Students with extensive support needs often require intensive individualized instruction across domains. Research suggests that students with extensive support needs can achieve greater independence when evidence-based practices are used to teach independent transitioning skills. This study investigated the effects of video self-modeling (VSM) and…

Children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) experience challenges with social interactions that manifest in specific social situations. These challenges may inhibit them from developing sustained friendships with school-age peers, resulting in their exclusion from group-based leisure activities. To aid this population in developing friendships,…

Children who are at risk of or diagnosed with disabilities engage in less frequent and complex peer interactions and social behaviors than their typically developing peers. Inclusive early childhood classrooms are an ideal setting for teachers to use practices that promote social interactions (PPSI) among children with and without disabilities.…

Given the increasing number of individuals diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder (ASD), there is a critical need to develop programs that facilitate positive behavior outcomes during the transition to adulthood. Furthermore, many adults with ASD do not have access to intervention programs due to remote locations, lack of qualified personnel,…

Preschool is an important educational setting for child development, and problem behavior is a prevalent barrier within this setting. Preschool teachers have expressed the need for evidence-based classroom management interventions to address problem behavior. Class-Wide Function-Related Intervention Teams (CW-FIT) is an intervention that…

The field of Positive Behavior Support (PBS) has grown and changed significantly in the past 25 years and should be expected to continue that trend for the next 25 years. These changes cannot always be predicted, but they can be managed by considering some current changes to the definition of PBS (Kincaid et al., 2016). This paper discussed how…

Based on Skinner's classification of verbal behavior, the mand is the first and most advantageous verbal operant to develop. Deficits in vocal mand repertoires are common in children with autism spectrum disorders (ASD) and can lead to decreased social interaction and increased problem behavior. The present investigation compared the effects of…

A brief training package consisting of pre-teaching of appropriate grocery item--gathering skills and reinforcement for appropriate behavior was used to teach a child diagnosed with autism to remain in a store and participate in shopping without exhibiting tantrums. The training package began with teaching the necessary component skills and…

The effectiveness of a self-management intervention on social interaction behaviors was evaluated for students with disabilities and social deficits. Four students enrolled in a general education kindergarten classroom were taught to self-monitor social initiations during nonstructured social time via a digital wrist counter. The number of social…

Several recent studies have shown that children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) are less physically active than their typically developing peers and are thus at risk of health problems associated with inactivity (e.g., obesity or diabetes). There is a need to examine the effectiveness of interventions such as swimming that are aimed at…

Students at risk for, or with, emotional disturbance during preadolescence struggle to adjust socially, behaviorally, and academically and often make choices about relationships that support problem behaviors. Research suggests explicitly teaching self-determination skills as early as preschool may prevent referral to special education with a…

The purpose of the study was to determine the efficacy of the Class-Wide Function-Related Intervention Teams (CW-FIT) program for improving students' on-task behavior, and increasing teacher recognition of appropriate behavior. The intervention is a group contingency classroom management program consisting of teaching and reinforcing appropriate…

This study evaluated the effects of manualized training in "Basic" functional behavioral assessment (FBA) for typical school professionals on the ability of these professionals to complete technically adequate FBAs. Twelve school professionals participated in four 1-hr training sessions using the Basic FBA training handbook. After…

Teaching children with autism to interact with their typically developing peers can be a challenge. Previous research has documented that there are many effective ways to teach social interaction; however, interventions in this regard are usually implemented by professionals. The purpose of this study was to assess the effectiveness of…

While the number of children diagnosed with high-functioning autism spectrum disorders (HFASD) continues to rise, the number of research-based methods to meet the needs of this population lags behind. Social dysfunction is perhaps the most pervasive and debilitating deficit for those diagnosed with HFASD. This article presents a narrative review…