Adaptation of COMPASS for use in Autism-Specific Schools in Australia: A Cluster Randomized Trial
COMPASS teacher coaching helps autistic students in autism schools hit their personal learning goals better than usual teaching alone.
01Research in Context
What this study did
Love et al. (2024) tested COMPASS teacher coaching in Australian autism-only schools. They randomly assigned whole schools to get COMPASS or keep doing their usual teaching.
Teachers in the COMPASS group got training and weekly coaching. They set personal learning goals with each autistic student and tracked progress every week.
What they found
Students whose teachers used COMPASS moved further on their own goals than students in the usual-service group. Teachers liked the program and followed it closely.
The study shows COMPASS works outside the United States and inside autism-specialized schools.
How this fits with other research
Burrows et al. (2018) ran the first big COMPASS trial in U.S. high schools. They saw very large gains in transition goals. Love et al. (2024) now shows the same model helps younger students in Australia, so the idea travels well.
Tamm et al. (2024) also worked in Australian schools but used small-group executive-function training. Both studies found positive academic results, yet COMPASS is one-to-one coaching while AIMS is group-based skill drills. You can pick either tool to match your class structure.
Spaniol et al. (2021) boosted math and reading with short computer attention games. COMPASS gives broader, teacher-driven goal support. The two approaches do not clash; you could layer brief attention warm-ups onto a COMPASS goal cycle.
Why it matters
If you teach in an autism classroom, COMPASS offers a ready-made coaching package that improved individual goal progress with high fidelity. Ask your team to set clear weekly targets, meet for quick coaching check-ins, and track each learner’s graph. The study says you do not need extra funds or gear—just structured planning and brief regular support.
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02At a glance
03Original abstract
Autistic students are educated in Australia across a variety of contexts and almost all educators use individualized goal-setting as a way of ensuring appropriate accommodations and curriculum modifications. Educators experience similar challenges when developing individualized goals for students, including lack of a standardized process for goal setting, inconsistent support networks, and challenges with data-driven goal-setting. The purpose of our research was to adapt and trial the Collaborative Model for Competence and Success (COMPASS), a research-based intervention aimed at improving the individualized goal-setting process for autistic students. Our primary hypothesis was that autistic students who participate in COMPASS would demonstrate more growth on their individualized outcomes relative to autistic students who receive services as usual (SAU). To answer our primary research question, we applied a single-blind cluster randomized trial. Participants were randomized into one of two groups: (a) a COMPASS intervention group and (b) a SAU group. Results indicate that students whose teachers received the intervention made more progress on their final individualized goals than those who received SAU, replicating previous findings regarding COMPASS in the US. Also, the adaptation of COMPASS for an Australian context showed high rates of satisfaction and fidelity. The success of this intervention in improving the progress that students make on their individualized goals demonstrates the benefits of a standardized intervention that supports teachers and families in this critical practice.
Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders, 2024 · doi:10.1007/s10803-024-06345-y