FACTORS RELATED TO STUDENTS' ON-TASK BEHAVIORS IN AUTISM SUPPORT CLASSROOMS

Abstract

The number of publications examining autism spectrum disorders (ASD) has increased dramatically over the past 30 years, and research on treatments and interventions for individuals with ASD is a growing and popular topic. It is essential to identify effective and efficient strategies for educating students with ASD due to the number of recommended interventions, the increasing number of students with ASD, and the limited resources available in public schools. However, there is a lack of research examining the application of these strategies in classrooms for students with ASD, as well as their associations with student outcomes. The purpose of this study is to examine the use of commonly recommended and applied strategies (i.e., praise-to-behavior correction ratios, individual or small group instructional format, and paraprofessional support), and to investigate the association between these factors and on-task behaviors of students with ASD. Data from 257 observations across 76 kindergarten-to-second grade autism support teachers in a large, urban school district were analyzed. Teachers were observed using positive praise-to-behavior correction ratios, and more than half of the observations were collected during whole group instruction. The use of fewer behavior correction statements and small group instruction had significant associations with students’ on-task behaviors, but the number of staff was not associated with higher rates of on-task behaviors. Directions for future research include investigating additional characteristics related to teachers’ use of praise and behavior correction statements in autism support classrooms, as well as providing teacher and paraprofessional training in the use of praise-to-behavior correction ratios and providing instruction in small group formats.