Teaching social-communication skills to preschoolers with autism: efficacy of video versus in vivo modeling in the classroom.
Test both video and live modeling for each preschooler with autism, then stick with the one that works faster.
01Research in Context
What this study did
Four preschoolers with autism watched short videos of peers using social words.
The same children also watched live peers model the same words.
Teachers ran both lessons in the classroom and switched the order every day.
What they found
Both ways helped, but not the same for every child.
Two kids learned faster with video, two with live peers.
Mixed results mean you have to test each child.
How this fits with other research
Gena et al. (2005) got the same split result at home: video and live worked, but kids differed.
Jones et al. (2014) later showed a quick peer-video viewing can move skills from adults to peers, building on the classroom success.
Ezzeddine et al. (2020) used only video for play comments and saw gains in six children, showing video alone can be enough when the target is narrow.
The pattern across papers: video is at least as good as live, and sometimes better, but individual response still varies.
Why it matters
You no longer have to pick one modeling type for the whole class. Run a brief alternating trial: two days video, two days live, track correct responses, and stay with the winner for each child. It takes one week and saves months of slow progress.
Want CEUs on This Topic?
The ABA Clubhouse has 60+ free CEUs — live every Wednesday. Ethics, supervision & clinical topics.
Join Free →Pick one social phrase, teach it with video on Tuesday and live model on Wednesday, count correct responses, and keep the better method for that child.
02At a glance
03Original abstract
Video modeling is a time- and cost-efficient intervention that has been proven effective for children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD); however, the comparative efficacy of this intervention has not been examined in the classroom setting. The present study examines the relative efficacy of video modeling as compared to the more widely-used strategy of in vivo modeling using an alternating treatments design with baseline and replication across four preschool-aged students with ASD. Results offer insight into the heterogeneous treatment response of students with ASD. Additional data reflecting visual attention and social validity were captured to further describe participants' learning preferences and processes, as well as educators' perceptions of the acceptability of each intervention's procedures in the classroom setting.
Journal of autism and developmental disorders, 2013 · doi:10.1007/s10803-012-1731-5