Behavioral skills training (BST) (Parsons et al., 2012) is a common intervention for training staff and caregivers to engage in various important behaviors. However, BST is labor intensive, costly, and often requires extensive involvement from a supervisor or experienced trainer (DiGennaro Reed & Henley, 2015), which may not always be…

Many children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) have difficulty with developing and generalizing the social skills necessary for long term success. Social skills deficits can often lead to shortcomings in other areas, and can hinder a child's potential for future independence. Currently, many studies addressing this issue use a "train and…

The purpose of this study was to determine an effective training method of improving direct support professionals' (DSPs) ability to accurately and descriptively report antecedent, behavior, and function. A training method, multiple exemplar training (MET), which is not typically applied to this population, was utilized to determine its…

The purpose of this qualitative descriptive study was to explore the perceptions of transition specialists on effective teaching techniques for developing work-readiness and self-determination skills for individuals with intellectual disabilities (ID) participating in a post-secondary transition program. For this study the theoretical framework…

This study used a training package to teach social media safety skills, using Facebook, to adolescents and young adults diagnosed with autism spectrum disorders in a small group setting. Participants were taught to decline, block and report when they received a lure from someone that they do not know. A multiple baseline design across lures…

Preparing young children for kindergarten is an important task. There are many skills that need to be learned. Simple everyday school and daily living tasks are kindergarten readiness skills that need to be taught. Many preschool students struggle to learn these skills unless taught directly. There are a sufficient number of interventions that…

This study examined the use of an iPhone and List Recorder application to teach three adolescents with autism spectrum disorder to enhance their interpersonal daily living skills in a community setting. Participants were taught to use interpersonal skills to perform an ordering and purchasing task. A multiple probe design across participants was…

This applied dissertation study compared the effectiveness of the iPad-assisted and traditional flashcard-assisted instruction for teaching receptive labeling skills to learners with autism. A lack of access to certified service providers and insurance coverage and the inability to receive a diagnosis of autism prevent families from accessing…

Observational learning is a critical skill needed for the acquisition of social skills and is likely an important skill for learning within traditional educational settings. Although several varying definitions of observational learning have been posited, for the purpose of the present study, observational learning (OL) was defined as differential…

Autism is a disorder that affects children at an alarming rate. One out of every 88 children is diagnosed with autism in the United States. The disorder is characterized by communication, social, and behavioral deficits. Children with autism often require specialized teaching methods to learn basic skills that most children acquire without…

The purpose of this study is to examine whether or not CBVI is an effective method in teaching students with intellectual disabilities the skills of locating grocery items in classroom settings and whether or not the acquired skills in classroom settings generalize to actual grocery stores. Four high school students with intellectual disabilities…

Autism is primarily a social disorder and deficits in social-orienting may be responsible for the failure of children with autism to initiate critical social behaviors. The purpose of this research was to improve the quality of social interactions of children with autism by implementing naturalistic behavior strategies intervention utilizing a…

Social skills are important for success in school as well as in life. Social skills training (SST) has been effective in teaching students required skills within the context of the training site, but often these have not generalized to additional settings (DuPaul & Eckert, 1994). This study researches the effect of adding self-management to an…

The current study evaluated the effectiveness of a multimedia social skills program, Superheroes Social Skills for Children with Autism, in increasing the social engagement skills of 4 elementary-aged students with an autism spectrum disorder. This program incorporates several evidence-based practices into one comprehensive curriculum, namely…

Despite the frequent use of joint mobilizations and the available evidence of its effectiveness as a treatment for various musculoskeletal disorders, it is a technique that has been shown to have great variability within and between raters. This variability is believed to occur because of differences between therapists' ability to perceive…