The effectiveness of a weighted blanket intervention and structured work boxes for improving engagement for a child with autism during math circle time in a general education kindergarten classroom were evaluated relative to baseline using an alternating treatments design. The structured work boxes resulted in higher levels of engagement, and the…

Early Childhood Special Education teachers select practices to use to promote social communication development for their students with autism spectrum disorder. Understanding what evidence-based practices teachers select and why can inform the development of dissemination and implementation supports at the critical Adoption-Decision stage of…

For preschool children with autism, individual behavioral interventions are among the best-tested treatments. However, they are rarely implemented in special education preschools. We observed one-to-one behavioral interventions formally and informally delivered by staff (N = 51) in 12 classrooms across three preschools for children with autism,…

Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) is a developmental delay that is increasing in prevalence among children in the United States. Those being educated in general education classrooms see benefits in various areas. However, there are a number of barriers to effective education, which may be overcome through teacher education and professional…

Early Childhood Special Education teachers select practices to use to promote social communication development for their students with autism spectrum disorder. Understanding what evidence-based practices teachers select and why can inform the development of dissemination and implementation supports at the critical Adoption-Decision stage of…

We investigated the effect of real-time technology-enhanced performance-based feedback delivered during three different routines on teacher practice and child outcomes. Participants were three early childhood special education teachers and three focus preschool children identified with autism spectrum disorder. We used a multiple-probe single-case…

Although teachers reporting high teaching self-efficacy demonstrate positive teaching behaviors, minimal stress, and superior classroom management techniques, surprisingly few studies have demonstrated a relationship between teacher self-efficacy and student outcomes. This study explored self-efficacy specific to teaching students with autism…

Objectives: Integration of children's individualized behavioral learning objectives into ongoing activities, routines, and transitions of preschool classrooms has been a recommended practice for many years in the field of early childhood special education. This study examined the effectiveness of embedded instruction in teaching three functional…

Project START (Students and Teachers Actively Reading Together) is an adaptive shared reading intervention designed to address the varied learning needs of preschool children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD). This report summarizes procedures and results of the developmental year of the project, which focused primarily on evaluating…

Project START (Students and Teachers Actively Reading Together) is an adaptive shared reading intervention designed to address the varied learning needs of preschool children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD). This report summarizes procedures and results of the developmental year of the project, which focused primarily on evaluating…

The role of early childhood educators (ECE) is changing as a result of increasing numbers of young children with autism participating in natural preschool classrooms. To understand what ECE know about autism and the evidence-based practices (EBP) that support children with autism to make progress in learning and development, 125 preschool teachers…

Children with autism spectrum disorder experience delays in the development of nonverbal social communication gestures to request and to share (joint attention) as well as play skills such that intervention is required. Although such tools exist in research settings, community stakeholders also require access to brief, simple, and reliable tools…

Research demonstrates young children with autism and other developmental disabilities can benefit from participation in play activities with peers. Play provides opportunities to increase social skills across developmental domains in an integrated manner and provides opportunities to develop a sense of belonging and friendship; these goals…

This article provides practitioners with a guide to (1) understand the developmental emergence of play skills in young children to inform developmentally appropriate instructional decisions (e.g., toy choices); (2) set up the play space to support social play; and (3) use key strategies from an evidence-based intervention for young children with…

Teachers' knowledge and perceptions about autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is found to be a critical component for the identification and education of children with ASD. This study examined Turkish general education teachers' knowledge and perceptions about ASD. A total of 478 general education teachers across four school types participated in the…