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The purpose of this systematic literature review was to summarize single-case intervention studies involving paraprofessional-implemented systematic instruction for students with disabilities. In the 19 reviewed studies, 60 paraprofessionals received training to implement systematic instruction with most learning naturalistic language strategies, least-to-most prompting, pivotal response training, or discrete trial training. Researchers delivered paraprofessional training in a majority of cases using both didactic and experiential training methods. Paraprofessionals primarily taught students with autism spectrum disorder and focused on social/communication skills in a one-to-one instructional arrangement. The majority of studies demonstrated positive effects on paraprofessional implementation of systematic instruction and student outcomes. Implications for practice, limitations, and areas for future research are addressed.

We provided a multicomponent academic vocabulary intervention to six English learners with learning difficulties in a fifth-grade general education setting. A multiple probe design across word sets and replicated across students evaluated the effects of the intervention on students’ use of expressive language to read and define content-specific academic vocabulary words. After the academic vocabulary intervention, which incorporated English as a Second Language and self-regulation procedures, students improved their abilities to read and define words above baseline levels. Students’ performance on follow-up measures at 1, 3, and 6 months revealed maintenance of positive effects. Evaluations of the intervention reflected high levels of student satisfaction. Implications for practice and further research are discussed.

As inclusive opportunities increase for students with disabilities, additional research is needed to examine high school students' classroom interactions. This descriptive study explores the nature of the social interactions of 10 high school students with intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD) in the general education classroom. Findings from our observations indicated that students with IDD interacted with peers during approximately one out of every four minutes and interacted with the general educator during one out of every 10 minutes, less than their peer comparisons' interactions with peers and teachers. Students with IDD were present (M = 89.9%) and in proximity to peers (M = 71.7%) during the majority of the class period. We discuss additional results along with practical implications, limitations, and future research directions.

Three elementary-aged boys with autism spectrum disorder who used speech-generating devices (SGD) and their paraprofessionals participated in a multiple baseline design study. This research evaluated the impact of an intervention package on interactions between the focus student and peers in three inclusive classrooms. Each paraprofessional received 35–50 min of training on strategies (e.g., identifying opportunities, prompting initiations) and self-monitoring procedures. Observational data were collected on students’ peer interactions, use of SGD, and paraprofessional prompts. Information on social validity was gathered through student interviews and staff questionnaires. Results showed increased reciprocal interactions between focus students and their peer partners and increased students’ use of SGD and gestures during peer interactions. Spillover interactions with other peers were observed in two of three classrooms. All paraprofessionals provided additional prompts to further facilitate initiations between focus students and peer partners. Social validity responses from participating students, peers, and school personnel strengthened the social importance of this study. Implications and recommendations will be provided for practitioners and researchers who wish to improve social outcomes of students who use SGD.

Social positioning involves positioning individuals with extensive support needs (ESN) in proximity to and facing a communication partner, with access to a speech-generating device (SGD). We used a multiple probe design to evaluate if social positioning would increase the symbolic and nonsymbolic communication of 10 adults with ESN when they were out of their wheelchairs. Dependent variables included (a) SGD activations, (b) eye gaze, (c) vocalizations, and (d) reaching. Visual analysis of the results indicated a functional relation between the introduction of social positioning and increased eye gaze and SGD activations of participants while maintenance data were variable. Implications for service providers and future research directions are discussed.

Determining the most effective curricula for students with severe disabilities requires increased attention as legislation and curricular changes are being made in the field of special education. This article a) reviews the legislation mandates from the 2004 Individuals with Disabilities Education Improvement Act (IDEIA) and the 2001 No Child Left Behind Act (NCLB), b) discusses evidence-based practices for a standards-based curriculum and functional curriculum, and c) examines longitudinal outcomes for students with severe disabilities. The research suggests that students working on functional skills provided through a meaningful curriculum leads to a more independent life. Recommendations for future research and discussion are also presented.

Paraeducators often support students with the most intensive academic, life, and behavioral needs, which includes students with intellectual and other developmental disabilities (IDD; e.g., autism spectrum disorder; ASD), yet they typically enter the classroom with inadequate preparation to perform their roles effectively. Using a multiple-baseline research design replicated across participants, we evaluated the effects of job-embedded bug-in-ear (BIE) coaching delivered by the teacher on paraeducators’ use of behavior specific praise (BSP) while teaching transition-age students with ASD. Findings confirmed each of the three paraeducators immediately increased the percentage of occurrence and rate per minute in which they offered BSP. They sustained these high levels during fading. Further, the special education teacher, who served as the eCoach, and the paraeducators reported BIE was an effective form of paraeducator professional development. Finally, changes in expressive social and communicative behaviors were observed in student participants as a result of the intervention. These results extend literature on BSP and also help establish BIE coaching as an evidence-based practice for paraeducators.

Four students with moderate intellectual disabilities used electronic lists delivered on an iPhone to assist them in skills related to community-based grocery shopping. An alternating treatments design was used to assist in comparing the effectiveness and efficiency of three different types of lists (Text Only, Audio + Text, and Picture + Text). Data gathered during Experiment 1 indicated that the use of pictorial lists delivered via the iPhone interface appeared to be the most effective and efficient prompting system for all participants. The iPhone based pictorial list prompting system was further evaluated to determine whether or not it would assist students to incidentally learn to read the words after multiple presentations of the picture and text. Data gathered during Experiment 2 indicated that one student learned all of the target words incidentally while another student learned most of the words as a result of using the iPhone based system alone. Two other students required use of a computer-based instructional program with simultaneous prompting to assist them in learning the target words.

Students who use augmentative and alternative communication (AAC) represent a heterogonous group with complex communication needs. AAC--including aided communication means (e.g., pictures, devices) and unaided (e.g., signs, gestures)--is often used to support students who have difficulties with speech production, language comprehension, and communication (Beukelman & Mirenda, 2013). While some students use multiple communication means (e.g., combining signs, speech, and pictures) and some students prefer a primary mode (e.g., a speech-generating device), AAC is essential in enabling expressions of needs and emotions, establishing relationships, and promoting full participation for many students with significant disabilities. However, supporting students who use AAC in inclusive classrooms continues to pose unique challenges for educational teams. This article introduces the Communicative Competence Inventory (CCI) which can be used by educators as a guide to identify challenges that prevent students from developing communicative competence and to facilitate a collaborative problem-solving process for implementing evidence-based strategies. The CCI includes four elements that are foundational to establish communicative competence of students who use AAC: students as active communicators, peers as competent communication partners, family as involved collaborators, and educators as effective facilitators. Each element has a range of three to eight questions used to assess the skill, attitude, and knowledge of the stakeholder. In this article, each of the CCI's four elements is defined and recommended solutions are presented. The final section of the article provides specific steps to implement the CCI.

This article responds to rejoinder by Courtade, Spooner, Browder, and Jimenez (2012) of our initial article (Ayres, Lowrey, Douglas, & Sievers, 2011) describing the importance in making individualized curriculum decisions for students with severe disabilities. We point out our agreements with the rejoinder (reiterating statements from our original article) while also stating overarching disagreements, responding to Courtade et al. 's seven reasons to support a standards based curriculum, and concluding with general ideas on future directions for curriculum planning, research, and implementation. We continue to advocate for developing personalized curricula that meet the needs of individual students.