Comparing the effects of videoconference and email feedback on treatment integrity

Abstract

Treatment integrity has a direct impact on early intensive behavioral intervention outcomes for children with autism (McDonald et al., 2017). In this study, we compared the effects of email feedback with an embedded graphic component to videoconference feedback on treatment integrity. Participants included 6 teachers who were providing services to children with autism in China. Using an adapted alternating treatment design, the experimenter associated each feedback method with a specific teaching procedure, either discrete trial training or incidental teaching. All teachers improved their integrity to criteria under the email feedback condition, but videoconference feedback produced faster mastery and better-sustained integrity after the removal of the intervention. The teachers preferred videoconference feedback over email feedback in terms of acceptance and effectiveness of the intervention, but they considered email feedback a more efficient type of feedback.

The Effects of Email Performance-Based Feedback on Teacher Candidate Implementation of a Multiple Stimulus Without Replacement Preference Assessment

“…In addition, performance feedback can be delivered in a variety of modalities such as bug-in-ear as well as visible counters, public wall postings, and personal interactions (Coogle et al, 2016 , 2017 ; Warrilow et al, 2020 ). As technology has evolved and become more available, so have modalities for delivering performance feedback, such as computer displays, text messages, video conferencing, social media communications, and emails (e.g., Barton & Wolery, 2007 ; Hemmeter et al, 2011 ; Krick Oborn & Johnson, 2015 ; Zhu et al, 2021 ).…”

“…Email feedback allows supervisors to save time by sending an email following the observation rather than scheduling a time to meet in person to review that feedback (Warrilow et al, 2020 ). Related, the observer is able to send the email feedback immediately to the individual after the observation is completed, without interrupting the individual and the activity they are engaging in (e.g., implementing an intervention with a child; Barton & Wolery, 2007 ; Gorton et al, 2021 ; Zhu et al, 2021 ). Second, verbal and some forms of written feedback (e.g., handwritten notes) may be seen as obsolete and ineffective by the individuals receiving the feedback, whereas wireless communication forms of feedback (e.g., email, video, bug-in-ear) are seen as more current or up-to-date (Barton et al, 2020 ; Gomez et al, 2021 ; Zhu et al, 2021 ) and may be seen as more socially acceptable (Barton & Wolery, 2007 ).…”

“…Related, the observer is able to send the email feedback immediately to the individual after the observation is completed, without interrupting the individual and the activity they are engaging in (e.g., implementing an intervention with a child; Barton & Wolery, 2007 ; Gorton et al, 2021 ; Zhu et al, 2021 ). Second, verbal and some forms of written feedback (e.g., handwritten notes) may be seen as obsolete and ineffective by the individuals receiving the feedback, whereas wireless communication forms of feedback (e.g., email, video, bug-in-ear) are seen as more current or up-to-date (Barton et al, 2020 ; Gomez et al, 2021 ; Zhu et al, 2021 ) and may be seen as more socially acceptable (Barton & Wolery, 2007 ). Additionally, using emails results in an electronic record of the feedback provided (Zhu et al, 2021 ), which can be reviewed more than once and can be used for future performance reviews.…”

“…Second, verbal and some forms of written feedback (e.g., handwritten notes) may be seen as obsolete and ineffective by the individuals receiving the feedback, whereas wireless communication forms of feedback (e.g., email, video, bug-in-ear) are seen as more current or up-to-date (Barton et al, 2020 ; Gomez et al, 2021 ; Zhu et al, 2021 ) and may be seen as more socially acceptable (Barton & Wolery, 2007 ). Additionally, using emails results in an electronic record of the feedback provided (Zhu et al, 2021 ), which can be reviewed more than once and can be used for future performance reviews. Overall, email feedback may be a strategy for interacting with individuals quickly and more efficiently (Barton et al, 2016 ; Warrilow et al, 2020 ).…”

“…A limitation of previous email feedback research is that the studies did not isolate the effects of email feedback, because the email feedback was always provided in conjunction with a training (Artman-Meecker & Hemmeter, 2013 ; Gomez et al, 2021 ; Gorton et al, 2021 ; Hemmeter et al, 2011 ; Martinez Cueto et al, 2021 ). Researchers then sought to isolate and evaluate the effects of email feedback alone (Barton et al, 2016 , 2020 ) and also compared email feedback alone to other forms of feedback such as immediate bug-in-ear feedback (Coogle et al, 2020 ) and videoconference feedback (Zhu et al, 2021 ). Overall, the studies found that email feedback alone was effective in increasing teachers’ behaviors.…”