Peer Mediated Learning Opportunities for Children with Autism -
Led by Mitchell Madison
Title:
Observations of Learning Contexts: Examining Peer Mediated
Learning Opportunities for Children with Autism within General
Education Literacy Lessons (Summer 2022)
Abstract: The benefits of peer mediated
classroom engagement for students with and without autism
have been linked to academic, language, communication, and
social skill development. However, questions exist as to how
often peer mediated learning opportunities are being afforded to
students with autism, as well as how teachers are supporting
students’ participation within these contexts. This exploratory
study relied on the classroom video observations of thirteen
elementary students with autism as they engaged in literacy
lessons alongside their peers within general education classrooms
in order to document the duration of time they spent in peer
mediated and other learning contexts. We then examined student
productivity within whole group and peer mediated contexts. We
also described the language and materials teachers used to
structure or scaffold the learning process. Our findings revealed
that peer mediated opportunities accounted for 12.12% of
instructional time on average (M = 4:09.26, SD
= 5:08.36). Student productivity was low across instructional
contexts overall. However, students exhibited more
productivity during peer mediated contexts relative to
all others, spending 13.06% of the time
productively engaged (M = 4:45.65, SD =
4:26.51). Scaffolds and planned peer-mediated time were minimal,
with teachers most frequently requesting students to discuss
content with their peers. These findings align with the
current literature base, potentially outlining the benefits of
peer-mediated contexts for learners with autism as well
as emphasize the need for more planned, structured
peer opportunities overall.
Mitchell Madison is a fourth-year psychology undergraduate
student at UC Davis and a 2022 OEOES research fellow.
Fragile X Syndrome and Emotion Regulation Project – Led by
Cameron Alexander, Human Development and Psychology
Title: Preliminary
Validation of an Observational Measure of Emotion Regulation for
Individuals with Fragile X Syndrome (Spring, 2021)
Description: This project aims to provide
preliminary validation for the Classroom Measure of Active
Engagement observational measures of emotion regulation (ER)
in young adults with Fragile X Syndrome. In this project, we look
at the associations between ER ratings and biological markers of
psychosocial stress using salivary alpha-amylase, behavioral
reports using the Child Behavior Checklist (CBCL), and
measures of anxiety as reported in the Anxiety, Depression,
and Mood Scale (ADAMS).
Abstract: Emotion regulation (ER) is the
combination of physiological, behavioral, and emotional states
that provide the tools needed to adapt through everyday
situations. Studies often measure ER using rating scales
completed by a caregiver, potentially resulting in biased
representations of ER. This study aims to examine the construct
validity of an observational measure of ER outlined in the
Classroom Measure of Active Engagement (CMAE).
Participants included 29 males with Fragile X Syndrome between
the ages of 15-22 who were recruited for a longitudinal study at
the UC Davis MIND Institute. As part of the larger study, video
observations of the Autism Diagnostic Observation
Schedule (ADOS) were collected, and parents completed a
battery of questionnaires to measure anxiety and behavior. Three
trained raters coded ER using the ADOS observations; interrater
agreement was high (88.87%). Findings indicated significant,
positive correlations between emotion dysregulation and salivary
alpha-amylase (sAA) readings (r= 0.622; p < 0.01), suggesting
an association between ER and psychosocial stress expressed by
the sAA recordings. The associations between ER with anxiety and
behavior were not significant. These findings offer preliminary
support for the validation of the ER construct outlined on the
CMAE, and substantiate the role of physiological arousal in ER.
Keywords: Fragile X Syndrome, Emotion
Regulation, Observational coding
Self-Regulatory Adaptable Desk – Led by Julie Daseking, Human
Development and Design
Title:
Self-Regulatory Adaptable Desk (Spring, 2021)
Description: A school desk designed to be
adaptable to meet the learning needs of a wide range of learners.
Specifically, desk affordances are intended to promote
self-regulation and executive function skill development in K-12
students.
Abstract: Within a classroom environment,
students are expected to maintain an optimal state of
physiological arousal to engage in learning. Although students
often utilize an array of self-regulatory behaviors to help stay
well-regulated, such as rocking or standing, classroom seating is
typically not designed with this in mind. For instance, a student
who benefits from vestibular sensory input cannot easily rock
their four-legged or attached-to-desk chair.
To help students meet their
regulatory needs, this project focused on designing a desk that
is adaptable to support self-regulation, focus, and
executive function skill development in students with varying
learning needs. The first step included conducting a
comprehensive review of the literature on ER across populations
and stages of development and exploring options for flexible
classroom seating. Next, K-12 and college students, teachers, and
parents volunteered to complete a 10-question survey to gather
input on their seating preferences. The literature review and
survey data were then used to inform the design and development
of a “sensory friendly” desk for K-12 classrooms.
MTSS and UDL Frameworks with Teachers’ Attitudes, Knowledge, and
Confidence in Teaching Students with Autism Project – Led by Dana
Butler, Neurobiology and Behavior
Title: Investigating
Whether Implementation of MTSS and UDL Frameworks Correlate to
Teachers’ Attitudes, Knowledge, and Confidence in Teaching
Students with Autism in Mainstream Classrooms (2019)
Description: We found that pre-service
teachers who implemented Multi-Tiered Systems of Supports (MTSS)
and Universal Design for Learning (UDL) frameworks in their
classrooms tended to have greater confidence and more positive
attitudes when teaching students with autism. These findings
are promising, as they indicate that MTSS and UDL frameworks may
promote a positive shift toward inclusivity of
neurodiversity in general education classrooms.
Abstract: While an inclusive classroom may
provide students with autism an opportunity to engage in learning
opportunities with their peers, teachers often report feelings of
low self-efficacy when teaching students with autism,
resulting in higher teacher turnover and lower student academic
success. The Multi-Tiered Systems of Support (MTSS) and Universal
Design for Learning (UDL) frameworks that are currently
implemented in CA teaching credential programs could help to
address this problem. In this study, 30 K-12 preservice teachers,
who were enrolled in the UC Davis Teacher Education program,
completed a survey on their attitude and
confidence toward teaching students with autism as well
as their understanding and application of MTSS and UDL. We
found that preservice teachers who used MTSS and UDL in
their general education classrooms were more likely to
have positive attitudes and greater self-confidence when
working with students with autism. In addition, preservice
teachers who reported positive attitudes toward students
with autism also disclosed greater confidence when applying MTSS
and UDL frameworks.