Several interventions have demonstrated efficacy in improving social outcomes for children with autism, but they often are not used in schools. This study examined individual and organizational factors associated with the use of a research-informed social engagement intervention, Remaking Recess, for children with autism in elementary schools. A…

With the increase of individuals with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) leaving the public school systems with centralized training environments, there needs to be innovation in supporting staff who will find themselves working in various community environments with adolescent or adult learners. Staff training and ongoing supervision is important for…

An important line of research relates to whether school personnel, such as paraprofessionals, who are present during unstructured social periods, such as lunch-recess, could successfully implement interventions to improve socialization between students with ASD and their typical peers in a group setting. Therefore, within the context of a multiple…

The effectiveness of behavioral interventions for the treatment of young children with autism has been well documented in professional literature. The success of these procedures, however, depends on the fidelity of implementation and proper training of the therapist. The purpose of this study was to evaluate a 125-skill, comprehensive staff…

Given that students with autism spend the majority of their days in school settings, largely supported by paraprofessionals, it is important that these paraprofessionals receive adequate training. The author investigated a training package consisting of modeling and video-based feedback as a means of enabling paraprofessionals to implement Pivotal…

This paper describes a staff development model that was designed and implemented to address the professional training needs of staff working with autistic children in rural, northeastern Oregon. The county coordinator of child development and school psychology and the regional autism specialist held monthly, multidisciplinary professional meetings…