An evaluation of a self-instructional package for teaching tutors to conduct discrete-trials teaching with children with autism

Abstract

The present study examined the effectiveness of a self-instructional package for teaching discrete-trials teaching (DTT) to Applied Behaviour Analysis tutors at the St.Amant Applied Behaviour Analysis Program for Children with Autism. A modified multiple- baseline design across participants was used, and replicated six times. An AB design was used for one participant. The training package include a self-instructional manual, video demonstrations, and self-practice. Participants required an average of 3 hours and 56 minutes to master the manual. Eleven of the 13 participants achieved the mastery criterion during the post-training assessment. Mean DTT accuracy increased from 46.2% to 85.5% (a statistically significant increase). One tutor participated in a generalization phase with a child with autism, and their DTT accuracy averaged 80.1%. The results suggest that the self-instructional package appears to be an effective tool for teaching newly-hired tutors to conduct DTT.