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Research to Practice: Professional Development in Autism (PDA) Center. The 2005 OSEP National Early Childhood Conference Washington, DC December 12, 2005 Carol Quirk, Ed.D., Director Barb Gruber, Ph.D., Project Manager MARYLAND COALITION FOR INCLUSIVE EDUCATION, Inc.
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Research to Practice:Professional Development in Autism (PDA) Center The 2005 OSEP National Early Childhood Conference Washington, DC December 12, 2005 Carol Quirk, Ed.D., Director Barb Gruber, Ph.D., Project Manager MARYLAND COALITION FOR INCLUSIVE EDUCATION, Inc.
“The successful implementation of IDEA is perhaps most critically dependent on the quality of the people who implement the principles contained in the law - teachers, para-educators, related service providers and administrators, in cooperation with the parents and students.” Dr. Robert Pasternack March 21, 2002 Testimony before the U.S. Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor and Pensions
The Need for the PDA Center • The number of students with autism is increasing dramatically • Many models of service delivery yield trivial outcomes (Rogers, 1999) • The technology and skills necessary to implement sound programming are not widespread (Dawson & Osterling, 1997; NRC, 2001)
To build the capacity of professionals so that every student with ASD can access high-quality, evidence-based educational services in his or her local school district GOAL
CHALLENGES • The science related to effective practices is expanding rapidly, not always accessible, and often at odds with practices in general education. • While the numbers of children identified with ASD are increasing, the numbers of highly skilled personnel are not (NRC, 2001). • Some of the instructional strategies that are effective with children with ASD are relatively complex and demand sufficient practice to achieve fluency.
PARTNERS • University of Washington • University of Colorado at Denver • University of Kansas • University of South Florida • Oakstone Academy (Columbus, Ohio) • Maryland Coalition for Inclusive Education, Inc.
GUIDING PRINCIPLES • Children with ASD are children first and have the same basic needs as typically developing children. • There is no single right way to educate a child with ASD; children are individuals and child and family characteristics must be considered in intervention planning. • Knowledge is power. One of the most effective techniques for empowering families is to provide them with accurate information and education about ASD and intervention.
GUIDING PRINCIPLES 4. All interventions for children with ASD must be built on evidence-based practices and must include ongoing data collection and evaluation. • Effective interventions for students with ASD must be comprehensive and of sufficient intensity to yield educationally meaningful outcomes. • Training of personnel to work with children with ASD is best conducted in ecologically and socially valid settings, utilizing aspects of adult learning, and providing ongoing follow-up and consultation.
GUIDING PRINCIPLES 7. Comprehensive training must include teams who participate in role-specific and transdisciplinary training. 8. Training must be individualized to every team, building on their strengths, addressing their needs, and helping them address unique circumstances. 9. Effective dissemination must include different types of activities, formats, and materials to meet the needs of different consumers. 10. Just as intervention strategies for children with ASD need to be evidence based, so do all training and dissemination efforts associated with this Center.
Training for educational teams and parents that is experiential site-based on-going Reviews of the literature Web-site Capacity-building activities (conferences, institutes. leadership workshop) Training products for dissemination A diverse and active national advisory board ACTIVITIES & PRODUCTS
Guiding Principles for Site-based Teams • Site based training can be conducted at model demonstration sites or at the participant's own program. Training must be done in the context where the knowledge and skills being taught can be applied. • The purpose of site-based training is to enable participants to gain deep understanding and to begin to develop proficiency in targeted skills and knowledge. • Site-based training involves trainers and teams of trainees who work collaboratively to meet the needs of students with autism and their families • Site-based training can take different forms and utilize different types of training activities.
Process for Site-based Teams Step 1: Center matches applicant with Training Site Step 2: Trainees complete on-line class: Basics of ASD Step 3: Center staff meet with trainees at their site Step 4: Trainees complete a 3 to 5-day training: “short term Internship” Step 5: Center staff complete on-site follow-up visits Step 6: Phone and internet follow-up
Program Assessment of Quality Indicators Collaborative Teaming Classroom Structure Membership Classroom Environment Instructional Climate Curriculum and Instruction Social/Peer Relationships Challenging Behavior Family Involvement Building a Positive Instructional Climate
Children’s Therapy Center Kent, Washington University of Washington Bonnie McBride, Ph.D. Susan Sandall, Ph.D. Ilene Schwartz, Ph.D.
Participant and Site Description • Birth to Three Developmental Center • 8 member team (P.T., O.T., SLP, educator). • Children with ASD received 2 therapy sessions weekly with specialist (no play group). • Co-treatment model (OT & SLP).
Information Gathering • Pre-training site visit • Self assessment • Site assessment by PDA staff • Staff action plan • Post-training site visit • Site assessment by PDA staff • Revise action plan
Presenting Issues • Significant increase in the number of children under 3 on the autistic spectrum • Strategies they were currently using didn’t seem effective • Parent request for more hours of service • Challenging behavior during therapy session
Target Training Outcomes of Short-term Internship • Effective instructional strategies • Identify critical skill or behaviors to teach • Increase opportunities for learning • Coordination of adults involved in child’s program
Outcomes of PDA Training • Dramatic increase in child progress • Quote: “Before I just spent my whole session chasing B around the room. I couldn’t even get started.” • Decrease in challenging behaviors • Quote: “The picture schedule really decreased the screaming he was doing.” • Higher degree of consistency across professionals • Quote: “ The program notebook and lesson plans really made it possible for all of us to know what to do with M. We all used the same programs at first.” • More opportunities for social interaction • Children were included in play group from the beginning
Occupational Therapist “ Getting to work with someone and an actual kid made it is so much easier to learn what to do.” Speech Therapist “ The training really helped me figure out what to do with kids with autism and it is so much more fun to work with them.” Evaluation of Training
South Dakota and The Little Town That Could University of Colorado at Denver Laurie Sperry, Ph.D.
Demographics • District Type: Rural • Age group: Preschool and Elementary • 6 Participants: • 1 Special Educator • 1 Early Childhood Special Educator • 1 Occupational Therapist • 2 Physical Therapists (1 administrative) • 1 Speech and Language Pathologist
Purpose of Participation • More integrated services • Work more collaboratively with the local school district. • The team desired to: “Support the mission of their hospital by creating a center of excellence in collaboration with the public schools through the provision of exemplary services for children with autism and related disorders and their families.”
Pre Training Services • The school district contracts out to the local hospital for the provision of related services in most cases. • Prior to training, related services (speech, OT, PT) were provided either as a pull-out model or provided at the local hospital. • Special Education services are provided in self contained classroom settings
