Open AccessAdventures in Direct Instruction Implementation: The Devil Is in the Details
Author(s) -
Joel L. Vidovic,
Mary C. Cornell,
Sarah E. Frampton,
M. Alice Shillingsburg
Publication year - 2021
Publication title -
behavior analysis in practice
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
eISSN - 2196-8934
pISSN - 1998-1929
DOI - 10.1007/s40617-021-00616-1
Subject(s) - reading (process) , curriculum , autism spectrum disorder , adventure , autism , psychology , mathematics education , applied behavior analysis , test (biology) , charter , process (computing) , pedagogy , medical education , computer science , developmental psychology , medicine , political science , artificial intelligence , paleontology , law , biology , operating system
This article tells the story of how a public charter school serving students with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) adopted Direct Instruction (DI) as their primary form of instruction. The journey from recognizing the need for evidence-based curriculum focused on academic skills to integrating DI on a daily basis was outlined using a common implementation framework. We measured results of the implementation process on student outcomes using reading scores obtained from the Kaufman Test of Educational Achievement (KTEA-II Brief). Results for 67 students who participated in a DI reading program for at least 2 years suggest that the implementation of DI led to significantly improved reading scores; with some students demonstrating greatly accelerated rates of learning for their age. Our study suggests that the road to adoption of DI may be long, but the results are powerful for the individuals served. We offer our steps to implementation as a guide and resource to educators and behavior analysts eager to utilize DI in their settings.