ERIC Number: EJ1005184
Record Type: Journal
Publication Date: 2013-Jun
Pages: 12
Abstractor: As Provided
ISBN: N/A
ISSN: ISSN-1088-3576
EISSN: N/A
Available Date: N/A
Using Systematic Instruction and Graphic Organizers to Teach Science Concepts to Students with Autism Spectrum Disorders and Intellectual Disability
Knight, Victoria F.; Spooner, Fred; Browder, Diane M.; Smith, Bethany R.; Wood, Charles L.
Focus on Autism and Other Developmental Disabilities, v28 n2 p115-126 Jun 2013
Literacy in science is important for all students and is one component of access and progress in the general education curriculum. One barrier to science literacy for students with autism spectrum disorders (ASD) is the extensive amount of vocabulary involved in comprehending science content. Based on the inherent link between vocabulary knowledge and comprehension, graphic organizers (GOs) paired with explicit instruction can improve vocabulary as well as comprehension for students with disabilities. Using a multiple probe design, three students with ASD and intellectual disability were taught various scientific concepts related to convection (e.g., precipitation, condensation) via systematic instruction that included constant time delay and multiple exemplars of a teacher-directed GO. A functional relation was demonstrated between the GO with systematic instruction and students' number of correct steps completed on the task analysis. Future research and implications for practice are discussed. (Contains 2 tables and 3 figures.)
Descriptors: Autism, Scientific Concepts, Mental Retardation, Task Analysis, Scientific Literacy, Vocabulary Development, Visual Aids, Science Instruction, Pervasive Developmental Disorders, Middle School Students
SAGE Publications and Hammill Institute on Disabilities. 2455 Teller Road, Thousand Oaks, CA 91320. Tel: 800-818-7243; Tel: 805-499-9774; Fax: 800-583-2665; e-mail: journals@sagepub.com; Web site: http://sagepub.com
Publication Type: Journal Articles; Reports - Research
Education Level: Middle Schools
Audience: N/A
Language: English
Sponsor: N/A
Authoring Institution: N/A
Grant or Contract Numbers: N/A
Author Affiliations: N/A