Using an Individual Work System to Increase Independence for Students with Autism in a Special Education Classroom in China

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effects of an individual work system on student task engagement, prompts needed for task completion, and the accuracy in task completion for three students with ASD in a special education classroom in China. Three students with ASD (two girls and one boy, ages 8 -9) participated in this study. A multiple-probe across participants design was used. The students independently practiced the tasks acquired during pre-experimental training in a 10 to 15-min independent work session each day. The work system was implemented for 18 days during school days until all three students maintained stable performance at a high level in their task engagement. Results indicated that task engagement was improved, teacher prompts required for task completion were reduced, and accuracy in task completion was increased for all three students, as a result of the introduction of the individual work system. Such improvements were maintained at least 1 week following the completion of the intervention.