The Effects of Self-Monitoring on Teacher's Data-Based Decisions and on the Progress of Adults with Severe Mental Retardation

Abstract

An evaluation was made of the effect of self-monitoring on data-based instructional decisions. The participants were three instructors in a continuing education program for adults with severe disabilities. The instructors were concurrently enrolled in a special education graduate program with coursework in severe disabilities. The instructors utilized a standard method for data summary and guidelines for instructional decisions that they had learned through their coursework. However, baseline data indicated that the instructor's adherence to the data-based rules for making instructional decisions was inconsistent. An individual session to teach each participant to self-monitor their use of the decision rules resulted in consistent adherence to the guidelines. Concurrent improvements in progress was also observed for two of the instructor's clients.