Field testing an Australian model of practice for teaching young school-age students on the autism spectrum.

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.

Teacher responses to anxiety-related behaviours in students on the autism spectrum.

BACKGROUND: At least 50% of students on the autism spectrum experience clinical or subclinical levels of anxiety but there is scant research on how teachers respond to anxiety in children on the spectrum. AIMS: To compare teacher responses to anxiety-related behaviour in students who do and do not have a diagnosis on the spectrum using the Teacher Responses to Anxiety in Children (TRAC). METHODS AND PROCEDURES: Teachers (N = 64), predominantly from mainstream primary schools, completed an online survey comprised of a demographic questionnaire and two versions of the TRAC, one for students without autism and one for students with autism. OUTCOMES AND RESULTS: Teachers report differences in the way they would likely respond to anxiety-related behaviours observed in students with and without autism. Teachers reported being more likely to use anxiety-promoting responses for students with autism who are showing behaviours indicative of general and separation anxiety, but not when they are showing behaviours indicative of social anxiety. Whilst there was no significant difference in the overall likelihood of use of autonomy-promoting responses between groups, there were differences in the likelihood of using specific autonomy-promoting responses dependent upon diagnosis and type of anxiety. CONCLUSIONS AND IMPLICATIONS: Teachers report they are likely to respond differently to anxiety-related behaviours of students on the autism spectrum but the impact of this on the behaviour of these students is yet to be determined. Professional development is a priority to increase teacher knowledge about anxiety-related behaviours in students with autism and the ways in which teachers' responses may promote or reduce anxiety and autonomy.