The purpose of this study was to assess the quality of educational programs for school-aged children with autism in the United States. Investigators completed the Autism Program Environment Quality Rating Systems-Preschool/Elementary (APERS-PE) in 60 elementary schools enrolling children with autism. The mean total rating scores were near the…

The purpose of this study was to assess the quality of educational programs for school-aged children with autism in the United States. Investigators completed the Autism Program Environment Quality Rating Systems-Preschool/Elementary (APERS) in 60 elementary schools enrolling children with autism. The mean total rating scores were near the…

The purpose of this study was to investigate the effects of an intensive toilet training program on continence and self-initiation for elementary children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD). Researchers used a non-concurrent multiple baseline design (Watson and Workman in J Behav Ther Exp Psychiatry 12:257-259, 1981,…

The vast majority of joint attention interventions for children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) are geared toward toddlers and preschoolers as it is an early developmental skill. However, many of the youngsters do not acquire joint attention despite these early interventions and subsequently do not exhibit joint attention later in life. In the…

Cognitive behavioral therapy for youth with autism spectrum disorder and anxiety is effective, but disparities exist in accessing these programs. Training school providers to deliver cognitive behavioral therapy may help to address these disparities. However, little is known about how cognitive behavioral therapy programs are implemented by…

The ability to communicate is the most fundamental educational outcome leading to academic success (Kearns et al., 2015). This is no different for students with disabilities. Students with autism spectrum disorders (ASD), however, demonstrate difficulty with spontaneous communication and use of functional language throughout a variety of settings…

Stimulus equivalence training has been relatively under represented in the research literature for training individuals with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) in early letter-sound correspondence. The primary purpose of the current study was to compare the effectiveness of two different topographies of intraverbals on the emergence of untrained…

Many individuals with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) can effectively decode and read words fluently, but have significantly below-average understanding of text. Following written directions may hold unique potential as it requires a reader to convert a written text into a goal-directed and observable performance. The present data-based case study…

This study evaluated the effectiveness of a peer-mediated intervention on joint attention (JA) and social play skills for students with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) using a multiple baseline design. Peer-mediated interventions are an evidence-based practice, but there is limited research on using peers outside of the target student's classroom…

Extensive work has been undertaken in North America on effective practices in early childhood education, early childhood special education, and autism-specific interventions. Much of this work, however, has not been disseminated in teacher-friendly ways nor has it been translated into useable formats that support teacher uptake and incorporation…

The article describes research into the perspectives of students with autism regarding their participation as the target participants in a peer-mediated social communication intervention. Questionnaires were administered to four elementary-aged students with autism before and after their involvement in the intervention. The students' parents and…

Elementary students who demonstrate accuracy and speed in handwriting are better equipped to generate higher quality, longer composition. Unfortunately, students with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) tend to encounter significant difficulties with legibility, size, and speed of handwriting. The present study used a single-subject, multiple-baseline…

Student retention in kindergarten is a common practice, so that students will obtain the necessary school preparation for elementary school. However, this practice is also used for students with autism spectrum disorders (ASD), without sufficient research data on the impacts of retention on this group of students. The current study examines the…

This study investigates the effects of an integrated oral language and listening comprehension intervention for early elementary students with ASD. Students (n = 43) were randomly assigned to intervention or control comparison conditions, with intervention students receiving instruction in small groups of 3 or 4. Groups were led by special…

The purpose of this study was to provide a training program based on pivotal response for children with autism spectrum disorder, which may affect positively on improving their joint attention and social interaction. Participants were six female children enrolled in public and private kindergartens and autism programs in Zulfi, Saudi Arabia for…