This research explains and gives examples of the nine different types of accommodations used in the classroom. These accommodations include changes in size of task, time amount for a task, level of support for student during task, how materials are given to a student, matching skill level of task to skill level of student, how a student demonstrates skill or reports on task, how a student participates in a task, changing goals or expectations about a task to align with student skill set, and substituting tasks and materials to meet a student’s needs.
View the Website – Developing Academic Accommodations Promoting Successful Inclusion.
This webpage defines bullying in school and discusses why it is underreported. This webpage also includes information on bullying behaviors, talks about the types of people who tend bully others, and discusses the consequences of bullying.
View the Website – Bullying in School.
The Texas Assistive Technology Network works to help students with disabilities receive assistive technology devices and services. It holds state-wide conferences to discuss best practices and the latest technologies. It also offers training modules as well as resources on its website.
View the Website – Texas Assistive Technology Network (TATN).
The Senate Autism Committee promotes policies and legislations that pertain to and benefit individuals with Autism Spectrum Disorders (ASD) and their families. It focuses on four key areas: early evaluation and intervention; private health plans and its ability to provide the necessary medical services; access to employment opportunities; affordable housing.
View the Website – California Senate Select Committee on Autism and Related Disorders.
The Job Accommodation Network (JAN) reviewed the ADA Amendment ACT (ADAAA) of 2008. In the ADAAA, Congress fixed the definition of disability to cover more people and, as a result, better prevent the discrimination of people with disabilities. This amendment also states that assistive devices are not factors in determining whether a disability qualifies under law and clarifies coverage of conditions that do occur occasionally or episodically.
View the Website – The ADA Amendments Act of 2008.
This guide is intended to help educators effectively implement a variety of assistive technologies with their students. It is composed of seven sections, each dedicated to a specific step in the implementation process. This resource includes a comprehensive implementation plan, as well as samples of specific tools.
View the Guide – Special Education Technology British Columbia: Making It Work: Effective Implementation of Assistive Technology.
This article focuses on early intervention approaches for young children with autism/pervasive developmental disorder (PPD). The history and evolution of the practice of enhancing communication and social-communicative abilities are discussed. This article also provides descriptions of various approaches and examines the effectiveness of current early intervention services.
Author information: Prizant, B. M., & Wetherby, A. M. (1998). Understanding the continuum of discrete-trial traditional behavioral to social-pragmatic developmental approaches in communication enhancement for young children with autism/pdd. Seminars in Speech and Language, 19(4), 329-350.
Download the Academic Research – Understanding the Continuum of Discrete-Trial Traditional Behavioral to Social-Pragmatic Developmental Approaches in Communication (PDF).
This journal article summarizes the discussions and presentations that several academics from across the country had about the challenges of research in psychosocial interventions for people with autism spectrum disorders. This paper notes that several researchers noted the need for more rigorous methods to capture and record information about how effective interventions are for people with autism as well as highlighted the need a standardization of reporting and documentation in research and methods of diagnosis. In short, this paper notes that things need to measured similarly in order to compare and contrast the effectiveness of interventions.
Author information: Lord, C., Wagner, A., Rogers, S., Szatmari, P., Aman, M., Charman, T., et al. (2005). Challenges in Evaluating Psychosocial Interventions for Autistic Spectrum Disorders. Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders, 35(6), 695-708.
Download the Academic Research – Challenges in Evaluating Psychosocial Interventions for Autistic Spectrum Disorders.
This article reviews comprehensive treatment models, which are interventions like the Denver Model, the Lovaas Model, Walden Model that occur over a long period of time, have multiple components and steps, and often occur over 25 hours per week.
The researchers look at how these models work in order to develop information and criteria that providers, families, and researchers could use to evaluate the various models that exist in order to determine which one they feel is most beneficial for their loved one with autism. They found that some models tended to have better development; that they have been well-documented, replicated; and that there is some evidence that they appear to positively impact the lives of those that use them. However, other models did not appear so well developed. They also noted that on the whole, the comprehensive treatment models are weaker in measuring how well they are run and in proving that they do have a positive impact in the lives of those that use them.
Author information: Odom SL, Boyd BA, Hall LJ, Hume K. (2010). Evaluation of comprehensive treatment models for individuals with autism spectrum disorders. Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders, 40(4), 425-426.
Download the Academic Research – Evaluation of Comprehensive Treatment Models for Individuals with ASD (PDF).
The Safety and Health Assessment and Research for Prevention Program’s (SHARP) fact sheet talks about workplace bullying and disruptive behavior. It gives a definition of workplace bullying and examples about the effects of bullying in the workplace. This document also offers suggestions and ideas on what can be done about bullying and disruptive behavior in the workplace to stop bullying and to improve the workplace atmosphere.
Download the Fact Sheet – Workplace Bullying and Disruptive Behavior – What Everyone Needs to Know (PDF).
