Browsing by Subject "Autism Education"

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    Assessing Perceptions, Confidence, and Training Needs of Medical Students in Autism Spectrum Disorder Care
    (2018) Passwater, Canaan; Neal, Tiffany; Swiezy, Naomi
    As Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) becomes increasingly prevalent, addressing the stigma surrounding it is essential for improving outcomes for individuals with ASD. The Autism Knowledge Survey (AKS), originally designed to measure autism-related knowledge, may also provide insights into stigma-related beliefs held by professionals and the general public. This exploratory analysis identifies six AKS items that may reflect stigmatizing beliefs, related to misconceptions about emotional connection, cooperation, independence, and social attachment in individuals with ASD. Survey responses collected across multiple summers from educational professionals suggest that stigma and knowledge may be inversely related. By identifying which misconceptions persist, ASD training programs such as HANDS in Autism® can better tailor educational content to reduce stigma and improve the effectiveness of support systems. Further research using dedicated stigma scales is recommended to validate these preliminary findings and enhance the precision of stigma measurement across stakeholder groups.
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    Evaluating Classroom-Level Outcomes of Evidence-Based Training for Teachers of Students with Autism Spectrum Disorder
    (2014-08) Kyazike, Sharifah; Neal, Tiffany; Swiezy, Naomi
    Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) is one of the fastest-growing developmental disabilities in the United States, requiring specialized educational approaches tailored to diverse student needs. The HANDS in Autism® Interdisciplinary Training and Resource Center developed the School WORK™ framework to assess the fidelity of evidence-based practice (EBP) implementation in classroom settings. This study analyzed post-training data across five Indiana schools to evaluate how teacher performance varied by duration of HANDS training, years of teaching experience, and school setting (rural vs. urban). Performance was measured across five core domains: classroom environment, assessment, program planning, behavioral intervention, and teaching. Results indicated that longer training duration and greater teaching experience were generally associated with improved performance. However, other contextual factors such as school resources, student needs, and teacher readiness also influenced implementation outcomes. These findings support the importance of ongoing, structured professional development and fidelity monitoring to enhance the delivery of autism-specific educational strategies in schools.