Interactive computer training to teach discrete-trial instruction to undergraduates and special educators in Brazil: A replication and extension
A short, self-paced computer lesson in Portuguese taught eight adults to run discrete trials with 90 % accuracy and the skills stuck.
01Research in Context
What this study did
Eight people in Brazil learned to run discrete-trial teaching through a computer program. Four were college students and four were special-ed teachers.
The program showed short videos, asked quiz questions, and gave instant feedback. A researcher watched each learner later to score how well they ran real trials with a child.
What they found
Every adult hit 90 % correct or better after the computer lessons. They kept the skills when they taught new programs the computer had not shown.
Three of the four teachers still used the steps correctly one month later.
How this fits with other research
Vladescu et al. (2022) later used the same computer-training style to teach BCBAs firearm-safety lessons. Both studies got high fidelity, so the method works for different skills and people.
O'Grady et al. (2021) compared computer lessons to live lectures for teaching graph reading. Computer and lecture both beat no training, matching Higbee's positive results.
Blair et al. (2020) wrote a how-to guide for building these programs. Their free tools let you copy Higbee's setup without special software.
Why it matters
You can train new staff or parents in under two hours with a laptop and headphones. No need to pull a senior therapist off a case. Try the free tutorial from Blair et al. (2020), swap in your own DTI clips, and let the program score the quizzes. One session gives you accurate, generalized, and lasting teaching skills.
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02At a glance
03Original abstract
Discrete-trial instruction (DTI) is a behavioral method of teaching young children with autism spectrum disorders (ASD) that has received a significant amount of research support. Because of a lack of qualified trainers in many areas of the world, researchers have recently begun to investigate alternative methods of training professionals to implement behavioral teaching procedures. One promising training method is interactive computer training, in which slides with recorded narration, video modeling, and embedded evaluation of content knowledge are used to teach a skill. In the present study, the effectiveness of interactive computer training developed by Pollard, Higbee, Akers, and Brodhead (2014), translated into Brazilian Portuguese, was evaluated with 4 university students (Study 1) and 4 special education teachers (Study 2). We evaluated the effectiveness of training on DTI skills during role-plays with research assistants (Study 1) and during DTI sessions with young children with ASD (Studies 1 and 2) using a multiple baseline design. All participants acquired DTI skills after interactive computer training, although 5 of 8 participants required some form of feedback to reach proficiency. Responding generalized to untaught teaching programs for all participants. We evaluated maintenance with the teachers in Study 2, and DTI skills were maintained with 3 of 4 participants.
Journal of Applied Behavior Analysis, 2016 · doi:10.1002/jaba.329