Development and evaluation of the evidence‐based practice classroom observation measure (EBP‐COM)

The authors built a new classroom tool called EBP-COM. It scores how often teachers use evidence-based practices with students with autism.

Trained observers watch a class for 15 minutes. They check off each time the teacher uses an EBP like visual supports or behavior-specific praise.

The tool is reliable. Two observers agreed 90 % of the time. It also caught real change: teacher scores rose after a short training.

EBP-COM gives numbers you can trust, unlike teacher self-ratings that may be too high.

Suhrheinrich et al. (2020) took the opposite path. They shrank a long checklist into a 3-point scale and still hit 99 % agreement. EBP-COM keeps more detail; Suhrheinrich shows speed can stay solid.

Al-Nasser et al. (2019) removed observers entirely. Picture-based self-packets lifted novice fidelity to near-mastery without any coaching. EBP-COM adds the observer back in, giving you an outside score when self-report feels risky.

Sherman et al. (2021) used BST to lift teacher skills, then measured with simple frequency. Pair their brief BST with EBP-COM and you get both the lift and the clean measure in one package.

You now have a free 15-minute window anyone can watch. Use it to set a baseline before training, show growth to admin, or check if a teacher really kept the new skills after you left. No extra surveys, no guesswork.