Category: Work in Progress

Tracy Jane Raulston – Play Date

Posted on by kascetta@uoregon.edu

Tracy_Raulston1. Researchers’ names: Doctoral Students Tracy Raulston, PI (tracyr@uoregon.edu), Sarah Hansen & Angus Kittleman; Faculty Advisor Wendy Machalicek (wmachali@uoregon.edu)

2. Study Title: Effects of Simulated Play Date on Parent Use of Strategies to Promote Social Skills in Children with Autism

3. Phase of study: Recruitment, follow-up, and data analysis as of Fall 2015.

4. Population or age group:Triads including children ages 3-7 with autism spectrum disorder (ASD), their parent, and a typically-developing peer.

5. Summary:This study employs a non-concurrent multiple baseline single case design to train parents of children with autism to uses strategies to promote social skills during a simulated play date. The intervention package consists of strategies to prevent challenging behavior (e.g., social story, visual supports), specific techniques (environmental arrangement and prompting) to increase turn taking and language during game play with a peer, and strategies to reinforce appropriate social skills. Generalization to the home setting is assessed to evaluate the efficacy of this clinic-based, simulated approach

6. Opportunity for Participation: Actively recruiting participants through the Pearl Duck Autism Center (PDAC). Email Tracy Raulston at tracyr@uoregon.edu for more information.

Ronda Fritz – Increasing Observation Efficiency to Improve Instructional Quality in Small Group Intervention Settings

Posted on by kascetta@uoregon.edu

Rhonda_Fritz1. Researcher name: Ronda Fritz, PI (rfritz@uoregon.edu); Faculty Advisor, Beth Harn (bharn@uoregon.edu)

2. Study Title: Increasing Observation Efficiency to Improve Instructional Quality in Small Group Intervention Settings

3. Phase of study: IRB submitted

4. Population or age group: Kindergarten students at-risk for reading difficulties

5. Summary: Using an observational tool (Quality of Intervention Delivery and Receipt: QIDR) designed at the University of Oregon for measuring instructional quality in small group intervention settings, this study will examine the extent to which the QIDR can be used to observe very short observation periods (i.e., six minutes) and still obtain a reliable and valid measure of instructional quality that is predictive of student outcomes. Given the nature of intensive interventions and the specificity of the observation tool, it is predicted that the QIDR can be used to effectively measure instructional quality to provide more frequent feedback to interventionists for the purpose of improving instructional quality and subsequent student outcomes.

6. Opportunity for Participation: Observers are still needed to code existing videos. Time requirements include CITI training, QIDR training (approximately 4-6 hours), and 2-3 hours of video observation and coding. Please contact Ronda (rfritz@uoregon.edu) if you are interested in participating. Training and coding should commence during Fall 2015.