Association for Behavior Analysis International

The Association for Behavior Analysis International® (ABAI) is a nonprofit membership organization with the mission to contribute to the well-being of society by developing, enhancing, and supporting the growth and vitality of the science of behavior analysis through research, education, and practice.

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34th Annual Convention; Chicago, IL; 2008

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Symposium #56
Factors Contributing to High-Fidelity Implementation of an Instructional Technology Program: A Preliminary Analysis
Saturday, May 24, 2008
2:30 PM–3:50 PM
Waldorf
Area: EDC; Domain: Applied Research
Chair: Marta Leon (Headsprout)
Abstract: Success of any program not only depends on the design of the program itself, but also on how the program is implemented. The fidelity of implementation often determines whether the intended outcomes are realized. Drawing from the basic principles of behavior, the design of a “good” program is often not the issue. Rather, it is the delivery of that program that presents a challenge. Identification of the characteristics that are likely to promote a high-fidelity implementation may assist with the design, modification, and dissemination of effective programs. This symposium presents a preliminary analysis of factors that may contribute to the high-fidelity implementation of an instructional technology program. Data drawn from internet-collected indicators of behavior will be analyzed. Factors such as phase of implementation, system characteristics, and socially-mediated customer relations will be investigated. This preliminary data may suggest areas for further research and development in the areas of education, instructional technology, and organizational systems.
 
Definition and Identification of High-Fidelity Implementations of an Instructional Technology Program.
APRIL HEIMLICH STRETZ (Headsprout), Hirofumi Shimizu (Headsprout), Melinda Sota (Florida State University), Janet S. Twyman (Headsprout), T. V. Joe Layng (Headsprout)
Abstract: Critical to the success of any program is the precision with which that program is implemented. Regardless of the program’s design, the delivery and execution of the program’s requirements can influence a customer’s return on investment. This presentation will define implementations of an instructional technology program that have been executed with fidelity. Measures of fidelity will be drawn from internet-collected indicators of consumer behavior that show adherence to the program’s recommended usage guidelines. The presenter will describe both the statistical analyses conducted in order to identify high-fidelity implementations, and the methods used to identify consumer-related factors that correlate with implementation fidelity. Consumer characteristics, socially-mediated contingencies, and schedule-based characteristics that may or may not affect implementation will be summarized. These will be discussed in the context of Headsprout Early Reading, an internet-based program designed to teach literacy to non-readers or beginning readers. These preliminary analyses may spark further research and development in related areas.
 
Customer/System Characteristics Related to Fidelity of Implementation of an Instructional Technology Program.
JANET A. WEBB (Headsprout), Hirofumi Shimizu (Headsprout), Brian Walton (Headsprout), Melinda Sota (Florida State University), Janet S. Twyman (Headsprout), T. V. Joe Layng (Headsprout)
Abstract: If an instructional technology program is successful, there are several entities that may deserve the credit. These may include the program itself, the technological hardware that delivers it, the recipients of the program, the instructional designers, those who support implementation, and, of course, the lawful nature of behavior that conducts and directs all of the above. This presentation will focus on the specific consumer characteristics that may or may not relate to a high-fidelity instructional technology implementation. Topics may include customer demographics, size, complexity, or topography of the behavioral systems that are responsible for carrying out the program’s guidelines on the consumer’s side of the product. This analysis will include a sample of high-fidelity implementations of Headsprout Early Reading, an internet-based early reading program. The characteristics of the users of the product may ultimately guide decision-making about the criteria for qualification of sales leads, models for technological and instructional support, and revision of the program’s requirements.
 
Socially-Mediated Contingencies Related to Fidelity of Implementation of an Instructional Technology Program.
DEBORAH ANNE HAAS (Headsprout), Jennifer D. Clayton (Headsprout), Hirofumi Shimizu (Headsprout), April Heimlich Stretz (Headsprout), Janet S. Twyman (Headsprout), T. V. Joe Layng (Headsprout), Janet A. Webb (Headsprout)
Abstract: Many consumer-driven services, client-centered programs, and intervention consultants offer a wide variety of support packages designed to increase program outcomes and the implementation fidelity that ultimately result in those outcomes. Beginning with the initial sale, intake interview, or service agreement, a significant amount of company time and money is spent on building and maintaining relationships with the consumer, training them to use the product or service, and checking in to offer implementation support. Each interaction is meant to improve the probability that the recipient of the product or service will encounter a particular set of desired outcomes. This presentation will identify some potential socially-mediated contingencies between consumer and vendor that characterize a high fidelity implementation of Headsprout Early Reading, an instructional program designed to teach reading skills. The presentation will examine variables such as the amount, type, and frequency of contact, and suggest implications for the improvement client-vendor relations.
 
Time- and Phase-Based Considerations Related to Fidelity of Implementation of an Instructional Technology Program.
JENNIFER D. CLAYTON (Headsprout), Hirofumi Shimizu (Headsprout), Melinda Sota (Florida State University), Deborah Anne Haas (Headsprout), T. V. Joe Layng (Headsprout), Janet S. Twyman (Headsprout)
Abstract: Central to the goal of obtaining a high-fidelity implementation with any new program, is the sometimes cooperative, often uncooperative dimension of time. Whereas a single-subject design may show treatment integrity within a matter of hours or weeks, a more complex system-wide program adoption could take years to fully accomplish. As the clock ticks, interdependent contingencies may change to occasion new challenges and successes related to implementation fidelity. This presentation will examine the characteristics of time and phase of implementation that are associated with high-fidelity usage of an instructional technology program. Do high-fidelity implementations appear to occur on any particular timeline? What sorts of natural or vendor-imposed deadlines and limited holds appear to promote goal-directed behavior while disseminating an instructional technology program? Are there critical milestones that may select for adherence to the program’s recommended guidelines? The answers to these questions, along with a comparison with the existing implementation literature, may provide areas for further research and development to aid in the dissemination of similar programs or implementations.
 

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