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| Research on Using Systematic Instruction to Teach Academic Content to Students with Severe Disabilities |
| Saturday, May 24, 2008 |
| 2:30 PM–3:50 PM |
| Stevens 2 |
| Area: DDA/AUT; Domain: Applied Research |
| Chair: Fred Spooner (University of North Carolina, Charlotte) |
| Discussant: Diane Browder (University of North Carolina, Charlotte) |
| Abstract: Across the course of the last 30 years, systematic instruction has been used to teach functional and academic skills to persons with severe developmental disabilities (e.g., domestic and community skills, sight words, safety). Since the passage of NCLB (2002), the emphasis has shifted to an academic focus for all students (reading, math, and science), and the application of evidence-based practices. These new skills sets, reading, math, and science can be taught via systematic instruction. The purpose of this symposium is to demonstrate these applications. The first study, presented by Pam Mims, examined the effects of an individualized task analysis for students with profound cognitive disabilities on the number of independent responses during a story-based lesson via a multiple probe across participants design. The second investigation, presented by Vicki Knight, assessed the effects of a peer delivered constant time delay procedure on the acquisition and comprehension of grade level science terms by students with significant cognitive disabilities and autism via a multiple probe across word lists design. The third presentation (a meta-analysis) examined the application of time delay as an evidence-based practice to teach word and picture recognition to students with severe developmental disabilities for articles published between 1975 and 2007. |
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| Identifying Evidence-Based Practice for Students with Severe Developmental Disabilities in Teaching Picture and Word Recognition Using Time Delay Procedures. |
| FRED SPOONER (University of North Carolina, Charlotte), Diane Browder (University of North Carolina, Charlotte), Lynn Ahlgrim Delzell (University of North Carolina, Charlotte), Pamela Mims (University of North Carolina, Charlotte), Joshua Baker (University of North Carolina, Charlotte) |
| Abstract: A comprehensive literature review was conducted on the application of time delay as an instructional procedure to teach word and picture recognition to students with severe developmental disabilities in an effort to evaluate evidence-based practices for articles published between 1975 and 2007. For the 32 years covered by the span of the review, a total of 29 articles were found yielding 30 experiments, as one article had a double experiment. The 30 experiments were analyzed using quality indicators for single-subject design research, indicators for fidelity of the procedure, effect size determined by meta-analytic procedures, and educational and social validity of the procedure. In general, we found that time delay, for our specific application, was an evidence-based practice for teaching pictures and sight words supported by both effect sizes and the educational validity of the words taught. We also found that some of the descriptions in the literature did not fit the definition of time delay, but were called time delay. We discuss lessons learned in summarizing a body of literature to define an evidence-based practice and suggestions for better defining the practice. |
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| Increasing Participation of Elementary Students with Profound Disabilities during Shared Stories. |
| PAMELA MIMS (University of North Carolina, Charlotte), Diane Browder (University of North Carolina, Charlotte), Fred Spooner (University of North Carolina, Charlotte), Lynn Ahlgrim Delzell (University of North Carolina, Charlotte), Angel H. Lee (Life Span, Inc.) |
| Abstract: The purpose of this study was to examine the effects of an individualized task analysis created through team planning for students with profound cognitive disabilities on the number of independent responses during a story-based lesson. A multiple probe across participants design was used and included three students that were at or below the presymbolic level of communication. The dependent variable was the number of steps initiated on the individualized task analysis during a story-based lesson. The independent variable was individualizing a task analysis created through team planning. Individualization included using the components of UDL on each step of the task analysis to identify possible changes in assistive technology, prompting procedures, or presentation of the story-based lesson. Results indicated a functional relationship between the independent and dependent variable. For example, during baseline, Student 1 completed a mean of 7.3 steps of the task analysis independently, out of 16. After intervention, responses increased to a mean of 13, with a range of 12 to 15. Similar results were found for Students 2 and 3. Results of this study add to the lack of data-based studies on increasing communication and participation of students with the most significant disabilities during a literacy activity. |
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| Teaching Science Vocabulary to Students with Significant Cognitive Disabilities using Peer Supports and Constant Time Delay. |
| VICKI KNIGHT (University of North Carolina, Charlotte), Fred Spooner (University of North Carolina, Charlotte), Diane Browder (University of North Carolina, Charlotte) |
| Abstract: The purpose of this study was to determine the effects of a peer delivered constant time delay procedure on the acquisition and comprehension of grade level science terms by students with significant cognitive disabilities and autism. Using a multiple probe across word lists design, researchers selected two high school students with autism and significant cognitive disabilities and four typical peers to participate in the study (i.e., a ratio of 2:1). Peers followed the steps in the constant time delay procedure to teach vocabulary and comprehension to their partners, as determined through procedural reliability calculated at 97%. A functional relationship exists between the peer use of the constant time-delay procedure intervention and the increase in science vocabulary terms and comprehension. For example, one student with significant cognitive disabilities and autism increased his science vocabulary and comprehension from a baseline of 2 words to 14 words after intervention. Another student increased his science terms and comprehension from 2 words to 8 words post intervention. Finally, the peers, teachers, and students with significant cognitive disabilities socially validated the relevance of the intervention by responding that they would participate in it again and learned from the intervention. |
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