Students with autism spectrum disorder have been found to experience difficulty with reading comprehension despite intact decoding and word recognition. This identified need for targeted reading comprehension remediation results in a need for teachers to utilize research-based practices and to individualize instruction for students with autism spectrum disorder; however, teachers report a lack of access to such practices. This study utilized survey methodology to gather perceptions and experiences of teachers and to compare teacher preparedness to use effective instructional practices emerging from the extant research to teacher-reported effective practices in the classroom. Study findings, based on 112 participants, reveal a discrepancy between teacher-reported effective practices, and the practices identified as effective through research, indicating a research to practice gap. Implications for practice include professional development recommendations, and the need for increased communication between researchers and teachers.
AccardoAL (2015) Research synthesis: effective practices for improving the reading comprehension of students with autism spectrum disorder. DADD Online Journal2(1): 7–20.
2.
AccardoALFinneganEGGulkusSPet al. (2017) Teaching reading comprehension to learners with autism spectrum disorder: predictors of teacher self-efficacy and outcome expectancy. Psychology in the Schools54(3): 309–323.
3.
AdamsCNJarroldC (2009) Inhibition and the validity of the stroop task for children with autism. Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders30(8): 1112–1121.
4.
BanduraA (1986) Social Foundations of Thought and Action: A Social Cognitive Theory. Upper Saddle River, NJ: Prentice Hall.
5.
BanduraA (1997) Self-Efficacy: The Exercise of Control. New York: W. H. Freeman & Company.
6.
BasilCReyesS (2003) Acquisition of literacy skills by children with severe disability. Child Language Teaching and Therapy19: 27–48.
7.
BrowderDGibbsSAhlgrim-DelzellLet al. (2009) Literacy for students with severe disabilities: what should we teach and what do we hope to achieve?Remedial and Special Education30(5): 269–282.
8.
BrowderDMCooper-DuffyK (2003) Evidence-based practices for learners with severe disabilities and the requirement for accountability in “no child left behind.”The Journal of Special Education37(3): 157–163.
9.
BrownHMOram-CardyJJohnsonA (2013) A meta-analysis of the reading comprehension skills of individuals on the autism spectrum. Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders43: 932–935.
10.
BurnsMKYsseldykeJE (2009) Reported prevalence of evidence-based instructional practices in special education. The Journal of Special Education43(1): 3–11.
11.
BusbyRIngramRBowronRet al. (2012) Teaching elementary children with autism: addressing teacher challenges and preparation needs. Rural Educator33(2): 27–35.
12.
CarnahanCRWilliamsonPS (2013) Does compare-contrast text structure help students with autism spectrum disorder comprehend science text?Exceptional Children79: 347–363.
13.
CarnahanCRWilliamsonPSChristmanJ (2011) Linking cognition and literacy in learners with autism spectrum disorder. TEACHING Exceptional Children43(6): 54–62.
14.
ChiangHLinY (2007) Reading comprehension instruction for students with autism spectrum disorders: a review of the literature. Focus on Autism and Other Developmental Disabilities22(4): 259–267.
15.
ColleLBaron-CohenSHillJ (2007) Do children with autism have a theory of mind? A non-verbal test of autism vs. specific language impairment. Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders37: 716–723.
16.
CookBGSmithGJTankersleyM (2012) Evidence-based practices in education. In: HarrisKRGrahamSUrdanT (eds) APA Educational Psychology Handbook. Washington, DC: American Psychological Association, pp.495–528.
17.
CookBGTankersleyMCookL (2008) Nonexperimental quantitative research and its role in guiding instruction. Intervention in School and Clinic44(2): 98–104.
18.
CreswellJW (2013) Qualitative Inquiry & Research Design: Choosing among Five Approaches. Los Angeles, CA: SAGE.
19.
EnochsLGSmithLPHuinkerD (2000) Establishing factorial validity of the mathematics teaching efficacy beliefs instrument. School Science and Mathematics100(4): 194–202.
20.
FloresMMGanzJB (2007) Effectiveness of direct instruction for teaching statement inference, use of facts, and analogies to learners with developmental disabilities and reading delays. Focus on Autism and Other Developmental Disabilities22(4): 244–251.
21.
FloresMMGanzJB (2009) Effects of direct instruction on the reading comprehension of learner with autism and disabilities. Education and Training in Developmental Disabilities44(1): 39–53.
22.
GutsteinSEWhitneyT (2002) Asperger syndrome and the development of social competence. Focus on Autism and Other Developmental Disabilities17(3): 161–171.
23.
HappéFFrithU (2006) The weak coherence account: detail-focused cognitive style in autism spectrum disorders. Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders36(1): 5–25.
24.
HornerRHCarrEGHalleJet al. (2005) The use of single-subject research to identify evidence-based practice in special education. Exceptional Children71(2): 165–179.
25.
HuaYHendricksonJMTherrienWJet al. (2012) Effects of combined reading and question generation on reading fluency and comprehension of three young adults with autism and intellectual disability. Focus on Autism and Other Developmental Disabilities27(3): 135–146.
26.
HuemerSVMannV (2010) A comprehensive profile of decoding and comprehension in autism spectrum disorders. Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders40(4): 485–493.
27.
JennettHKHarrisSLMesibovGB (2003) Commitment to philosophy, teacher efficacy, and burnout among teachers of children with autism. Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders33(6): 583–593.
28.
KampsDMBarbettaPMLeonardBRet al. (1994) Classwide peer tutoring: An integration strategy to improve reading skills and promote peer interactions among learners with autism and general education peers. Journal of Applied Behavior Analysis27(1): 49–61.
29.
KampsDMLeonardBPotucekJet al. (1995) Cooperative learning groups in reading: An integration strategy for learners with autism and general classroom peers. Behavioral Disorders: Journal of the Council for Children with Behavioral Disorders21(1): 89–109.
30.
KarabayAKusdemir-KayranBIsikD (2015) The investigation of pre-service teachers’ perceptions about critical reading self-efficacy. Eurasian Journal of Educational Research59: 227–246.
31.
KnightVFSartiniE (2015) A comprehensive literature review of comprehension strategies in core content areas for students with autism spectrum disorder. Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders45: 1213–1229.
32.
KratochwillTRHitchcockJHHornerRHet al. (2013) Single-case intervention research design standards. Remedial and Special Education34: 26–38.
33.
KretlowAGBlatzSL (2011) The ABCs of evidence-based practice for teachers. TEACHING Exceptional Children43(5): 8–19.
34.
LanterEWatsonLREricksonKAet al. (2012) Emergent literacy in children with autism: An exploration of developmental and contextual dynamic processes. Language, Speech, and Hearing Services in Schools43: 308–324.
35.
MaytonMRWheelerJJMenendezALet al. (2010) An analysis of evidence-based practices in the education and treatment of learners with autism spectrum disorders. Education and Training in Autism and Developmental Disabilities45(4): 539–551.
36.
McIntyreNSSolariEJGrimmRPet al. (2017) A comprehensive examination of reading heterogeneity in students with high functioning Autism: distinct reading profiles and their relation to autism symptom severity. Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders47(4): 1086–1101.
37.
MazzottiVLRoweDRTestDW (2012) Navigating the evidence-based practice maze: resources for teachers of secondary learners with disabilities. Intervention in School and Clinic48(3): 159–166.
38.
MimsPJHudsonMEBrowderDM (2012) Using read-alouds of grade-level biographies and systematic prompting to promote comprehension for learners with moderate and severe developmental disabilities. Focus on Autism and Other Developmental Disabilities27(2): 67–80.
39.
MylesBSHilgenfeldTDBarnhillGPet al. (2002) Analysis of reading skills in individuals with Asperger syndrome. Focus on Autism and Other Developmental Disabilities17(1): 44–47.
40.
National Institute of Child Health and Human Development (NICHD) (2000) Report of the National Reading Panel. Teaching children to read: An evidence-based assessment of the scientific research literature on reading and its implications for reading instruction. (NIH Publication No. 00-4769). Washington, DC: U.S. Government Printing Office.
41.
NationKClarkPWrightBet al. (2006) Patterns of reading ability in children with autism spectrum disorder. Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders36(7): 911–919.
42.
NorburyCF (2004) Factors supporting idiom comprehension in children with communication disorders. Journal of Speech, Language, and Hearing Research47(5): 1179–1193.
43.
OdomSLBrantlingerEGerstenRet al. (2005) Research in special education: scientific methods and evidence-based practices. Exceptional Children71(2): 137–148.
44.
PutnamJGunnings-MotonSSharpC (2009) Leadership through Professional Learning Communities. Boston, MA: McGraw-Hill Learning Solutions.
45.
ReichowBVolkmarFRCicchettiDV (2008) Development of the evaluative method for evaluating and determining evidence-based practices in autism. Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders31: 1311–1399.
46.
RickettsJ (2011) Research review: reading comprehension in developmental disorders of language and communication. The Journal of Child Psychology and Psychiatry52(11): 1111–1123.
47.
RouxCDionEBarretteAet al. (2015) Efficacy of an intervention to enhance reading comprehension of students with high-functioning autism spectrum disorder. Remedial and Special Education36(3): 131–142.
48.
RubleLATolandMDBirdwhistellJLet al. (2013) Preliminary study of the autism self-efficacy scale for teachers. Research in Autism Spectrum Disorders7: 1151–1159.
49.
RubleLAUsherELMcGrewJH (2011) Preliminary investigation of the sources of self-efficacy among teachers of students with autism. Focus on Autism and Other Developmental Disabilities26(2): 67–74.
50.
SandholtzJHRingstaffC (2014) Inspiring instructional change in elementary school science: the relationship between enhanced self-efficacy and teacher practices. Journal of Science Teacher Education25: 729–751.
51.
SimonsenBShawSFFraggella-LubyMet al. (2010) A schoolwide model for service delivery: redefining special educators as interventionists. Remedial and Special Education31(1): 17–23.
52.
SolisMMcCulleyLZeinFE (2013) An alternating treatments comparison of reading comprehension interventions for learners with autism spectrum disorders. Presentation given at The Meadows Center, Texas.
53.
SpoonerFKnightVFBrowderDMet al. (2011) Evidence-based practice for teaching academics to learners with severe developmental disabilities. Remedial and Special Education33(6): 374–387.
54.
StringfieldSGLuscreDGastDL (2011) Effects of a story map on accelerated reader postreading test scores in learners with high-functioning autism. Focus on Autism and Other Developmental Disabilities26(4): 218–229.
55.
SzaboSMMokhtariK (2004) Developing a reading teaching efficacy instrument for teacher candidates: a validation study. Action in Teacher Education26(3): 59–72.
56.
TabachnickBGFidellLS (2007) Using Multivariate Statistics. 5th ed.Boston, MA: Pearson Education.
57.
WhalonKJAl OtaibaSDelanoME (2009) Evidence-based reading instruction for individuals with autism spectrum disorders. Focus on Autism and Other Developmental Disabilities24: 3–16.
58.
WhalonKJHanlineMF (2008) Effects of reciprocal questioning on the question generation and responding of children with autism spectrum disorder. Education and Training in Developmental Disabilities43(3), 367–387.
59.
WhalonKJHartJE (2011) Children with autism spectrum disorder and literacy instruction: an exploratory study of elementary inclusive settings. Remedial and Special Education32(3): 243–255.
60.
WilliamsonPCarnahanCRBirriNet al. (2015) Improving comprehension of narrative using character event maps for high school students with autism spectrum disorder. The Journal of Special Education49(1): 28–38.
61.
WilliamsonPCarnahanCJacobsJ (2012) Reading comprehension profiles of high-functioning learners on the autism spectrum: a grounded theory. Exceptional Children78(4): 449–469.
Supplementary Material
Please find the following supplemental material available below.
For Open Access articles published under a Creative Commons License, all supplemental material carries the same license as the article it is associated with.
For non-Open Access articles published, all supplemental material carries a non-exclusive license, and permission requests for re-use of supplemental material or any part of supplemental material shall be sent directly to the copyright owner as specified in the copyright notice associated with the article.
