The Autism Society Event and Education Recordings Archive

The identification and implementation of focused, evidence-based intervention practices for children and youth with ASD is a major goal of the National Professional Development Center on ASD, funded by the Office of Special Education Programs. This session will discuss: (a) how NPDC staff identified the 24 focused intervention practices that it currently considers to have sufficient evidence of efficacy for children and youth with ASD; (b) how the Center staff work with technical assistant providers, classroom teachers and practitioners to select and implement with fidelity those practices in the classroom; and (c) the systematic process by which states sustain and expand the work begun during the first two years.

By the end of this session, participants will:

1.    Be able to identify how the 24 focused intervention practices were determined to be evidence-based, and for which age groups and educational domains;

2.    Be able to describe the technical assistance/coaching model adopted by the NPDC to assist teachers and other practitioners to implement practices for specific students with ASD;

3.    Become familiar with the resources that have been developed to help teachers, other practitioners and families to learn and implement these practices and that are available to the public; and

4.    Engage in a discussion on the outcomes associated with this model and implications for how states can sustain the model after the NPDC’s two-year involvement.

The NPDC has identified 24 focused intervention practices that have sufficient evidence of efficacy for teaching skills in specific educational domains and with various age groups. However, matching the specific needs of students with ASD with evidence-based practices and implementing these practices with fidelity within the educational environment can be challenging. The NPDC has addressed these challenges in two ways. 

First, the NPDC has developed resources to assist teachers and other practitioners to learn about (a) autism spectrum disorders, (b) practices for which there is evidence of efficacy, (c) procedures for matching student need with evidence-based practices, (d) procedures for monitoring student progress, and (e) inter-state discussion forums for TA providers, teachers and other staff. The presenters will demonstrate how to access and use these resources during this session.

Second, a technical assistance/coaching model is being refined to support classroom staff as they use the resources to address the needs of students with ASD. The model includes regular (at least monthly) visits to the classroom by a consultant skilled with working with students with ASD and with the evidence-based practices and monthly follow-up with staff at the NPDC. The technical assistance visits focus on training; completion of checklists that measure the fidelity of implementation of the practices; coaching in the use of the practices; and progress monitoring, problem-solving and decision-making strategies. Follow-up contacts with the NPDC staff focus on addressing student updates and progress in achieving specified IEP goals, solving issues related to the TA/coaching process, planning for upcoming training and TA/coaching needs, and improving the overall quality of the educational program. Video examples and activities during the presentation will demonstrate how these various processes can be used to achieve desired staff and student outcomes. The presenters will encourage an open discussion with participants about how the TA/coaching model can be used in other classrooms to benefit children and youth with ASD.