Kristi Probst | Illinois State University (original) (raw)

Papers by Kristi Probst

Education Sciences

The population of students who are d/Deaf or hard of hearing (d/Dhh) with a disability have uniqu... more The population of students who are d/Deaf or hard of hearing (d/Dhh) with a disability have unique educational needs. Various terms have been used to describe this population, including “deaf plus”, “deaf with additional disabilities”, and most recently, “deaf with disabilities (DWD)”. Currently, there is no agreement on the percentage of DWD students in PreK-21 settings but is considered to comprise at least 40–50%. An individual who is DWD has a hearing loss and one or more disabilities, including (but not limited to) visual impairment or blindness, autism spectrum disorder, intellectual or developmental disabilities, specific learning disabilities, health impairments, etc. The critical consideration is that the interaction between hearing loss and the disability(ies) is not simply additive but rather multiplicative, impacting communication, cognition, social development, and behavior. Furthermore, the presence of hearing loss may decrease accurate identification of other disabili...

Journal of Visual Impairment & Blindness

Introduction: Interveners are paraeducators who have been trained in deafblind strategies. This s... more Introduction: Interveners are paraeducators who have been trained in deafblind strategies. This study evaluated the effectiveness of an online training project for intervener candidates. Methods: The training project utilized the Open Hands, Open Access (OHOA) Intervener Training Modules in conjunction with synchronous meetings and coaching. Results: Upon completion of the program, a survey was conducted to evaluate the participant's preparation to perform their job as an intervener, the most helpful parts of the program, suggestions for improvement, and overall satisfaction with the training. Additionally, participant attrition (17%) and pursual of intervener certification were examined. Discussion: The results of this study indicated that this type of program can successfully impart the knowledge and skills one needs to improve their skills as an intervener, reduce attrition of participants, and individuals can subsequently complete a rigorous certification process based on na...

Deaf and Hard of Hearing Learners With Disabilities, 2022

Special Education for Young Learners with Disabilities

Abstract In 2018, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) released the statistic tha... more Abstract In 2018, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) released the statistic that 1 out of every 59 children had a diagnosis of autism spectrum disorder (ASD). Young children with ASD have unique needs specifically related to the characteristics that impact their communication and social emotional and behavioral development. These unique needs require early and intensive intervention to minimize their lifelong impact. It is important to identify and use evidence-based interventions to help parents support their children at home, and as a continuation of the skills they are being taught in other settings. This chapter will address the prevalence of young children with ASD, the impact and need for family involvement in intervention, and service provision and potential interventions.

Students with Autism Spectrum Disorders (ASD) are one of the least included in the general educat... more Students with Autism Spectrum Disorders (ASD) are one of the least included in the general education environment, only falling behind children with intellectual disabilities, multiple disabilities, and deaf/blindness (U.S. Department of Education, 2015). Teacher attitudes, knowledge and training of ASD, and administrative support are essential components of successful inclusive environments (Ferraioli & Harris, 2011; Harding, 2009). Researchers have also identified evidence-based practices to support students with ASD (National Autism Center, 2015; Wong et al., 2014). This chapter provides research related to inclusion of students with ASD, factors that may influence inclusion rates, and provides educators a few practices to try if they are given the opportunity to work with a student with ASD in their inclusive classroom.

Transition is an important and ongoing aspect of life that everyone experiences. For students who... more Transition is an important and ongoing aspect of life that everyone experiences. For students who are deaf/hard of hearing (d/DHH) and their families, transitions related to education can be daunting and, at times, confusing. This chapter will focus on three important educational transitions: early intervention, school age, and adulthood. For each transitional period, recommendations for best practices are made. Additionally, this chapter will discuss the importance of transition planning and supports over time. Overall, communication between service providers, families, and the student is a key element to making these transitions smooth and successful.

The world revolves around sound. Children who are deaf/hard of hearing (D/HH) lack access to soun... more The world revolves around sound. Children who are deaf/hard of hearing (D/HH) lack access to sound, thus need careful monitoring and planning to ensure they have access to adequate language models and supports to develop a strong language foundation. It is this foundation that is needed to ensure D/HH children are able to achieve developmental and academic milestones. Research is emerging to suggest specific intervention strategies that can be used to support D/HH children from birth throughout their educational career. In this chapter, we highlight several strategies that can be used to support communication, language, academic, and social/emotional growth. We freely admit that this is in no way a comprehensive and exhaustive list, but rather only scratches the surface. The field of deaf education and related research and technology is constantly changing. To ensure adequate educational access, it is highly recommended that a professional specialized in hearing loss be a part of th...

Review Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders

Advances in Special Education, 2015

Journal of Visual Impairment & Blindness

Introduction: This study evaluated the effectiveness of a workshop and follow-up coaching session... more Introduction: This study evaluated the effectiveness of a workshop and follow-up coaching sessions on the implementation of the system of least prompts procedure by classroom team members and explored whether this intervention resulted in personal hygiene skill acquisition by a male high school student with comorbid visual impairment and autism spectrum disorder. Methods: Implementation fidelity data were analyzed descriptively through visual analysis. A multiple baseline design across behaviors was utilized to evaluate the effectiveness of the system of least prompts procedure on student skill acquisition. Results: Implementation fidelity was high and increased over the course of the study: paraeducator 1: 93.9% (range, 70 to 100%); paraeducator 2: 78.2% (range, 11 to 90%); and special education teacher: 94.1% (range, 35 to 100%). In addition, the student's independent performance improved from baseline to intervention across each targeted skill, with Tau-U scores as follows: cleaning the augmentative and alternative communication device: 0.78; washing hands: 0.76; and brushing teeth: 0.92. Classroom team members found both the training procedures and the system of least prompts intervention to be of value and effective. Discussion: During intervention, classroom team members implemented the system of least prompts with fidelity and the student mastered each skill. These results are promising and add to the significantly limited literature on instructional interventions for students with comorbid visual impairment and autism spectrum disorder. Implica tions for practitioners: Classroom team members can effectively be taught to use the system of least prompts with students with comorbid visual impairment and autism spectrum disorder. Furthermore, the intervention might be used to increase inde pendent functioning for students with these comorbid conditions. Researchers have suggested that the than in the general population (0.6%; prevalence of autism spectrum disorder in Centers for Disease Control and Preven individuals with visual impairment may tion [CDC], 2012

International Journal of School and Cognitive Psychology

Deafness & Education International

Deafness & Education International

Education Sciences

The population of students who are d/Deaf or hard of hearing (d/Dhh) with a disability have uniqu... more The population of students who are d/Deaf or hard of hearing (d/Dhh) with a disability have unique educational needs. Various terms have been used to describe this population, including “deaf plus”, “deaf with additional disabilities”, and most recently, “deaf with disabilities (DWD)”. Currently, there is no agreement on the percentage of DWD students in PreK-21 settings but is considered to comprise at least 40–50%. An individual who is DWD has a hearing loss and one or more disabilities, including (but not limited to) visual impairment or blindness, autism spectrum disorder, intellectual or developmental disabilities, specific learning disabilities, health impairments, etc. The critical consideration is that the interaction between hearing loss and the disability(ies) is not simply additive but rather multiplicative, impacting communication, cognition, social development, and behavior. Furthermore, the presence of hearing loss may decrease accurate identification of other disabili...

Journal of Visual Impairment & Blindness

Introduction: Interveners are paraeducators who have been trained in deafblind strategies. This s... more Introduction: Interveners are paraeducators who have been trained in deafblind strategies. This study evaluated the effectiveness of an online training project for intervener candidates. Methods: The training project utilized the Open Hands, Open Access (OHOA) Intervener Training Modules in conjunction with synchronous meetings and coaching. Results: Upon completion of the program, a survey was conducted to evaluate the participant's preparation to perform their job as an intervener, the most helpful parts of the program, suggestions for improvement, and overall satisfaction with the training. Additionally, participant attrition (17%) and pursual of intervener certification were examined. Discussion: The results of this study indicated that this type of program can successfully impart the knowledge and skills one needs to improve their skills as an intervener, reduce attrition of participants, and individuals can subsequently complete a rigorous certification process based on na...

Deaf and Hard of Hearing Learners With Disabilities, 2022

Special Education for Young Learners with Disabilities

Abstract In 2018, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) released the statistic tha... more Abstract In 2018, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) released the statistic that 1 out of every 59 children had a diagnosis of autism spectrum disorder (ASD). Young children with ASD have unique needs specifically related to the characteristics that impact their communication and social emotional and behavioral development. These unique needs require early and intensive intervention to minimize their lifelong impact. It is important to identify and use evidence-based interventions to help parents support their children at home, and as a continuation of the skills they are being taught in other settings. This chapter will address the prevalence of young children with ASD, the impact and need for family involvement in intervention, and service provision and potential interventions.

Students with Autism Spectrum Disorders (ASD) are one of the least included in the general educat... more Students with Autism Spectrum Disorders (ASD) are one of the least included in the general education environment, only falling behind children with intellectual disabilities, multiple disabilities, and deaf/blindness (U.S. Department of Education, 2015). Teacher attitudes, knowledge and training of ASD, and administrative support are essential components of successful inclusive environments (Ferraioli & Harris, 2011; Harding, 2009). Researchers have also identified evidence-based practices to support students with ASD (National Autism Center, 2015; Wong et al., 2014). This chapter provides research related to inclusion of students with ASD, factors that may influence inclusion rates, and provides educators a few practices to try if they are given the opportunity to work with a student with ASD in their inclusive classroom.

Transition is an important and ongoing aspect of life that everyone experiences. For students who... more Transition is an important and ongoing aspect of life that everyone experiences. For students who are deaf/hard of hearing (d/DHH) and their families, transitions related to education can be daunting and, at times, confusing. This chapter will focus on three important educational transitions: early intervention, school age, and adulthood. For each transitional period, recommendations for best practices are made. Additionally, this chapter will discuss the importance of transition planning and supports over time. Overall, communication between service providers, families, and the student is a key element to making these transitions smooth and successful.

The world revolves around sound. Children who are deaf/hard of hearing (D/HH) lack access to soun... more The world revolves around sound. Children who are deaf/hard of hearing (D/HH) lack access to sound, thus need careful monitoring and planning to ensure they have access to adequate language models and supports to develop a strong language foundation. It is this foundation that is needed to ensure D/HH children are able to achieve developmental and academic milestones. Research is emerging to suggest specific intervention strategies that can be used to support D/HH children from birth throughout their educational career. In this chapter, we highlight several strategies that can be used to support communication, language, academic, and social/emotional growth. We freely admit that this is in no way a comprehensive and exhaustive list, but rather only scratches the surface. The field of deaf education and related research and technology is constantly changing. To ensure adequate educational access, it is highly recommended that a professional specialized in hearing loss be a part of th...

Review Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders

Advances in Special Education, 2015

Journal of Visual Impairment & Blindness

Introduction: This study evaluated the effectiveness of a workshop and follow-up coaching session... more Introduction: This study evaluated the effectiveness of a workshop and follow-up coaching sessions on the implementation of the system of least prompts procedure by classroom team members and explored whether this intervention resulted in personal hygiene skill acquisition by a male high school student with comorbid visual impairment and autism spectrum disorder. Methods: Implementation fidelity data were analyzed descriptively through visual analysis. A multiple baseline design across behaviors was utilized to evaluate the effectiveness of the system of least prompts procedure on student skill acquisition. Results: Implementation fidelity was high and increased over the course of the study: paraeducator 1: 93.9% (range, 70 to 100%); paraeducator 2: 78.2% (range, 11 to 90%); and special education teacher: 94.1% (range, 35 to 100%). In addition, the student's independent performance improved from baseline to intervention across each targeted skill, with Tau-U scores as follows: cleaning the augmentative and alternative communication device: 0.78; washing hands: 0.76; and brushing teeth: 0.92. Classroom team members found both the training procedures and the system of least prompts intervention to be of value and effective. Discussion: During intervention, classroom team members implemented the system of least prompts with fidelity and the student mastered each skill. These results are promising and add to the significantly limited literature on instructional interventions for students with comorbid visual impairment and autism spectrum disorder. Implica tions for practitioners: Classroom team members can effectively be taught to use the system of least prompts with students with comorbid visual impairment and autism spectrum disorder. Furthermore, the intervention might be used to increase inde pendent functioning for students with these comorbid conditions. Researchers have suggested that the than in the general population (0.6%; prevalence of autism spectrum disorder in Centers for Disease Control and Preven individuals with visual impairment may tion [CDC], 2012

International Journal of School and Cognitive Psychology

Deafness & Education International

Deafness & Education International