Comparing the effects of videoconference and email feedback on treatment integrity

Zhu et al. (2021) asked teachers to run discrete-trial lessons with kids with autism. The researchers then gave feedback two ways: live over Zoom or by email with a marked-up photo.

Each teacher got both kinds of feedback in a fast-turn pattern. The team tracked how well the teachers kept the steps correct and how long it took them to hit mastery.

Teachers reached mastery faster after the live Zoom call. When feedback stopped, they kept the steps correct longer than after email feedback.

Still, most teachers said email was quicker for their schedule.

Schaaf et al. (2015) saw the same video-win: a two-minute screen-cam beat a text sheet when staff learned to graph in Excel. Both studies say moving pictures plus voice beat paper or email.

Carlin et al. (2012) adds why: audio-visual input helps people with ID remember better than visual-only. Live Zoom gives that extra audio loop.

Hamama et al. (2021) looks like a clash—autistic adults prefer email over phone. But that paper asked what people like, not what teaches best. Preference and learning power are two different questions.

If you want staff to lock in a new teaching procedure quickly and keep it after you stop watching, hop on a five-minute video call. Show the step, say the fix, and let them ask questions. Save email for the busy-work reminders, not for the first teach.