A Comparison of Discrete Trial Teaching Implemented in a One‐to‐one Instructional Format and in a Group Instructional Format

Abstract

Discrete trial teaching (DTT) is a systematic form of intervention commonly implemented with children and adolescents diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder. Experimenters and clinicians have implemented DTT in both one-to-one instructional formats and group instructional formats to teach a wide variety of skills to children and adolescents diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder. The purpose of this study was to compare DTT implemented in a one-to-one instructional format with DTT implemented in a group instructional format in order to determine which format was more effective, efficient, resulted in higher observational learning, and resulted in better maintenance when teaching a variety of expressive skills. The experimenters utilized a parallel treatment design, and the results indicated that both instructional formats were equally effective, there were mixed results in terms of maintenance and efficiency, and group instruction resulted in observational learning.

Observational Learning for Students Diagnosed with Autism: A Review Paper

“…These skills included receptive labels (Charlop et al 1983;Rehfeldt et al 2003), expressive labels (Coleman and Stedman 1974;Leaf et al 2013), voice volume (Coleman and Stedman 1974), play (Colozzi et al 2008;Tyron and Keane 1986), various discriminations (Egel et al 1981;Varni et al 1979), imitation (Ganz et al 2008), general knowledge skills (Ihrig and Wolchik 1988), conditioning preferences/ reinforcers (Leaf et al 2012;Singer-Dudek and Oblak 2013), job functions (Leaf et al 2013), inferences (Leaf et al 2013), sight words (Ledford et al 2008), monitoring response (Pereira-Delgado and Greer 2009; , reading (Rehfeldt et al 2003), picture to word/word to picture matching (Rehfeldt et al 2003), eating (Sira and Fryling 2012), food and drink prep (Tekin-Iftar and Birkan 2010), sign language (Venn et al 1996), spelling (Werts et al 1996), playing an audiotape (Werts et al 1996), using a calculator (Werts et al 1996), and social communication (Wilson 2013).…”

“…Seventeen targeted observational learning indirectly (Charlop et al 1983;Coleman and Stedman 1974;Colozzi et al 2008;Egel et al 1981;Ihrig and Wolchik 1988;Leaf et al 2012Leaf et al , 2013Ledford et al 2008;Rehfeldt et al 2003;Singer-Dudek and Oblak 2013;Sira and Fryling 2012;Tekin-Iftar and Birkan 2010;Tyron and Keane 1986;Varni et al 1979); of those 17, only one specifically sought to compare learning through observation of individuals with autism compared to peers who are typically developing (Varni et al 1979). Across the three studies that used direct instruction, each study utilized a different procedure to teach skills to increase the likelihood that observational learning would occur.…”

“…A majority of the studies, 16 (80 %), utilized peer models (Charlop et al 1983;Coleman and Stedman 1974;Colozzi et al 2008;Egel et al 1981;Ganz et al 2008;Leaf et al 2013;Ledford et al 2008;Pereira-Delgado and Greer 2009;Rehfeldt et al 2003;Singer-Dudek and Oblak 2013;Sira and Fryling 2012;Tekin-Iftar and Birkan 2010;Tyron and Keane 1986;Venn et al 1996;Werts et al 1996), while 3 studies utilized adult models (Leaf et al 2012;Varni et al 1979;Wilson 2013). One study utilized both adult and peer models in an effort to compare the effectiveness of the two different types of models (Ihrig and Wolchik 1988).…”

“…One study utilized both adult and peer models in an effort to compare the effectiveness of the two different types of models (Ihrig and Wolchik 1988). In addition, 14 of the 20 studies set up opportunities to learn through observation in a one-to-one teaching format (Charlop et al 1983;Coleman and Stedman 1974;Egel et al 1981;Ganz et al 2008;Ihrig and Wolchik 1988;Leaf et al 2012;Ledford et al 2008;Pereira-Delgado and Greer 2009;Rehfeldt et al 2003;Singer-Dudek and Oblak 2013;Sira and Fryling 2012;Tyron and Keane 1986;Varni et al 1979;Wilson 2013) versus six studies that instead used a group-teaching format (Colozzi et al 2008;Leaf et al 2013;Tekin-Iftar and Birkan 2010;Venn et al 1996;Werts et al 1996).…”

Psychophysiological analysis of a pedagogical agent and robotic peer for individuals with autism spectrum disorders.

“…165], expressive labels [244], social skills [245,246], job functions [244], play [247,248], inference [244], reading [249], food and drink preparation [250], picture to word/word to picture matching [249], and sign language [251].…”