iii Individuals with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) and intellectual disability (ID) often have independent living skill deficits. Video modeling (VM) may be one particularly effective intervention to improve skills in this area. However, the most effective and efficient variations have yet to be determined. The researcher conducted a search for studies investigating the effects of VM on the independent living skills of school-aged students with ASD and/or ID. Nineteen single-subject studies and 65 participants were coded according to a number of variables. Results of the review suggested that certain participant characteristics and intervention components were more often associated with increased intervention effectiveness. The researcher discusses possible correlations, shares potential implications for practitioners, and proposes directions for future research. Based on findings of the review, the researcher conducted a single-subject study and results are outlined. Using an adapted alternating treatments design, the researcher investigated the comparative effects of VM plus least-to-most prompting and reinforcement (VM+P&R), continuous video modeling plus least-to-most prompting and reinforcement (CVM+P&R), and least-to-most prompting plus reinforcement alone (P&R) on the independent (2015) showed that poor adaptive behavior in individuals with ASD was the strongest predictor of unemployment, social isolation, depression, and lower overall quality of life in adulthood.
THE EFFECTS OF TWO VIDEO MODELING INTERVENTIONS ON THE INDEPENDENT LIVING SKILLS OF STUDENTS WITH AUTISM SPECTRUM DISORDER AND INTELLECTUAL DISABILITYFinally, Taylor and Mailick (2013) found that, over a 10-year period, the educational and vocational activities of individuals with ASD between the ages of 18 and 52 remained at a staggering halt or demonstrated a steady downward trend. More importantly, the authors found a strong correlation between poor independent living skills and a decline in participation of educational and vocational activities (Taylor & Mailick, 2013).Evidence emphasizes the fact that adaptive and independent living skills strongly predict independent living outcomes for adults with disabilities such as ASD and ID. Findings speak to the importance of addressing adaptive behavior and independent living skills in children and adolescents with ASD and ID to better prepare them for the unavoidable transition to adulthood. Improving independent living skills not only benefits individuals with disabilities but also their families.When it comes to best practices for instructing students with ASD and ID, the importance of using systematic instruction cannot be overstated. Systematic instruction is a set of evidence- 4 A fourth practice, task analysis, involves breaking a skill into small, manageable steps and teaching each step to a child in a systematic manner (Cooper et al., 2007). Bennet, Ramasamy, and Honsberger (2013) used a task analysis to teach students to use a folding board to fold T-shirts. Finally, modeling makes ...