This dissertation focuses on sensory-based strategies at schools for students on the autism spectrum, with a focus on the degree to which these approaches might be effective for reducing interfering behaviors or promoting on-task behaviors. Chapter 1 provides an introduction and brief background information related to the subsequent chapters.…

The purpose of this study was to explore the need for an individualized curriculum within special education for students living with autism spectrum disorder. Previously conducted research disclosed a need for further research to understand the differentiation of curriculum for students living with autism spectrum disorder. The research question…

The purpose of this study was to understand the factors which are influencing the low number of students living with autism spectrum disorders who graduate from four-year, degree-granting colleges and universities within six years of enrollment. This instrumental case study investigated the higher education experience for 13 students who…

This dissertation explores strategies for creating a more inclusive and accessible music learning environment for students with autism. With many educators in mainstream music education unaware of the strategies and resources to cater effectively to children with neurodevelopmental disorders, I combine my previous experiences as a behavioral…

The neurodiversity paradigm arose from the autistic community as a part of a selfdefinition process and in direct opposition to medical models of disability which continue to dominate education policy, practice, and research. Drawing heavily from fields such as disability studies, critical (dis)ability, and feminist scholarship, neurodiversity…

The purpose of this qualitative, descriptive, multi-site case study was to determine the criteria individualized education program (IEP) teams used to find the least restrictive environment (LRE) placement for a student with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) at the elementary school level. The theoretical framework of this study was Maslow's theory…

The prevention and treatment of mental health concerns are consistently named among autistic adults' highest clinical and research priorities. While several theories have been proposed to explain the high prevalence of depression and anxiety in autistic populations, virtually no longitudinal research has evaluated causal mechanisms. The first…

This applied dissertation was designed to improve the effectiveness of professional educators in using the methodology of functional behavior assessment (FBA) and function assessment-based intervention (FABI) to reduce challenging behaviors exhibited by students with Down syndrome (DS), or a dual diagnosis of Down syndrome and autism spectrum…

Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) is on the rise in Saudi Arabia, and the field of Special Education is currently working to expand awareness about ASD as well as evidence-based intervention availability in the country. The Social Stories Intervention has been shown to have positive results in work with children with ASD in other countries, however…

The diagnosis of autism spectrum disorder (ASD) has risen from one out of 54 school-aged children in the year 2000 to approximately one in 125 by 2021. Autism Spectrum Disorder is a long-term condition characterized by prevalent communication and social reciprocity impairments, stereotyped behavior, and limited interests. Despite widespread…

This qualitative study investigates the knowledge, perceptions, and adoption factors of special education teachers and support specialists regarding video modeling (VM) as a vocational intervention for high school students with autism spectrum disorder (ASD). Grounded in Rogers' theory of innovation diffusion, the research explores their…

Individuals on the autism spectrum often require additional support in the area of social communication. Peer mediated interventions target these areas by incorporating peers into the intervention. To date, most studies have focused on selecting one or two peers as models or peer interventionists with only a few studies implementing a class-wide…

Students with autism need social skills to succeed academically, which can be fostered with the use of digital social stories (DSSs). While many special educators are expected to use DSSs to teach social skills because of increased elementary autism diagnoses, a significant number of DSS users are unprepared. The problem addressed in this…

Approximately 30% of individuals with autism have complex communication needs (CCN). These individuals are unable to use vocal speech as their primary form of language and typically require support across several areas of communication such as comprehension, pragmatics, phonology, semantics, and syntax (Ganz et al., 2022; Reichle, 2019).…

There is an increase in the identification of children with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) throughout the country. There is also an emphasis on inclusion within the classrooms in the country. This qualitative study addresses the need for teachers to grasp more knowledge about Autism so that they can help children with autism have better access to…