The Effects of a Teacher-Implemented Video-Enhanced Activity Schedule Intervention on the Mathematical Skills and Collateral Behaviors of Students with Autism.
Teacher-run video activity schedules during math centers boost accuracy and cut stereotypy for elementary students with autism.
01Research in Context
What this study did
Five elementary students with autism learned math through short videos on an iPad. Their teacher ran the sessions during regular math centers.
Each video showed the exact steps to solve a problem. Kids watched, then copied the steps. The study tracked math scores and any flapping or rocking.
What they found
Every child’s math scores rose. Stereotypy and problem behavior dropped at the same time.
The gains stuck when kids faced brand-new problems and worked in small groups without videos.
How this fits with other research
Torres et al. (2018) first used video schedules for exercise with teens. Ledbetter-Cho et al. (2023) moved the same tool into younger kids’ math time.
Yakubova et al. (2020) also used video modeling for fractions in middle school. Both studies show the trick works across ages and math topics.
Dong et al. (2025) pushed the idea further, teaching grocery self-checkout with a phone-based picture schedule. The schedule keeps working even outside the classroom.
Why it matters
You don’t need extra staff or fancy gear. Hand the classroom iPad to the teacher, load five-minute clips, and run sessions during centers. Math scores go up while stereotypy drops. Try it for one student next week and track correct answers per minute.
Want CEUs on This Topic?
The ABA Clubhouse has 60+ free CEUs — live every Wednesday. Ethics, supervision & clinical topics.
Join Free →Film yourself solving three today’s math problems, load clips onto the class iPad, and let one student follow along for five minutes.
02At a glance
03Original abstract
This study used a multiple probe design to evaluate the effects of a teacher-implemented video-schedule intervention on the mathematical skills and untargeted challenging behaviors of five elementary-school students with autism. Results indicated that the intervention was effective in improving participants' academic performance, and a decrease in the level of challenging behaviors and stereotypy was observed for participants following the introduction of intervention. Additionally, academic gains generalized across academic problems and to a small group setting, suggesting that this technology-based intervention is an efficient use of instructional time. Future research targeting a variety of academic skills and examining intervention implementation by additional practitioners (e.g., teaching assistants) is warranted.
Journal of autism and developmental disorders, 2023 · doi:10.1007/s10882-015-9458-9