Instructional Use of Research-based Interventions For: Students with Autism Spectrum Disorders

Parents and educators have limited resources to devote to the education and training of students with autism spectrum disorder (ASD). Research has identified numerous scientifically-based practices and promising practices teachers can use when working with students with ASD, while other types of practices that teachers are using have been identified as having limited support or are not recommended practices for educating children with ASD (Simpson, 2005). The purpose of this quantitative, non-experimental and exploratory (correlational) study using a predictive research design is to determine if the types of training teachers have, years of teacher experience educating students with ASD, student age, and school type where they work has an influence on the types of practices teachers use with students with ASD. The Autism Treatment Survey was adapted and utilized by 62 participants as an online survey. The participants were special education teachers from a Southeast Florida School District who attended the 2009 CARD (Center for Autism and Related Disabilities) conference in West Palm Beach Florida.