Extending the Reach of Early Intervention Training for Practitioners: A Preliminary Investigation of an Online Curriculum for Teaching Behavioral Intervention Knowledge in Autism to Families and Service Providers

Abstract

Early behavioral intervention, based on the methods of applied behavior analysis, has the strongest and most consistent scientific support as a means of teaching skills to young children with Autism Spectrum Disorder and reducing their restricted and maladaptive behavior. Though individual ABA-based treatment plans are usually developed, designed and supervised by a senior-level clinician, they are most often implemented by a practitioner, such as a parent, direct service provider, aide, or an early childhood professional from a related discipline. Unfortunately, few practitioner-orientated training programs are available to geographically disparate persons. Online distance-learning education offers a potential solution to this problem. Fifty-one individuals participated in an initial study of a short, three-module online course. The results showed a highly statistically significant difference between the mean pre-test and post-test score. The outcomes suggest the feasibility and user satisfaction of teaching BI knowledge acquisition online, and thus bolster confidence that future, larger-scale curricula aimed at teaching BI in a distance-learning format is warranted.

Keywords: Autism; Behavior Modification; Child; Children; Developmental Disabilities; Developmental Disorders; Disabled; Early Intervention (Education); Health Education; Intellectual Disability.

Figures

Figure 1

Screenshot of BIA-Practitioner Skills opening webpage.

Figure 2

Comparison of pre- and post-test knowledge acquisition by role: Professionals.

Figure 3

Comparison of pre- and post-test knowledge acquisition by role: Parents and family members.

Figure 4

Comparison of pre- and post-test knowledge acquisition by role: Paraprofessionals.