1. TTAC Autism Priority Project Conference
Advancing the Use of Evidence-based Practices for Students with Autism Spectrum Disorders
Maureen Conroy, PhD
TTAC Autism Priority Project Conference
Richmond, VA
April 15, 2010

2. Background NCLB (2001) principles Accountability
Scientifically-based Instruction
Support educational procedures, materials, and strategies backed by scientifically based research
Highly qualified teachers and paraprofessionals
Bandwagon about EBP
Stop and think about what it means and how it applies to our work with students with ASD
Huge gap between what we know, what is being used in applied settings
- Research to practice gap

3. IIP vs. CIM Isolated Intervention Practices
Individual instructional strategies that practitioners use to promote specific outcomes for students
Comprehensive Intervention Models
Conceptually organized packages of practices and components that address a broad array of skills for students
Not necessarily an “evidence-based practice”
EBP are necessary, but not sufficient
CIM are a package of EBP (usually), but no data has been taken on the “package” - where is the evidence?

4. National Professional Development Center on ASD
Randomized or quasi-experimental design studies
Two high quality experimental or quasi-experimental group design studies
Single-subject design studies
Three different investigators or research groups must have conducted five high quality single subject design studies
Combination of evidence
One high quality randomized or quasi-experimental group design study and three high quality single subject design studies conducted by at least three different investigators or research groups (across the group and single subject design studies)
Different researchers/professional organizations have defined EBP in different ways, which makes it hard to determine EBP
National Professional Development Center
National Autism Standards Project
National Research Council

5. NPDC Evidence-based Practices
Environmental
Antecedent-based
Visual Supports
Instructional
CAI
Naturalistic practices
Peer-mediated Practices
Prompting
Self-management
Time delay
Task Analysis
Video-modeling
Consequence-based
DRO
Extinction
Reinforcement
Response Interruption
NPDC a list of EBP that basically all include principles of ABA (according their definition) - how do these fit into classrooms, how do you know when to use them and with whom, how do they fit together?

6. NPDC (2010) Packaged EBP Discrete Trial Training
Functional Behavioral Assessment
Functional Communication Training
Parent-Implemented Interventions
Picture Exchange Communication System
Pivotal Response Training
Social Skills Groups
Structured Work Systems (TEACCH)
Some are umbrella/general categories and others are specific packaged approaches that have been researched
Remember - information from NPDC is still evolving! Narrow approach to EBP & data is limited

7. Research to Practice:
Application and Individualization of Evidence-based Practices in Authentic Settings
Know what they are. What happens now? How do you implement them in classrooms with children?

8. Applied Definition of EBP
Practices that are informed by research in which the characteristics and consequences of the environmental variables are empirically established and the relationship directly informs what a practitioners can do to produce a desired outcome (Dunst, Trivette, & Cupsek, 2002).
Challenge is knowing a practice but knowing how to implement it with integrity

9. What works for whom when teaching target skills and under what conditions?

10. Evidence & Contexts
What skills/behaviors are most appropriate for this practice?
Behavioral, communication, social, play/leisure, academic
What ages has this practice been tested on?
Early Intervention, PK, Elementary, Secondary
What settings has the practice been implemented in?
Home
Classrooms/Schools
Community
What skills does the change agent need to learn to implement the practice with integrity?
Is this practice socially valid and acceptable for this particular context?

11. EPB & Scope /Sequence Behavioral/Social Communication Play/ Leisure
Academic
Prompting X ?
Reinforcement
DTT
Naturalistic
Interventions
PECS
PRT
FCT
Parent implemented
DRO/
Extinction
Other scope/sequence skills
- general education curriculum
self-help/functional skills
Motor
Sensory
Executive functioning skills

12. Response Interruption
EPB & Scope/Sequence
Behavioral/ Social
Communication
Play/
Leisure
Academic
ABI X ?
CAI
FBA
PMI
Response Interruption
Self-management
Social Narratives

13. Structured Work Environments
EPB & Scope/Sequence
Behavioral/Social
Communication
Play
Academic
Social Skills Groups X ?
Structured Work Environments
Task Analysis
Time Delay
Video Modeling
Visual Supports

14. What do we really know works?
Using our professional knowledge and skills!

15. Linking EBP to Teach! Instructional Strategies
Peer mediated interventions
Consequences
Reinforcement
Praise
Access to preferred materials
ABI
Preferred peer
Preferred social materials

16. Implementation with Integrity
Procedural Integrity
Change agents
Adherence to practice
Quality of implementation
Dosage of implementation
Positive Student Outcomes
Reinforcement

17. Application & Individualization
What skill(s) does the student need to learn?
What is the most effective strategy for teaching the skill(s)?
Where is/are the skill(s) being taught?
Who is going to teach the skill(s)?
When and how often will instruction occur?
How will procedural integrity be measured?
Data collection on dosage, quality, & integrity
How will student outcomes be measured?
Data collection strategies on student skills & behaviors

18. Evidence Supporting CIM
Lovaas
Denver Early Start Model
Floortime
Zigguart
TEACCH
LEAP
**Remember to evaluate the evidence!!!!
How many of these are EBP?

19. EBP are necessary but not sufficient!
Beyond EBP:
EBP are necessary but not sufficient!

20. Foundational Program Components
Least Restrictive Environment
Inclusion opportunities
Systematic & data-based instruction
Accommodations & modifications
Arrangement of learning environmental
Staffing ratio & patterns
Teaming practices

21. What about promising or unproven practices?
Sensory interventions
Gluetin Free Diets

22. Keeping up with the evidence
Obstacles
Rapid growth in knowledge in ASD
Education
Medicine
ASD is a “cottage industry”
Media attention to untested interventions & cures
Research to practice gap
Promising practices -> evidence-based practices

23. Keeping up the with evidence
National Organizations
IACC -
NPDC -
CEC - Division of Research
Intervention in School and Clinic (2008)
What Works Clearinghouse
Peer-reviewed Journals
JADD
Autism Research
Linking with researchers & others
Communities of Practice
The Institute for Educational Sciences funded projects
The National Institutes of Health funded projects
Takes a village

24. Evaluating the evidence!
CEC - Division of Research
Exceptional Children (2005)
Experimental & Quasi-experimental Group Designs
Single Subject Research Designs
Correlational Research
Qualitative Research
Need to understand different types of research - remember research methods courses that you have taken? Now is the time to use that information.
Different types of research methodologies contribute to the literature in different ways.
All research is valuable

25. Creating new evidence Promising or emerging practices
Collecting meaningful data on student progress

26. Questions & Discussion