The quality of a school's social environment is critically related to student outcomes, including academic performance, attendance, student behavior, and high school completion rates. New Hampshire engaged in a dropout prevention initiative between 2006 and 2012 that focused on implementation of the multitiered Positive Behavioral Interventions…

The purpose of this dissertation research is to evaluate the sustained use of evidence-based practices (EBPs) with fidelity by high school personnel working with students with autism spectrum disorders (ASD) that participated in a randomized controlled trial (RCT) of a comprehensive educational intervention once the support from the…

This study evaluated the association of fidelity to each of the components of the Strategies for Teaching based on Autism Research (STAR) program, a comprehensive treatment package for children with autism that includes discrete trial training, pivotal response training, and teaching in functional routines, on outcomes for 191 students ages…

Nurse educators are faced with the challenges of facilitating student learning in shorter time frames along with decreasing student opportunities to further their learning experiences in real-world clinical situations (LaFond & Van Hulle Vincent, 2012; Smith & Barry, 2013). There is an identifiable need for safe environments where students…

Schools implementing positive behavioral interventions and supports work to establish and maintain fidelity of school-wide systems and practices. Depending on the mobility rate of the student population, initial efforts may not be enough to adequately support and personalize the induction experience for highly mobile students. This monograph will…

Preparing elementary-level teachers to teach in alignment with the eight Next Generation Science Standards (NGSS) practices could prove to be a daunting endeavor. However, the process may be catalyzed by leveraging elements of teacher science instruction that inherently attend to the practice standards. In this study, we investigated the science…

Although the literature suggests that it is feasible to train paraprofessionals to effectively implement social interventions for students with Autism Spectrum Disorders (ASD), there is a paucity of research that addresses the social validity of these programs. The present study replicated and extended previous research on paraprofessional…

This study examined the treatment sensitivity of "Direct Behavior Rating-Single Item Scales" (DBR-SIS) in response to an evidence-based intervention delivered in a single-case, multiple-baseline design. DBR-SIS was used as a formative assessment in conjunction with a frequently used intervention in schools, a Daily Behavior Report Card…

Background: The research on evidence-based practices (EBP) in special education has shifted over the last decade from identifying efficacious interventions to exploring issues that impede implementation in the classroom. Common barriers to implementation include absence of training and resources, limited collaboration between researchers and…

The purpose of this study was to examine the relation between "district capacity" as measured by the District Capacity Assessment (DCA) and the "initial, depth, scale," and "sustained" implementation of an evidence-based practice (EBP), Positive Behavior Interventions and Supports (PBIS). This exploratory analysis…

Naturalistic behavioral interventions increase the acquisition, generalization, and maintenance of child social communication skills among children with developmental delays (DD). Teaching Assistants (TAs) are ideal interventionists for delivering social communication interventions because of the significant amount of time they spend working…

Through a theoretical framework emphasizing the importance of fidelity of implementation (FOI), this paper explores how 3rd and 4th grade teachers implemented an early algebra intervention, and the extent to which the FOI related to student learning. The data for this report are taken from the first two years of an experimental research project.…

This paper describes implementation (fidelity, perceived acceptability) and tier 1 and Tier 2 outcomes of school-wide positive behavior interventions and supports approach including mental health supports at Tier 2 in two K-8 urban schools. Interventions for Tier 2 consisted of three manualized group cognitive behavioral therapy (GCBT) protocols…

Interventions designed for children with disabilities and their families should be socially valid. Parent-implemented Communication Strategies-Storybook (PiCSS) is an intervention package designed to coach parents on shared storybook reading and naturalistic teaching strategies. In PiCSS program, the participating parents used the communication…

In this study, longitudinal data from 708 schools across five states in the continental United States were analyzed to measure the time between initial training and adequate implementation of Tier I Schoolwide Positive Behavioral Interventions and Supports over 5 years and the extent to which it varied by school characteristics. Results indicated…