Answer the following question:
1. How will you evaluate the effectiveness of strategies for students with ASD? Provide specific examples of evaluative criteria.
Respond to students:
(NM) Each person with ASD is unique, and intervention plans must be individualized based on the needs of the individual and family. The call for the use of interventions that have proven their effectiveness is particularly important for the ASD community, which has long been plagued by the use of unsupported and often controversial interventions. There is no single universally effective intervention for all children with ASD. The best programs often incorporate several research-based interventions and attend to the individual needs of children with ASD and their families. To evaluate the effectiveness of strategies will require me to write quality IEPs with measurable goals and objectives. I will need to assess the strategies used with each individual seperately, because we know what might work for one student may not work for another, and then progress monitor each goal to know if the strategy that is currently in place is actually effective or needs to be changed. Progress monitoring will also inform me to know if the current goal has been reached and needs to be updated or changed to address the students current needs. The startegies I will used will only be evidence-based interventions, which is an intervention and instructional practice or program having scientific evidence that shows that they are effective. The laws requiring evidence-based practice to be used by all educators.
(ML) When using effective strategies with individuals with ASD it is important to first use strategies that are evidence based. The website below lists the evidence based strategies that I use in my classroom everyday. In order to determine if a strategy is effective you must obtain data to determine the child’s skill level before the intervention and after the intervention has been used. I have a student who is having a difficult time transitioning from my classroom to specials each day. We took data on his successful transitions and then implemented a “first, then” visual in order to provide him with knowledge of what is to come next. We are now taking data on his successful transitions with the “first, then” visual in place. If the student’s ability to transition successful increases then this strategy has been successful. It is possible the student needs other interventions in place, but we are trying this first.
(HA) To begin evaluating the effectiveness of strategies, one should collect baseline data. This is the data collected prior to the intervention being implemented and shows where the student is currently performing. When implementing an intervention, you want to ensure that you have assessed the student appropriately. This will help determine the most efficient evidence-based practice. In addition, the team should meet to discuss all the data collected. When the practice is implemented, the team should progress monitor to determine the effectiveness of the intervention. The team should also meet regularly to discuss the data. If there is no data, there is nor proof that the practice is benefitting the student. With data, the team can show parents that the practices are having positive outcomes and should be continued until the student has achieved the goal.
One example, would be as simple as working on the student’s IEP goals. With each IEP goal, there has been a determined evidence-based practice to help support this goal. When working on these goals the team collects data in a variety of environments to help prove generalization of the skill. Data is reported to the parents quarterly, from all team members.
