Teachers' Willingness to Use a Telepresence Robot for Consultation with Students with Autism Spectrum Disorder.

A telepresence robot (TR) is one type of technology used to support teleconsultation in schools and may be preferred over other technologies due to its ability to provide immediate videoconferencing with mobility from a remote location. The aim of the current study was to examine teachers' willingness of using a TR as a training mechanism for working with students with autism spectrum disorder (ASD). Through constant comparative analysis of focus group transcripts, this exploratory qualitative study assessed six teachers' willingness of using TR. In total, 145 text fragments were coded and categorized. This process yielded three macro-categories, six micro-categories, nine primary codes, and 18 secondary codes. Advantages of using TRs, potential barriers, and future research directions are discussed.

The Nature and Extent of Component Analyses for Improving or Mitigating Behavior: A Systematic Review.

A component analysis is an approach where two or more independent variables are evaluated as a package and independently. The approach is used to assess and identify which component of a treatment package is the most effective. The purpose of this review is to document the application of component analyses to improve or mitigate non-academic behaviors with individuals with disabilities. We identified 21 research articles that used a component analysis to evaluate treatment packages with students who were identified as having or at-risk for a disability in classroom and/or alternative settings. Results from reviewing 21 articles (22 cases) indicate that 11 intervention packages had a single component that was critical for successful behavior change. Two articles suggested the entire intervention package was necessary while nine articles did not report a critical component or had variable results pertaining to critical components. The benefits and drawbacks of using component analyses for single case research are discussed. Implications for future research are also presented.

Technology to Facilitate Telehealth in Applied Behavior Analysis.

In light of the COVID-19 pandemic, many behavior analysts have temporarily transitioned to providing services using a telehealth model. This has required them to rapidly shift their treatment modality. The purpose of this article is to provide a review of some available technologies to support telehealth that will allow behavior analysts to conduct direct observation from a remote location. We reviewed 3 technologies that can be used for telehealth: (a) web cameras, (b) Swivl, and (c) telepresence robots. Features of each of these technologies are compared, and the benefits and drawbacks of each are reviewed. Sample task analyses for using each technology are also provided. Finally, tips for using telehealth with families are provided.