Abstract
Efficient and effective training strategies for paraprofessionals in special education settings face many challenges. Interactive computerized training (ICT)—a self-paced program that incorporates audio narration, video models, interactive activities, and competency checks—is one potential solution. ICT has been successful in training college students and special education teachers to implement discrete trial instruction (DTI), but its effectiveness to train paraprofessionals is unknown. Using a multiple-baseline design, we evaluated the feasibility of ICT, to train six paraprofessionals to implement DTI with an errorless learning procedure. Following ICT, the fidelity of implementation of DTI increased for all participants when implemented with a student in their classroom; however, competency varied. We added additional training components that progressed from low to more intensive feedback delivered remotely in attempt to increase fidelity to 90% or higher implementation. We also evaluated generalization to novel instructional programs and maintenance of instruction in the absence of feedback.
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Acknowledgements
We thank Tim Slocum, Tyra Sellers, Robert Morgan, and Eadric Bressel for their comments on an earlier draft of this manuscript. We also thank Michele, Neeley, Laura, and the school district for their valuable support throughout this project. Portions of this article were submitted in partial fulfillment of the first author’s dissertation under the direction of the second author.
Funding
This study was partially fund by a grant from Utah State University, Graduate Research and Collaborative Opportunities Grant.
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All procedures performed in studies involving human participants were in accordance with the ethical standards of the institutional and/or national research committee and with the 1964 Declaration of Helsinki and its later amendments or comparable ethical standards.
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Informed consent was obtained from all individual participants included in the study.
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Gerencser, K.R., Higbee, T.S., Contreras, B.P. et al. Evaluation of Interactive Computerized Training to Teach Paraprofessionals to Implement Errorless Discrete Trial Instruction. J Behav Educ 27, 461–487 (2018). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10864-018-9308-9
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10864-018-9308-9