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Student Engagement in the Classroom: The Impact of Classroom, Teacher, and Student Factors

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Abstract

Researchers have highlighted engagement as a critical component of effective interventions for students with autism spectrum disorder (ASD), yet there is limited research related to engagement in school-age children with ASD. This descriptive study was designed to examine joint engagement and its relationship with classroom factors and student characteristics. The sample included 25 elementary and middle school students with ASD. Mixed level modeling was used to examine relationships between joint engagement and classroom factors and student characteristics. Joint engagement was significantly related to group size, use of student-directed practices, autism severity, and expressive communication skills. These findings have important implications for educational policies and practices and future research related to engagement and effective interventions for students with ASD.

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Author notes

  1. Jessica R. Dykstra Steinbrenner

    Present address: Frank Porter Graham Child Development Institute, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, 517 S. Greensboro Street, CB#8040, Chapel Hill, NC, 27599-8040, USA

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Division of Speech and Hearing Sciences, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, 321 S. Columbia Street, UNC-CH Bondurant Hall, CB#7190, Chapel Hill, NC, 27599-7190, USA

    Jessica R. Dykstra Steinbrenner & Linda R. Watson

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  1. Jessica R. Dykstra Steinbrenner
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  2. Linda R. Watson
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Correspondence to Jessica R. Dykstra Steinbrenner.

Additional information

This study is based on the doctoral dissertation of Jessica R. Dykstra.

Appendices

Appendix 1: Weighted Scoring Sheet for Expressive Communication

figure a

Appendix 2: Student-Directed Practices Measure Guidelines for Coding

figure b
figure c

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Dykstra Steinbrenner, J.R., Watson, L.R. Student Engagement in the Classroom: The Impact of Classroom, Teacher, and Student Factors. J Autism Dev Disord 45, 2392–2410 (2015). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10803-015-2406-9

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