Ilene Schwartz - Academia.edu (original) (raw)

Papers by Ilene Schwartz

Topics in Early Childhood Special Education, 2006

Because more children under the age of 3 years are being diagnosed with autistic spectrum disorde... more Because more children under the age of 3 years are being diagnosed with autistic spectrum disorder (ASD), early interventionists face the challenge of identifying appropriate programs to meet the unique needs of very young children with ASD and their families. Project DATA (Developmentally Appropriate Treatment for Autism) for Toddlers is an inclusive early intervention program for children between 1 year and 3 years old who have been diagnosed with ASD and is based on an existing program for preschoolers with ASD at the University of Washington. Project DATA for Toddlers uses the effective preschool model and makes modifications to meet the unique developmental needs of toddlers. In this article, the authors describe the components of Project DATA for Toddlers and present preliminary findings, specifically, child outcome data from the areas of cognition, communication, self-regulation, functional skills, and elementary school placement. They also discuss the implications for early ...

Behavior Analysis: Research and Practice

International Journal of Educational Research, 2021

Abstract The increased prevalence of autism in the United States (1 in 54 youth) requires educato... more Abstract The increased prevalence of autism in the United States (1 in 54 youth) requires educators to implement evidence-based practices (EBPs). However, it is unclear which EBPs, if any, general and special education teachers and paraeducators are commonly trained to use or whether they consistently use those EBPs to support the inclusion of students with autism. The purpose of this protocol is to understand EBP use in inclusive settings and examine the malleable individual and organizational factors that promote teachers’ and paraeducators’ use of EBPs to meaningfully include and retain children with autism in general education settings and how this use relates to children’s outcomes. These data will support the identification of targeted implementation strategies for successful EBP use.

Behavioral Interventions, 2021

Three assessors conducted paired stimulus preference assessments with an adult with autism spectr... more Three assessors conducted paired stimulus preference assessments with an adult with autism spectrum disorder, his mother, a staff member, and an unknown researcher. Results indicated that the participant preferred different social interactions with his mother, as compared to the other assessors. In a follow‐up reinforcer assessment, the social interactions identified as most preferred for each assessor produced higher frequency responding when compared to no consequence or nonmatching preference conditions. Results suggest that preference for social interactions may vary based on the assessor. Implications regarding the impact of the assessor in social preference assessments are discussed.

Behavior Analysis in Practice, 2020

Currently, certified behavior analysts are required to adhere to the ethical rules established by... more Currently, certified behavior analysts are required to adhere to the ethical rules established by the Behavior Analyst Certification Board® (BACB®) known as the Professional and Ethical Compliance Code for Behavior Analysts (BACB, 2014; hereafter referred to as the BACB Code). Applying these rules without context, however, can result in an overly simplified and mechanistic approach to ethical problem solving. Ethical rules that lack guiding principles may also pose dissemination challenges for behavior analysts tasked with communicating the field's ethical ideals to nonbehavioral colleagues and stakeholders. This article describes the process that our applied behavior analysis organization used to develop a set of guiding ethical principles to supplement the BACB Code. These principles guide our members' ethical decision making and assist them in disseminating our organization's ideals. Following a description of the principle development process, we present our organization's ethical principles and discuss how behavior analysts can use them to make clinical and ethical decisions, and address dissemination challenges.

Early Childhood Research Quarterly, 2019

Children vary extensively in their language skills at school entry, and a substantial part of thi... more Children vary extensively in their language skills at school entry, and a substantial part of this variation is due to disparities in language exposure prior to school. Because these differences have continuing impact on academic, cognitive and social development, prevention and intervention programs have been developed to address deficits in early experience with language and prevent continuing difficulties. We report the findings from a systematic survey of research on non-parental interventions, with the goal of identifying strengths and weaknesses in current literature which can inform current practice and also guide the design of future research. Studies were identified using a systematic search protocol of the communication and language intervention literature for children from birth through 5 years of age. One hundred and ninety studies published between 1975 and 2015 met the specified inclusion criteria, which included the experimental manipulation of at least one relevant intervention variable and applying and testing an intervention or practice with the purpose of improving child communication or language outcomes. The studies reviewed include some well-documented and validated intervention strategies that have potential to be useful for addressing the word gap. This survey of the literature exposes gaps in the knowledge base about language interventions for infants and toddlers. Inadequacies in reporting the characteristics of child and adult study participants as well as a lack of details about the application of interventions across child care and early learning settings or their effectiveness with economically, culturally and linguistically diverse populations are addressed. Implications for the design and reporting of future research to address the word gap discussed.

Young Exceptional Children, 1999

Page 1. http://yec.sagepub.com/ Young Exceptional Children http://yec.sagepub.com/ content/3/1/21... more Page 1. http://yec.sagepub.com/ Young Exceptional Children http://yec.sagepub.com/ content/3/1/21 The online version of this article can be found at: DOI: 10.1177/ 109625069900300103 1999 3: 21 Young Exceptional Children ...

Young Exceptional Children, 2001

... Title: A Building Blocks Model for Effective Instruction in Inclusive Early Childhood Setting... more ... Title: A Building Blocks Model for Effective Instruction in Inclusive Early Childhood Settings. Full-Text Availability Options: ... Click on any of the links below to perform a new search. Title: ABuilding Blocks Model for Effective Instruction in Inclusive Early Childhood Settings. ...

Exceptional Children, 2017

Combining data from a series of three planned consecutive randomized controlled trials, the prese... more Combining data from a series of three planned consecutive randomized controlled trials, the present study investigates two literacy interventions for preschool children with autism spectrum disorder. For the first cohort, children were randomized to interactive book reading (IBR; treatment) or business as usual (BAU; control); in Cohort 2, children were randomized to phonological awareness (PA; treatment) or BAU; in Cohort 3, children were randomized to IBR or PA. Both treatments were implemented weekly in the classroom from November to May. Combined across cohorts, data from 57 classrooms in 8 districts were available for analysis ( n = 47, IBR; n = 42, PA; n = 44, BAU). Model results showed that IBR had significantly greater pretest-posttest gains than the sample mean on expressive vocabulary and listening comprehension (approximate effect sizes: d* = 0.29 and 0.30), whereas PA had significantly greater PA gains ( d* = 0.39).

Exceptional Children, 1991

This article addresses the transition of young children from preschool programs that provide spec... more This article addresses the transition of young children from preschool programs that provide special education services to kindergarten or alternative elementary school placements. The roles of the child, family, and service providers in transition preparation, planning, implementation, and evaluation are described. Successful transitions include assessments of children's skills in meeting the demands of kindergarten programs, teaching these skills to children, and actively encouraging parent participation in plans and programs. Barriers to successful transitions include lack of time and funding to coordinate both parent activities and between-school arrangements. A critical area for future research is the long-term evaluation of the procedures described as “best practice,” i>as well as the definition of what constitutes a successful transition.

Journal of Developmental and Physical Disabilities, 2016

The purpose of this study was to compare direct instruction using the Reading Mastery curriculum ... more The purpose of this study was to compare direct instruction using the Reading Mastery curriculum in small groups with peers and typical reading instruction on the beginning literacy skills of moderate to high functioning young children with Autism Spectrum Disorders (ASD). Thirty-two children were in the Reading Mastery intervention group and 30 were in a comparison condition. All participants met criteria as beginning readers, based on assessments at the beginning and middle of Kindergarten. Results indicated that school-based implementers were able to use the curriculum

School Mental Health, 2013

ABSTRACT Project DATA (Developmentally Appropriate Treatment for Autism) is a school-based compre... more ABSTRACT Project DATA (Developmentally Appropriate Treatment for Autism) is a school-based comprehensive treatment model for preschool children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD). This study explored 5 years of results from children participating in the model. Data from up to 69 preschool children independently diagnosed with ASD were utilized in determining pre-/post-program performance on a variety of outcome measures representative of functioning across developmental domains, receptive language skills, social skills, problem behaviors, and autism characteristics. Descriptive statistics are utilized to describe the participants at program entry and exit. Results of the paired-samples t tests indicate statistically significant positive program change on 13 of the 16 outcomes measures, especially those that measure core deficits common to ASD. Overall results suggest that Project DATA is a promising practice for providing school-based services to young children with ASD.

Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders, 2014

The purpose of this randomized control group study was to examine the effects of a peer network i... more The purpose of this randomized control group study was to examine the effects of a peer network intervention that included peer mediation and direct instruction for Kindergarten and First-grade children with Autism Spectrum Disorders (ASD). Trained school staff members provided direct instruction for 56 children in the intervention group, and 39 children participated in a comparison group. Results showed children in the intervention group displayed significantly more initiations to peers than did the comparison group during non-treatment social probes and generalization probes. Treatment session data showed significant growth for total communications over baseline levels. Children in treatment also showed more growth in language and adaptive communication. Finally, teachers' ratings of prosocial skills revealed significantly greater improvements for the intervention group.

Topics in Early Childhood Special Education, 1996

Two studies were conducted to describe the extent to which recommended language intervention prac... more Two studies were conducted to describe the extent to which recommended language intervention practices were implemented in preschool classrooms serving young children with disabilities and to investigate the relationships between children's observed level of exposure to those practices and their language outcomes. Study 1 was a descriptive study of the amount and type of language training received by 59 children in 26 preschool classrooms. Repeated observations of these children over a 4-month period revealed that children exposed to higher levels of recommended practices had higher rates of engagement and verbalizations. Study 2 was a process-product study that examined the relationship between children's gain on language measures and their level of exposure to recommended practices. Results showed that children who made greater language gains were more likely to be in classrooms that provided more frequent exposure to recommended language intervention strategies. Implicati...

Topics in Early Childhood Special Education, 1997

Despite the increasing prevalence of inclusive early education programs, little is known about th... more Despite the increasing prevalence of inclusive early education programs, little is known about the organizational configurations and contexts of these programs, or the ways in which they are viewed by those who develop and use them. This article describes several lessons learned from a qualitative study of inclusive preschool programs. The lessons focus on the meanings of inclusion as it relates to the organizational and social contexts experienced and perceived by families, educators, and administrators. Implications for the field are discussed with regard to ideology and policy enactment, developmental appropriateness of organizations and curricula, and the configuration of programs and services.

Topics in Early Childhood Special Education, 2001

The purpose of this study was to examine the instructional costs of inclusive and traditional non... more The purpose of this study was to examine the instructional costs of inclusive and traditional noninclusive special education services for preschool children with disabilities. Cost information was collected from five local education agencies in different parts of the country that provided inclusive and traditional special education service options. Within-agency comparisons suggested that inclusive models were generally less expensive or comparable in cost to traditional forms of special education. Cost features, such as salaries, childcare tuition, equipment, materials, transportation, administration, and building costs were associated differently with different models. The difficulty in collecting cost information on noninstructional costs, the relatively mild degree of disabilities of children in the study, and potentially different groups of children enrolled in inclusive and traditional models were noted as limitations of this study.

Topics in Early Childhood Special Education, 1991

Recently, many educators have advocated the use of the Developmentally Appropriate Practice appro... more Recently, many educators have advocated the use of the Developmentally Appropriate Practice approach in preschool programs for young children who are developing normally, as well as for young children with special needs. This article reviews the rationales and basic premises of both the Developmentally Appropriate Practice approach and early childhood special education. We highlight areas in which developmentally appropriate practice guidelines overlap those of early childhood special education. We also point out the insufficiencies of these guidelines for planning, carrying out, and evaluating early childhood special education programs. We provide a selective literature review to clarify issues that still separate the two areas and discuss the implications of these divisions for future integration efforts. Finally, we offer suggestions for standards that should guide the evaluation of all programs that serve young children with disabilities.

Journal of Early Intervention, 2011

Over the past 25 years, we have learned a great deal about the diagnosis, treatment, and impact o... more Over the past 25 years, we have learned a great deal about the diagnosis, treatment, and impact of autism spectrum disorders (ASD) on young children and their families. The authors describe several overarching themes that have emerged in the educational research on young children with ASD. The focus of their article is on education-based research because public education remains the one comprehensive service to which all children with ASD are entitled to free of charge. Four themes (i.e., inclusion, systematic and effective instruction, intensity, and social context) are described in terms of the major findings and impact on policy and practices. The authors conclude with a summary of implications for future research for the next 25 years.

The American Journal of Occupational Therapy, 2004

Physical Therapy, 2002

Background and Purpose. Physical therapists and occupational therapists frequently use adaptive s... more Background and Purpose. Physical therapists and occupational therapists frequently use adaptive seating devices to improve stability in sitting for children with neuromotor impairments. The purpose of this study was to examine the effects of a contoured foam seat (CFS) on postural alignment and on the ability of infants with neuromotor impairments to engage with toys. Parental perceptions regarding the use and effects of the CFS also were assessed via semistructured interviews. Subjects. Subjects were 4 infants, ages 9 to 18 months, who were unable to sit independently. Method. A time-series, alternating-treatments design was used, with data collected under 3 conditions: (1) a regular highchair, (2) a regular highchair with a thin foam liner, and (3) a CFS used as an insert in a regular highchair. The primary dependent measures were postural alignment and engagement with toys. Engagement with toys was defined as percentage of intervals with 2 hands on a toy and percentage of interva...