Telecoaching in early intervention: supporting professionals and families of toddlers with or at risk for autism spectrum disorder

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Date
2020
Journal Title
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Volume Title
Publisher
University of Alabama Libraries
Abstract

Young children with or at risk for autism spectrum disorder (ASD) should receive early intervention services to achieve optimal outcomes, and recommended practices in early intervention reflect family centeredness, contextual learning in routines and natural environments, and supports for caregivers via a caregiver-implemented approach to intervention. Increasing evidence demonstrates gaps between recommended and actual practices in early intervention and in services for children with ASD, and discrepancies often exist between professionals’ perceptions of their practice and their actual practice, potentially contributing to an implementation gap. Distance coaching via technology, or telecoaching, has become an increasingly viable method of supporting professionals’ use of best practices in early intervention/early childhood special education (EI/ECSE). Although studies have examined the implementation of different telecoaching methods with various early childhood professionals, limited research has explored the use of telecoaching with early intervention professionals (EI professionals) in the community. The present study used a mixed-methods design to examine differences between EI professionals’ reported and actual practices and to examine bug-in-ear telecoaching versus video review telecoaching to support EI professionals’ use of recommended practices when working with families of toddlers with or at risk for ASD in early intervention. Results showed that EI professionals reported higher quality practices than they were observed using, and telecoaching is a promising, community-viable intervention to support EI professionals’ use of recommended practices.

Description
Electronic Thesis or Dissertation
Keywords
Special education, Early childhood education
Citation