A comparison of two models of support for students with autism spectrum disorder in school and predictors of school success

Abstract

Background: There is little comparative data on models of support for children with Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) in school. The objectives of this research were (1) to compare the outcomes of two service delivery models (Autism Spectrum Australia satellite support class and Autism SA consultative model) that were designed to facilitate the support of children with ASD in mainstream schools and (2) to examine factors that were associated with successful outcomes.Method: A total of 90 students were followed 6-monthly for up to 7 rounds (3.5 years).Primary outcomes of interest included continuity of placement, school engagement and adjustment, perceived success of placement, and parent/teacher/principal satisfaction with service delivery.Results: Continuity of placement was relatively high in both models. There were no differences in child outcome across the models but the parents in the satellite model rated placement success higher, albeit in the context of high overall ratings in both groups. Parents and principals also rated satisfaction with support higher in the satellite model but transitions from the model into regular classes were low during the period of the study. Teacher rated academic skill predicted child social skills as well as engagement and adjustment, child problem behavior negatively predicted parent and teacher rating of placement success and adaptive behavior predicted teacher and principal rating of placement success.Conclusions: The present study offers insight into possible program and child related predictors of a range of outcome measures. Implications for the respective service delivery models and directions for future research are presented.

Assessing the Psychometric Properties of the Practice and Product Inventory of Supporting Students with ASD (PPI-SSA): A Concise Assessment Tool for Teachers in Inclusive Classrooms

“…These results suggest that a teacher's intention to implement inclusive education would be a significant predictor of the inclusive practices and products (social and academic gains) of students with ASD within inclusive settings. These empirical findings are consistent with existing literature, such as studies by Alkeraida (2021) and Low et al (2018) [31,34], which emphasized the role of teachers' proactive and inclusive behaviors in facilitating the successful inclusion of students with ASD. Our study adds to the existing body of evidence supporting the concurrent validity of the PPI-SSA as an effective tool.…”

“…In search of predictors of school success for ASD students, researchers also used qualitative and quasi-experimental studies to explore the perspectives of educational professionals. Noteworthy, Carter et al's (2019) study considered teachers as important assessors of students' academic performance, and they found that teacher-rated academic skills predicted child social skills, engagement, and adjustment, while child problem behavior negatively predicted parent and teacher ratings of placement success [31]. Adaptive behavior predicted teacher and principal ratings of placement success.…”

Transition support for students on the autism spectrum: a multiple stakeholder perspective

“…Recent research indicates parents and professionals vary in their perception of school transition planning for adolescents on the autism spectrum in issues such as the frequency of transition planning meetings (Carter et al, 2019;Hatfield et al, 2017;Stephenson, et al, 2020). Data in the current study support this finding.…”

Facilitators and Barriers to Inclusion of Students With Autism Spectrum Disorder: Parent, Teacher, and Principal Perspectives

“…The data reported in this paper are drawn from a study designed to compare two models for the education of children with ASD in the early years of school (Carter, Stephenson, Clark, Costley, Martin, et al, 2014; Carter, Stephenson, Clark, Costley, Williams, et al, 2014; Carter et al, 2015). For this project, inclusion refers to the full-time enrolment of a student in a mainstream classroom.…”