EVIDENCE BASED INSTRUCTIONAL STRATEGIES FOR STUDENTS WITH ASD 1

Evidence Based Instructional Strategies for Students

with Autism Spectrum Disorder

Belma Storbeck

EDUU 677

Dr. Suruchi Singh

7 June, 2020
EVIDENCE BASED INSTRUCTIONAL STRATEGIES FOR STUDENTS WITH ASD 2

Evidence Based Instructional Strategies for Students with Autism Spectrum Disorder

Children with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) may have challenges in learning due to

common characteristics of ASD. Some characteristics that can contribute to learning difficulties

include language development issues, a narrow focus in details and interests, attention

difficulties, and poor non-verbal skills (“5 Ways autism,” n.d.). Because of this, it is imperative

that educators and service providers intervene in order to ensure their student’s academic

development. Teams can intervene by implementing evidence-based practices (EBPs) that have

been proven effective for educating individuals with ASD. Some of these EBPs, in particular,

can help students develop their academic abilities (Odom et al., 2010).

One evidence-based practice that has proven effective for instruction is visual support.

Visual supports are visual cues that give the student information about an activity, expectation,

or skill and can increase their independent skill use. These are concrete representations that can

include words, pictures, maps, photographs, and graphic organizers among other things.​ ​It has

proven effective for use in supporting children with ASD, ages 0-14, in the area of academic

development (Wong et al., 2015). Students with ASD are often visual learners and are able to

pick up concepts more easily if presented in a visual format. These students also often struggle

with auditory processing and can encounter difficulties if instruction is only presented orally.

Therefore, educators would benefit from combining their oral instruction with visual cues in

order to support their students with ASD (Rao & Gagie, 2006).

Another evidence-based practice that can assist in instructing individuals with ASD is the

use of technology-aided instruction and intervention (TAII)​. ​TAII are interventions that revolve

around technology and support the student in reaching his or her goals. It can include any
EVIDENCE BASED INSTRUCTIONAL STRATEGIES FOR STUDENTS WITH ASD 3

electronic item, application, or equipment which improves a student's work. It has proven

effective for academic development of students with ASD ages 3-22 years (Wong et al., 2015).

Technology has shown to increase student independence by increasing student engagement,

allowing students to work at their own pace and level of understanding, repeating lessons until

the student has mastered the concept, and minimizing the social demands placed on a student

(AFIRM, n.d.).

Additionally, prompting is an evidence-based practice that can support instruction.

Prompting can include any help that is given to the student which assists them in using a specific

skill. This can include the use of verbal or physical prompts and gestures. It is often used in

conjunction to other evidence-based practices and is effective for use with students with ASD

ages 0-22. It can be used to address, not only academics, but vocational skills, joint attention,

play skills, communication and behavior (Wong et al., 2015). Prompting can be effective in

supporting children in increasing their learning success. It works well within naturalistic settings

which is optimal for increasing the student’s academic, language, and communication skills

(Hayes, 2013).

Implementing Instructional Strategies with Fidelity

In order to ensure positive results from an intervention, it is important that team members

use the intervention with fidelity as it was intended to be implemented. In my field work, I intend

to use visual supports in order to support my student in mathematics. Individuals with ASD are

often expected to master curriculum standards. However, math is often a challenge for students

with ASD and instructional interventions have been found to be limited. One study examined the

use of visual supports in the area of mathematics and reported an increase in the student’s
EVIDENCE BASED INSTRUCTIONAL STRATEGIES FOR STUDENTS WITH ASD 4

competence in solving algebraic equations (Barnett & Cleary, 2019). I can ensure to support my

student while using visual supports with fidelity by using the Implementation Checklist for

Visual Supports provided by the National Professional Development Center on Autism Spectrum

Disorders. As a part of this checklist, I will ensure to develop the visual support for my student

by first determining what information should be presented visually for this student. After I have

selected the information to present visually, I will take into account the students comprehension

level in order to determine if he would benefit most from an object, photograph, drawing,

picture, word, phrase or sentence (Hume & Smith, 2009). In the case of my student, I intend on

using pictures based on his comprehension level. Next I would ensure to have all of the visual

support materials ready to implement prior to the activity and then show the student the visual

support. I will then teach him how to use that support (Hume & Smith, 2009). Since I will be

focusing on math, I intend to provide him with a visual of each step required to solve the

problem as well as a place value chart to help him compare numbers. The use of these visuals

will benefit him by providing cues to aid him in performing academic tasks (Barnett & Cleary,

2019).

Technology-Aided Instructions and Interventions are an effective practice that can

support a student's academic development. In order to implement this intervention with fidelity I

will first make sure to discuss the student’s technology preferences with his family members to

ensure that I pick the most suitable technology tool for him. Then I will identify the available

technology resources, train team members and the student on how best to use it, and schedule

times to incorporate those technology interventions. I will also make sure to review the

appropriate use of that technology with the student by providing rules about which websites can
EVIDENCE BASED INSTRUCTIONAL STRATEGIES FOR STUDENTS WITH ASD 5

be accessed and which cannot (AFIRM, n.d.). For the student on my caseload, I will ensure to

discuss the use of YouTube during our technology time and explain that the website should not

be accessed during his intervention time. I will set him up to use a district wide program that is

available to the students called ST Math, in order to support his growth in grade level math

curriculum, which he requires more assistance with.

Prompting can be used as a supplement to the above-mentioned interventions or by itself.

I will use verbal prompting with fidelity by first using a direct verbal prompt and directly telling

the student what to do (“VCU autism center,” n.d.). I will use this simultaneously with the visual

cues provided during math when comparing numbers. We will go through the steps explicitly

together. I will prompt him to follow each step on the checklist for comparing numbers while, at

the same time, prompting him to write those numbers on his place value chart. Then I will fade

away from using the prompt by moving to indirect prompting. Indirect prompting provides hints

about the next step in the process. It can also include me prompting him to remind him to use his

visual cues (“VCU autism center,” n.d.). I will also ensure to have a plan on how to fade this

intervention in order to foster independence and to prevent over-dependence on the prompting

(Hayes, 2013).
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References

AFIRM Module: How can TAII Help Learners. (n.d.). Retrieved 2020, from

https://afirm.fpg.unc.edu/technology-aided-instruction-and-intervention/lesson-1-basics-t

aii/how-can-taii-help-learners

Barnett, J. H., & Cleary, S. (2019). Visual supports to teach algebraic equations to a middle

school student with autism spectrum disorder. ​Preventing School Failure: Alternative

Education for Children and Youth,​ ​63(​ 4), 345-351. doi:10.1080/1045988x.2019.1608897

Hume, K., & Smith, S. (2009). Implementation checklist for visual supports. Chapel Hill, NC:

The National Professional Development Center on Autism Spectrum Disorders, Frank

Porter Graham Child Development Institute, The University of North Carolina.

Hayes, D. (2013). The Use of Prompting as an Evidence-based Strategy to Support Children with

ASD in School Settings in New Zealand. ​Kairaranga,​ ​14​(2).

Odom, S. L., Collet-Klingenberg, L., Rogers, S. J., & Hatton, D. D. (2010). Evidence-based

practices in interventions for children and youth with autism spectrum disorders.

Preventing School Failure: Alternative Education for Children and Youth,​ ​54​(4),

275-282. doi:10.1080/10459881003785506

Rao, S. M., & Gagie, B. (2006). Learning Through Seeing and Doing Visual Supports for

Children With Autism. ​TEACHING Exceptional Children,​ ​38​(6), 26-33.

doi:10.1177/004005990603800604
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VCU autism center for excellence. (n.d.). Retrieved June 08, 2020, from

https://vcuautismcenter.org/te/how_to/simpleVideo.cfm?video=5

Wong, C., Odom, S. L., Hume, K. A., Cox, A. W., Fettig, A., Kucharczyk, S., . . . Schultz, T. R.

(2015). Evidence-based practices for children, youth, and young adults with autism

spectrum disorder: A comprehensive review. Journal of Autism and Developmental

Disorders, 45(7), 1951-1966. doi:10.1007/s10803-014-2351-z