Using Videos to Teach Students with Autism Spectrum Disorder Andrea Hammerbacher Stephanie VanHooijdonk Chrissy McHugh Towson University ISTC685 May 2012

 Completing tasks with many steps can be a very challenging undertaking for students with Autism.  Unpacking a backpack is a skill learned in kindergarten which must be mastered early in the school year.  Daily unpacking requires such strategies as organization, advanced planning, and knowledge of classroom procedures, all of which are skills that many students with Autism lack. Problem

 The purpose of this study is to compare the use of teacher-created videos with the effect of using Boardmaker and Pix Writer on teaching students with Autism how to complete functional tasks of unpacking their backpack at school.  We will begin with the functional task of unpacking a backpack as our first study. Classroom teachers and researchers will then determine two other tasks which to study in order to gain more information on the research question. Purpose

Boardmaker

 Students will be selected due to their placement on the autism spectrum.  All students involved will be in Kindergarten.  We will be selecting two different schools in which to assess participants. All participants will be students in the Harford County Public School system.  Students in specific classrooms will be selected due to their teacher’s willingness to participate in our study.  Parents of students will need to give consent for their children to participate in this study. Participants

* This study will attempt to answer the following question:  Does the use of teacher-created videos in the classroom contribute to the development of the ability of students on the Autism spectrum to perform functional tasks and, if so, how? Research Question

 Based on the findings of the examined educational video research, we hypothesize that using teacher- created videos has a potential to contribute to the development of completing multitasking skills in children with Autism. The past studies have shown that using programs such as Boardmaker or Pix Writer have poor or questionable findings, whereas studies using teacher-created videos have shown greater results. Research Assumptions

We found research concerning…  Ineffective social stories can be very limiting  Personal connections are made with teacher created videos  Students with Autism have a relative strength in visual processing skills  Social stories are more effective when addressing inappropriate behaviors than when teaching functional skills Literature Review

 To complete this study, we will have two groups of children on which the data will be collected.  The participants in one school will act as the control group while the participants at the other school will be the experimental group.  The control group will be using social stories constructed with the use of Boardmaker and Pix Writer in order to learn the process of unpacking their backpack. Method

 The experimental group will be using a teacher- created video which has been created especially for that classroom.  The video will be created with the program Movie Maker.  It will include many photographs and video snippets of the classroom, student, and materials that will be used in order to teach the multitasking skill of unpacking a backpack. Method

 Checklist, Observations, and Interviews.  Both groups will be observed prior to the implementation of the intervention. No visual aids are provided. Researcher will take observation notes using a checklist to document whether the students are able to independently unpack and put away materials in the proper place in a timely manner.  The participants will also be observed after implementation of the intervention, in the same manner, however children will be able to use the assigned visual aid. Types of Data

A checklist will be used by the observer with the following categories:  unzip backpack  take out folder  put away folder  take out lunchbox  put away lunchbox  take off coat  put coat in backpack  zip backpack closed  hang up backpack Along with these categories, the observer will note any deviations in such behavior such as, frustrations, questions by the children, and time spent on each step. Instruments for Data Collection

 This research design is comprised of the quantitative and qualitative approaches.  The observers will make direct observations (quantitative) on the student’s ability and inability to complete each step.  Those results will then be scored to determine the successful completion of each step and then will be compared to the pre- test and the control group to determine the level of overall success. Research Design

A survey will be asked by the researchers to each participant after the implementation of the intervention (qualitative).  How did you learn how to unpack your backpack?  What do you remember about how to unpack your belongings?  What helped you remember how to unpack your backpack?  What steps did you follow to unpack your backpack?  Did you enjoy working with _______________ (name of researcher)? Research Design

* This study will take place over the course of one school year. The first study involving unpacking a backpack will be given early in the school year. One day will be given for the preliminary observation as mentioned in the data section. The next 2 weeks will be spent practicing unpacking using the given type of visual aid (video or social story). The last day will be used to give the observation after the instructional intervention. One month later, the researcher will return to the classrooms and give a follow-up observation to determine the long term success rates. Timeline

 Later in the school year, the researcher will create two additional studies based on student needs as determined by the teachers. The control and experimental groups will remain the same as well as the interventions used. Possible examples of future studies could include: going through the lunch line and signing up for centers. Timeline

 Movie Maker, Boardmaker, and Pix Writer are needed in order to create the different interventions used in this study. These programs will need to be purchased if they are not available in the school.  A video camera will also need to be available in order for the teacher to create the videos.  Since the researcher will be creating all of the interventions, there will not need to be any funding for teacher stipends since they will only be responsible for implementing the interventions. Approximate cost for this study will be $2,000 to purchase the necessary materials.  In order to pay for the necessary materials for this study, we will apply for a grant from IDEA Formula Grants. The “Individual with Disability Education Act” (IDEA) provides grants to help children with special needs get the most appropriate education in the least restrictive environment. Funding Intent

* Bromley, B.E. (2008). Broadcasting disability: an exploration of the educational potential of a video sharing web site. Journal of Special Education in Technology, 23(4), Retrieved from on April 21,  Kagohara, D. M. (2010). Is video-based instruction effective in the rehabilitation of children with autism spectrum disorders? Developmental Neurorehabilitation, 13(2), doi: / Retrieved February 5,  Kokina, A. & Kern, L. (2010). Social Story™ interventions for students with autism spectrum disorders: a meta-analysis. Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders, (40) 7, DOI: /s Retrieved on April 21,  Mechling, L. (2005). The effect of instructor-created video programs to teach students with disabilities: A literature review. Journal of Special Education Technology, 20(2), Retreived on February 5,  Rayner, C. (2010). Video-modeling to improve task completion in a child with autism. Developmental Neurorehabilitation, 13(3), doi: / Retrieved February 5,  Sansosti, F. J., & Powell-Smith, K. A. (2006). Using Social Stories to Improve the Social Behavior of Children with Asperger Syndrome. Journal of Positive Behavior Interventions, 8(1), Retrieved on April 21, References