Facilitating Evidence-Based Practice for Students with ASD

A Classroom Observation Tool for Building Quality Education

by Christina R. Carnahan, Ed.D. University of Cincinnati Ohio and K. Alisa Lowrey, Ph.D. University of Southern Mississippi Hattiesburg with invited contributors

Introduction

“I’ll know it when I see it, but right now, I don’t have a clue what ‘it’ is.” We heard these words spoken by an elementary school principal several years ago. We were together in his office discussing strategies for supporting students with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) across several grade levels in his school. The principal knew they needed to improve the educational and social opportunities of learners with ASD, but he felt frustrated. He was not sure where to begin and did not have a lot of time for learning new practices. As we interacted with the principal and others like him, it became clear that although professional development for teachers was critical, principals and other school leaders also needed more information regarding a quality program for students with ASD. These leaders needed more than a list of web resources or a day-long workshop; they needed clear, concise information delivered in a user-friendly format. The idea for this book and the Evidence-Based Practice Classroom Observation Tool (EBP COT) discussed in Chapter 4 was born out of this need. In developing this text, our goal was to provide leaders in today’s schools with a systematic approach for building quality educational experiences for students with ASD. Leaders include district-level administrators, building principals, special education administrators in districts and buildings, curriculum or instructional coaches, and all other individuals who support those teaching students with ASD. Going forward, we will refer to individuals in these groups as leaders. Although intended for school leaders, this text may also serve as a valuable resource for other individuals, including family members, classroom teachers and other professionals, and preservice teachers and professionals.

THE BIG IDEAS IN THIS BOOK

• The belief that all individuals with ASD have the capacity to learn, contribute to their communities, and engage in meaningful social relationships, given the necessary structures and supports, is at the heart of Facilitating Evidence-Based Practice for Students with ASD. School leaders play a critical role in ensuring these positive outcomes. Although they are responsible for ensuring quality programs for students with ASD, identifying the appropriate structures and supports can be overwhelming (Livanis, Benvenuto, Mertturk, & Hanthorn, 2013). The purpose of this text is to provide school leaders, educators, and families with an accessible resource for creating engaging learning environments that promote positive behavior and academic growth.

• ASD is a neurological, or brain-based, disorder. Students with ASD do not choose to demonstrate differences. The characteristics of ASD drive the behaviors seen academically and socially.

• Federal legislation requires schools to provide quality programming for students with ASD. School leaders positively influence outcomes for these students when they are committed to building quality programs.

• Learners with ASD require specific evidence-based practices to be successful in school. School leaders are able to support teachers and other professionals in identifying and implementing appropriate evidence-based practices when they understand the brain–behavior connections in ASD.

• A systematic, collaborative leadership approach is the foundation for implementing evidence-based practices across classrooms and schools. School leaders are the backbone of collaborative environments that promote growth for students and teachers.

Evidence-Based Practices: The Foundation for Quality Programming

Creating quality programs that promote academic and social success for students with ASD during and after their school years begins with evidence-based practices. Evidence-based practices are the “practices or programs shown by high quality research to have meaningful effects on student outcomes” (Cook & Odom, 2013, p. 136). The National Professional Development Center (NPDC) on ASD issued a report delineating 27 evidence-based practices (Wong et al., 2014). The necessity of these evidence-based practices, many of which will be discussed in Chapter 3, cannot be overstated—they are critical for creating successful learning environments for students with ASD. Understanding evidence-based practices is critical for school leaders. Cook and Odom suggested, however, “EBPs are not guaranteed to work for everyone” (2013, p. 137). Awareness of factors such as teacher knowledge and student differences that influence the success of individual evidence-based practices is equally important (McLeskey & Billingsley, 2008; Simpson, McKee, Teeter, & Beytien, 2007). The EBP COT, which is a tool for identifying the foundational practices necessary for all quality programming, will help teams identify interventions that are already in place and prioritize areas for growth and development.

Leadership and Collaboration in Quality Programming

Real change, the kind that makes a significant difference in the lives of people, often occurs slowly. It involves both top-down (e.g., policies at state and district levels) and bottom-up activities (e.g., individual classroom and school levels) (Cook & Odom, 2013) and depends on the ability of school leaders to motivate others, build commitment, and create positive conditions for teachers and other professionals (Leithwood, Harris, & Hopkins, 2008). Thus, investing in supporting and developing staff is one of the single greatest things school leaders can do to positively affect change for learners with ASD. The EBP COT is one tool for supporting and developing staff capacity and quality programming.

Suggestions for Educational Leaders

The EBP COT was developed for school leaders, using feedback from school leaders. The intention is to provide a user-friendly list of the practices necessary for quality programming in educational settings. It is a collaboration tool designed to help school leaders support new and seasoned educators. The EBP COT could be used in many ways—as a planning tool for new education professionals or those new to serving students with ASD, a tool for assessing strengths and growth opportunities in educational settings already serving students with ASD, a tool for guiding professional development, or a combination of all of these.

Suggestions for Preservice and Practicing Professionals

The EBP COT provides preservice educators with a blueprint for understanding and implementing the supports necessary for creating high-quality programming for students with ASD. Simply being able to identify evidence-based practices while in schools may be a valuable first experience for preservice educators. Based on observations, preservice professionals can ask questions to understand why some interventions are in place or how they are implemented for individual students.

Suggestions for Families

A common language or way to talk about how to create the optimal setting for a student with ASD can often serve as the foundation for collaborative problem solving. The EBP COT can provide a starting point for families to talk with school personnel about the supports their children need. During times of transition, such as those that occur between grades or schools, it can be difficult to paint a picture of the supports that helped a student be successful.

WHAT THIS BOOK HAS TO OFFER

Quality educational experiences play a crucial role in outcomes for individuals with ASD after high school. Educational leaders must ensure positive school experiences for these students and provide them with the instruction necessary for academic, social, and life skill success. Creating high-quality programs is one of the best ways to do this. This book will help you understand the cognitive profile of individuals with ASD and the evidence-based practices that support these children’s needs.

REFERENCES

American Psychological Association. (2013). Diagnostic and statistical manual of mental disorders (5th ed.). Washington, DC: Author.
Carnahan, C., Lowrey, K. A., & Snyder, K. (2014). Development of a standardized benchmark assessment tool to facilitate EBP for students with ASD. DADD Online Journal: Research to Practice, 1(1), 103–120.
Cook, B., & Odom, S. (2013). Evidence-based practices and implementation science in special education. Exceptional Children, 79(2), 135–144.
Livanis, A., Benvenuto, S., Mertturk, A., & Hanthorn, C. (2013). Treatment integrity in autism spectrum disorder interventions. In S. Goldstein & J. Naglieri (Eds.), Interventions for autism spectrum disorders: Translating science into practice (pp. 19–38). New York, NY: Springer.
McLeskey, J., & Billingsley, B. S. (2008). How does the quality and stability of the teaching force influence the research-to-practice gap? A perspective on the teacher shortage in special education. Remedial and Special Education, 29(5), 293–305.
McLeskey, J., Waldron, N. L., Spooner, F., & Algozzine, B. (2014). Handbook of effective inclusive schools: Research and practice. New York, NY: Routledge.
Simpson, R. L., McKee, M., Teeter, D., & Beytien, A. (2007). Evidence-based methods for children and youth with autism spectrum disorders: Stakeholder issues and perspectives. Exceptionality, 15(4), 203 –217.
Wong, C., Odom, S., Hume, K., Cox, A., Fettig, A., Kucharczyk, S., . . . Schultz, T. (2014). Evidence-based practices for children, youth, and young adults with autism spectrum disorder. Chapel Hill, NC: University of North Carolina, Frank Porter Graham Child Development Institute, Autism Evidence-Based Practice Review Group.