Treatment fidelity data (descriptive and statistical) are critical to interpreting and generalizing outcomes of intervention research. Despite recommendations for treatment fidelity reporting from funding agencies and researchers, past syntheses have found treatment fidelity is frequently unreported (e.g., Swanson, "The Journal of Special…

This study focused on understanding teachers' personal and professional experiences that influence the fidelity of implementation of a school-wide positive behavior support (SWPBS) program within their classrooms. Research has focused on the implementation fidelity of school-wide positive support programs, academic impact on students, teacher…

This dissertation investigates ways of training adults to teach students with communication impairments to use augmentative and alternative communication (AAC) systems across a variety of environments. In addition to three stand-alone papers, it will start with an introduction and conclude with a discussion. Chapter 1 will provide the reader with…

Simulation technology in healthcare education is continuously evolving but little is known about the effects of high fidelity simulation on student knowledge and skill retention or motivation. The purpose of this quantitative study was to use quasi-experimental design in a randomized controlled trial that compared the retention of knowledge and…

Fidelity is an important factor in the assessment and delivery of programs. However, few researchers have examined predictors of fidelity. In this study, we examined the relationship of fidelity to facilitator characteristics in a leadership program oriented toward the development of new university students. The study consisted of 25 program…

Four tasks (N = 191, 3- to 6-year-olds) examined the effect of instrumental versus conventional language cues on children's imitative fidelity of a necklace-making activity, their memory and transmission of the activity, and their perceptions of functional fixedness. Children in the conventional condition imitated with higher fidelity, transmitted…

During the last decade, positive behavior interventions have resulted in improvement of school behavior and academic gains in a range of school settings worldwide. Recent studies identify sustainability of current positive behavior intervention programs as a major concern. The purpose of this article is to identify future direction for effective…

The articles in this special issue discuss efforts to improve academic reading outcomes for students and ways to achieve high implementation fidelity of promising strategies. At times the authors discuss if--and how--strong fidelity is associated with strong outcomes and potentially even impacts (the difference between program and control group…

This article presents the findings from a teacher intervention in Dutch kindergartens aimed at improving teachers' differentiation practices (DP) to better anticipate student differences. The intervention was designed to improve the match between student levels and curricular activities, in particular for high-ability students and consists of…

This study evaluated the efficacy of the Word Learning Strategies (WLS) supplementary program designed to develop upper-elementary students' vocabulary skills in order to improve reading comprehension. The study used a true, group-randomized, experimental design, which randomly assigned 46 4th grade classrooms (n=1324 students) from 12 districts…

Interactive simulations allow preservice teachers to connect education theory and pedagogy in scaffolded environments. We created digital simulations with scenarios from in-person simulations and used them to prepare novice teachers for conversations with parents. Using a design-based approach we implemented the simulations in an education class,…

Upon entering high school, students with ID who may be able to read simple texts often have difficulty grasping meaning when required to understand more complex texts. This failure affects their overall academic performance, since at this age, it is no longer just a question of learning to read, but rather of reading to learn, in all disciplines.…

Much has been made in the recent medical education literature of the incorrect characterization of simulation along a continuum of low to high fidelity (Cook et al. "JAMA" 306(9): 978-988, 2011; Norman et al. "Med Educ" 46(7): 636-647, 2012; Teteris et al. "Adv Health Sci Educ" 17(1): 137-144, 2012). For the most…

Rigorous tests of theory-based programs require faithful implementation. Otherwise, lack of results might be attributable to faulty program delivery, faulty theory, or both. However, once the evidence indicates the model works and merits broader dissemination, implementation issues do not fade away. How can developers enhance the likelihood that…

There is increasing pressure on universities in the United States to meet the needs of diverse learners. This fact increases the urgency for implementation and scaling up of Universal Design for Learning (UDL) in higher education. This qualitative study draws two major insights from interviews with six faculty members from universities and…