Field testing an Australian model of practice for teaching young school-age students on the autism spectrum.
A self-paced web course lifted teacher knowledge yet left classroom practice unchanged after eight weeks.
01Research in Context
What this study did
Beamish et al. (2021) gave 29 online teaching practices to 64 Australian teachers. All kids were 5-8 years old with autism. The course lasted eight weeks. Teachers logged in when they wanted and watched short videos, tip sheets, and checklists.
What they found
After eight weeks teachers said they knew more and felt surer. Their test scores rose. But classroom videos showed no change in how they taught. Kids did not gain new skills either.
How this fits with other research
Gerow et al. (2021) also used remote coaching, but with parents. Parents did learn and kids gained daily-living skills. The difference: parents got live Zoom check-ins each week; teachers in Wendi’s study got no live follow-up.
Patton et al. (2020) ran a 20-week language program in schools. Teachers there had weekly small-group lessons scripted for them. Those kids made clear language gains. Again, live practice plus scripts beat a solo web pack.
Popple et al. (2016) emailed tooth-brushing videos to parents. Plaque dropped even with no live coach. Yet the skill was narrow and parents practiced daily. Teaching 29 broad skills without rehearsal may need more support.
Why it matters
Online modules can spark confidence fast, but confidence alone does not change student outcomes. If you roll out a digital package, add brief live check-ins or practice reviews. Ask teachers to film one lesson and review it with you. That small step links the course to real class use and moves the needle for kids.
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02At a glance
03Original abstract
BACKGROUND: Internationally, many mainstream teachers have identified that they lack the specialised knowledge and skills to adequately include and educate the increasing number of students on the autism spectrum in their classrooms. AIMS: We investigated the experiences and perceptions of Australian mainstream teachers who field-tested a validated Model of Practice designed to support their daily work with young school-aged students on the spectrum. This new online resource comprised 29 foundational research-informed practices, each accompanied by a 2-page practice brief. METHODS AND PROCEDURES: A convergent parallel mixed-methods design used semi-structured interviews and surveys to gather data from a sample of teachers (n = 38) prior to and following an 8-week field-testing period. Differentiated levels of professional support to facilitate engagement with the model were provided, with teachers receiving either in-person support, online support, or no additional support. OUTCOMES AND RESULTS: A majority of teachers endorsed the practice model. Those who engaged with the model reported statistically significant increases in knowledge, confidence, and efficacy. Professional support facilitated teacher use of the model. No significant changes in practice use were found. CONCLUSIONS AND IMPLICATIONS: This field-testing provides preliminary evidence of the applicability of the practice model in Australian early years classrooms. These findings have wider implications for the ways in which professional development can be targeted to promote research-informed teaching practice. What this paper adds This novel practice-based resource shows promise for building the capacity of mainstream teachers in educating young school-age students on the autism spectrum in the Australian context. Outcomes from this field testing confirm the usefulness of focusing on foundational teaching practices rather than single, stand-alone interventions. In addition, this research has highlighted the benefit of professional support in bridging the research-to-practice gap in autism education.
Research in developmental disabilities, 2021 · doi:10.1016/j.ridd.2021.103942