CdCS; 58), Cornelia de Lange (CdLS; 101), Fragile X (FXS; 191), Prader-Willi (PWS; 189), Smith-Magenis (SMS; 42) and Lowe (LS; 56) syndromes (age range 4-51). ASD symptomatology was heightened in…

The aim of the current pilot study was to evaluate the implementation of a "routines-based early childhood intervention" (RBECI) model by Australian Early Childhood Intervention (ECI) professionals. The RBECI model consisted of four key components: (a) Routines-Based Interviews (RBIs), (b) participation-based goals, (c) home visits, and…

In many countries, there has been a development towards the inclusion of students with special educational needs in regular education. Over the past decade, this has resulted in an increased interest in attitudes towards this educational change of those directly involved. This current study aims at the development, psychometric evaluation, and…

Behavioural and learning difficulties experienced by students from minoritised cultural groups often arise because their cultural beliefs, values and preferred practices differ markedly from those of their teachers and their school. Research in New Zealand has shown that if inclusive education is to have real meaning for these students and their…

The goal of this research was to develop a model to predict which students with disabilities will drop out before graduation and to investigate the drop out pattern of students with disabilities. To accomplish this we evaluated potential predictors of persistence and drop-out among 611 college and university students with various disabilities and…

The effects of a secondary academic intervention implemented within the context of a three-tiered, positive behavior support model were examined in this study. Second-grade students with limited writing skills who also had either externalizing or internalizing behavior patterns were identified for participation using schoolwide data. Students…

Cognitive-behavioral conceptualizations of obsessive compulsive disorder (OCD) have predominantly viewed compulsions as being motivated by harm avoidance. However, sensations of things being incomplete or not "just right" may also underlie compulsions in OCD. Preliminary research suggests that distinguishing between harm avoidance and…

There is little research on inclusion of children with selective mutism in school/kindergarten. Moreover, few studies have tried to understand selectively mute children's interactions in the natural surroundings of their home and school/kindergarten. Five children meeting the DSM-IV criteria for selective mutism were video-observed in social…

Background: Restricted repetitive behaviors (RRBs) are a core feature of autism and consist of a variety of behaviors, ranging from motor stereotypies to complex circumscribed interests. The objective of the current study was to examine the structure of RRBs in autism using relevant items from the Autism Diagnostic Interview-Revised in a sample of…

The study examined relationships between symbolic play and language in 10 developmentally delayed preschool children. As predicted, individual subject data revealed instances of correspondence and noncorrespondence between developmental levels of symbolic play and communication forms. Several patterns of play-language relationships are discussed…

In a study of the level, complexity, and initiations of play behavior in 15 handicapped segregated, 15 handicapped mainstreamed, and 15 nonhandicapped mainstreamed preschoolers, Ss were observed during free play. Play levels, according to hierarchies of M. Parten and J. Piaget, as well as the play initiator were recorded every 3 minutes for 90…