U.S. Department of Education Grant Performance Report (ED 524B) Executive Summary

OMB No. 1890 - 0004 Expiration: 6-30-2011 PR/Award #: R324A090091

Peer Networks Project: Improving Social-Communication, Literacy, and

Adaptive Behaviors for Young Children with ASD

The purpose of this IES ASD project Grant is to conduct a GOAL 3 efficacy investigation of the effects of the Peer Networks Intervention on social-communication, literacy, and adaptive behavior for young children with ASD in school settings. Our project is based on the premise that social competence with peers, literacy, and adaptive behavior in group settings are fundamental and pivotal skills that can be taught in school settings. Further, intervention in early grades i.e., Kindergarten and First grade provides the foundation for future school success. Two sites are participating in the investigation: the University of Kansas and the University of Washington-Seattle. Project objectives are outlined. Progress during Year 1 is summarized.

Objective 1 is to conduct a multi-site randomized trial for students with ASD for the Peer Networks Intervention (Social/Literacy) with a high degree of fidelity and measure social-communication, literacy, and adaptive behaviors (n = 60 experimental, 60 comparison)

Objective 2 is to investigate how child characteristics (i.e., learning status, autistic behavior), and fidelity of intervention influence treatment outcomes.

Objective 3 is to measure generalization of communication and social interaction, and decreasing challenging behavior for children in the Peer Network Intervention to non-treatment settings.

Administrative accomplishments:

· Subcontracts for years 1 and 2 have been negotiated with UW and Kansas University.

· Project Coordinators, 3 Research Assistants/GRAs have been hired at each site.

· Research approval was secured for 6 districts across the two sites; principal and initial school meetings were conducted at 17 schools.

Participant recruitment:

Recruitment is very time consuming, especially in KS. Children are scattered across the district schools, so nearly every child requires 2 initial meetings for agreements. The functioning levels of children, and those best served with the intervention is more difficult to determine than originally planned. As a team we determined that a standard score of 50 on the PPVT (with school staff confirming functional language) was appropriate for recruiting participants. Several children meeting the PPVT criteria, are not as responsive to intervention as anticipated. We are going to increase the selection criteria to be > than 60 on the PPVT. In addition, project staff will be informally observing students prior to acceptance into the study. Accomplishments include:

· Wave 1recruitment was planned for 20 experimental and 20 comparison group children (10 each per group per site). We have 30 total enrolled in the study. Nineteen experimental children started the study, 2 moved, and 2 were dropped due to limited school resources. 15 comparison children were enrolled and continue in assessment.

· Parent consent was secured for all participants.

Assessments:

All students received an initial battery of Pretest assessments to measure language, literacy and general adaptive behavior and functions including: the Peabody Picture Vocabulary Test-PPVT (4^th ed.); Clinical Evaluation of Language Fundamentals (4^th ed.); Vineland Adaptive Behavior Scale-VABS; Woodcock Reading Mastery Test, Dynamic Indicators of Basic Early Literacy Skills- DIBELS, Social Responsiveness Scale-SRS (teacher and parent forms), Project Slide Form K teacher rating scale of classroom behaviors, and the Teacher Impression Rating Scale of social-communication behavior in classroom settings (adapted from Odom & McConnell, 1998). Initial characteristics from pretests are:

· CARS: experimental group = 1 fell in the severe range, 5 in the mild-moderate range, and 9 with limited autism characteristics; comp group = 2 severe, 7 mild-moderate, 9 limited

· Social Responsiveness Scale: experimental group = 11 mild-moderate range, 4 normal; comp group = 8 mild-moderate range, 3 normal, 3 severe, and 1 unscored

· PPVT: experimental group mean is 78.5 standard score with a range of 50-105 (5 </=60); comp group mean is 79.5, range 55-105 (2 </=60) (See Table 1, Appendix).

The Observer XT 9.0 NOLDUS Information Technology system is being used for direct observation of social, communication, engagement and in session behaviors of participants. Observational data include: (1) standardized video taped sessions with pre-selected social materials, initial directions to play with activities, and no teaching for 10 minute probes (3 per fall and spring for experimental and comparison students); (2) kindergarten generalization probes during natural social activities in general education settings; and (3) treatment session data for the experimental groups to monitor progress. Four KS staff and 2 WA staff are reliable coders.

Social and Reading Peer Networks:

Social-communication skills are challenging for our participants. The Social Peer Networks are successful but modifications are necessary. Some students are highly dependent on teachers and peers to prompt social behaviors and interactions. The visual text cues are helpful for some of the students but many cannot read the short phrases so much practice is needed. Solutions for this challenge have included (a) increased practice with pivotal behaviors, (b) more structured routines added to the social groups with a plan for fading the structure, and (c) increased reinforcement ratios during sessions (see sample social materials in Appendix).

Reading Mastery requires formal training by Direct Instruction trainers. This has added costs to the budgets, and will be necessary in subsequent years. Both KS and UW sites have found excellent trainers and are contracting for their services for training and twice yearly coaching for school-based staff. Several of the instructional routines are challenging for the participants with less fluent language and no initial phonemic awareness skills. Solutions for this challenge have included (a) consultants provide task analysis of the specific instructional sequences and these are taught to mastery before adding a new “procedure”, (b) teachers are providing extra practice on the routines, and (c) several students are in groups with one peer and receive extra sessions.

· 15 kindergarten children with autism, and 34 peers are enrolled in the Social Networks

· 19 of 21 teachers are reliable implementers (80%+) for the Social Networks

· Initial treatment session data and anecdotal reports show increased use of skills by participants (see Appendix for sample KS data; WA/additional KS videos to be coded)

· 15 kindergarten children with autism, and 20 peers are enrolled in the Reading Networks

· 11 of 12 teachers using Reading Mastery are approaching fidelity and continue to receive coaching from Project staff and hired Direct Instruction trainers

Plans for Year 2:

· Recruit Wave 2 participants (new districts for KS and WA, continue current districts)

· Complete K-1^st grade Peer Networks intervention for Wave 1, complete data analysis

· Complete NOLDUS data analysis for Year 1 taped treatment and video probe sessions