Improving Autism Program Quality in Special Education Units: The Use of an APERS-based Model to Support Student Learning and Participation
试验速览
- 阶段
- 不适用
- 状态
- 尚未招募
- 发起方
- 入组人数
- 200
- 试验地点
- 1
- 主要终点
- Change from baseline in autism program quality as assessed with the Swedish Autism Program Environment Rating Scale - Primary school (APERS-Primary-SE)
研究概览
简要总结
This study assesses the effect of using the Autism Program Environment Rating Scale (APERS) as a tool for providing feedback, in-service training, and coaching to school staff in order to improve program quality in special education units (SEUs) for children with autism or related sociocommunicative challenges (SCCs). APERS is used in its culturally validated Swedish version (APERS-Primary-SE). Using a quasi-randomized parallel-group design, SEUs will be allocated to either an experimental (APERS+) or control (TAU) condition. In the APERS+ condition, school staff receive continuous and systematic feedback provided by trained coaches based on the initial APERS assessment. In the TAU condition, schools will also receive feedback based on the initial APERS assessment, but no continuous coaching.
It is hypothesized that the APERS based intervention will improve overall program quality for children with autism or related SCCs as compared to TAU. Additionally, we also expect the intervention to improve student functioning, students' individual goal attainment, students' perception of their schools, and teacher self-efficacy as compared to TAU.
研究设计
- 研究类型
- Interventional
- 分配方式
- Non Randomized
- 干预模型
- Parallel
- 主要目的
- Other
- 盲法
- None
入排标准
- 年龄范围
- 5 Years 至 13 Years（Child）
- 性别
- All
- 接受健康志愿者
- 是
入选标准
- •for schools:
- •Located within the Stockholm Region
- •To have one or more SEUs for preschool class, primary school, or middle school students
- •Inclusion Criteria for students:
- •To be enrolled in a SEU in preschool class, primary school, or middle school
- •To have a documented formal community diagnosis of autism according to ICD-10, DSM-IV or DSM-5 or having related challenges with social communication and interaction as assessed by school staff and guardians.
排除标准
- •- No exclusion criteria not already mentioned.
研究组 & 干预措施
Experimental group
In the experimental group, labeled APERS+, APERS assessments will be carried out to rate the overall program quality for students with autism/SCCs within the SEUs. These ratings will be made by researchers (PI and doctoral candidate) and a team of specially trained coaches consisting of 5-6 special educators working for the educational administration unit (Utbildningsförvaltningen) of Stockholm Municipality. The SEUs will be provided written and oral feedback based on the ratings
In the APERS+ contingency, the coaches then develop an action plan in order to improve program quality of the SEUs. Staff in the participating SEUs will also participate in a half-day of lectures and workshops about autism and other SCCs. Coaches will lastly provide weekly or bi-weekly coaching sessions in the SEUs based on the action plan to promote program quality and implement evidence-based practices. The intervention for each SEU will last for approximately 7-8 months.
干预措施: APERS+ (Behavioral)
Control group
In the control group, APERS assessments will also be carried out by researchers and/or coaches. Written and oral feedback will be provided, but no further coaching will be given and no action plan will be created.
结局指标
主要结局
Change from baseline in autism program quality as assessed with the Swedish Autism Program Environment Rating Scale - Primary school (APERS-Primary-SE)
时间窗: Baseline and about 8 months from baseline
The APERS-Primary-SE is a rating scale designed to examine primary school program quality for students with autism or related sociocommunicative challenges in Sweden. It contains 10 domains including areas such as students' personal independence and competence, and challenging behaviors. The scale consists of 58 items rated on a five-point Likert scale (1= low quality, 5 = high quality) resulting in individual item scores, subdomain scores, domain scores, and a total score.
次要结局
- Change from baseline in how students feel about their school as assessed with How I Feel About My School (HIFAMS)(Baseline and about 8 months from baseline)
- Change from baseline in parent ratings on their child's bodily functions, activities, and participation and contextual factors as assessed with the International Classification of Functioning, Disability and Health (ICF) Core Sets for Autism(At baseline and 8 months follow-up.)
- Change in teachers' perceived self-efficacy in supporting students with autism using the Autism Self-Efficacy Scale for Teachers (ASSET)(At baseline and 8 months follow-up.)
- Individual goal attainment as assessed with a Goal Attainment Scale (GAS)(At baseline and 8 months follow-up)
研究者
Hampus Bejno
Associate professor
Stockholm University