East Tennessee State University Digital Commons @ East Tennessee State University Electronic Theses and Dissertations Student Works 12-2010 Educational Interventions for Children with Autism Spectrum Disorders: Perceptions of Parents and Teachers in a Northeast Tennessee School System. Paula Anderson Nickels East Tennessee State University Follow this and additional works at: https://dc.etsu.edu/etd Part of the Educational Sociology Commons, and the Special Education and Teaching Commons Recommended Citation Nickels, Paula Anderson, "Educational Interventions for Children with Autism Spectrum Disorders: Perceptions of Parents and Teachers in a Northeast Tennessee School System." (2010). Electronic Theses and Dissertations. Paper 1753. https://dc.etsu.edu/etd/ 1753 This Dissertation - Open Access is brought to you for free and open access by the Student Works at Digital Commons @ East Tennessee State University. 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Educational Interventions for Children with Autism Spectrum Disorders: Perceptions of Parents and Teachers in a Northeast Tennessee School System _____________________ A dissertation presented to the faculty of the Department of Educational Leadership and Policy Analysis East Tennessee State University In partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree Doctor of Education _____________________ by Paula Anderson Nickels December 2010 _____________________ Dr. Eric Glover, Chair Dr. Cecil Blankenship Dr. Virginia Foley Dr. Pamela Scott Keywords: Autism Spectrum Disorder, Pervasive Developmental Disorder, Teaching Methods, Intervention, Parent Perceptions, Teacher Perceptions ABSTRACT Educational Interventions for Children with Autism Spectrum Disorders: Perceptions of Parents and Teachers in a Northeast Tennessee School System by Paula Anderson Nickels This qualitative case study investigated the perceptions of parents of children with autism spectrum disorders (ASD), special education teachers, and general education teachers in a Northeast Tennessee public school system regarding educational interventions for children with ASD including what interventions they have found effective, the barriers and challenges they have faced, and how they view their relationships with one another. Data were collected through interviews with a purposeful sample of 7 parents of 6 children with autism spectrum disorders, 8 special education teachers, and 6 general education teachers and a review of documents. Parent and teacher participants represented children at all levels on the autism spectrum, a variety of grade levels (PreK-12), and a wide range of educational placements. Data were analyzed using the constant comparison analysis method. Nine themes emerged describing parent and teacher perceptions of educational interventions they found effective for children with ASD. These themes were intensive early intervention using multiple methods; a structured learning environment; adult-mediated and peer-mediated interventions for social and communication skills; inclusion with a balance of direct services; support staff to facilitate inclusion; a functional approach to problem behaviors; alternative and augmentative communication interventions; and sensory-motor interventions. Barriers faced by 2 parents and teachers included lack of training and knowledge; lack of time; challenges caused by characteristics of ASD; problematic teacher attitudes; problematic parent attitudes; transition issues; and need for additional services. Parents and teachers described factors that facilitate positive parent-teacher relationships including collaboration, teamwork, and support; on-going communication; IEP Team processes; and positive teacher relationships with autistic children. The current study helps to fill a gap in the existing research literature by adding to knowledge about parent and teacher perceptions of educational interventions for children with ASD. Recommendations are made based on study findings to provide parents and teachers with insights from other points of view that can facilitate mutual collaboration in meeting the educational needs of children with ASD. 3 DEDICATION This study is dedicated with deep love and affection to my family. The race could not have been run nor the finish line crossed without your faithful love and support. First and foremost, to my precious husband Mark. Thank you for believing in me, supporting me, and cheering me on throughout this journey. You are my best friend and soul- mate, the love of my life. Thank you for sharing my hopes and dreams and undergirding me with endless patience and encouragement. I cannot tell you how much I appreciate everything you have done for me and all that you have sacrificed to help me achieve my goal. I thank God every day for the gift of your unconditional love that sustains me, nourishes me, and gives me more joy than you will ever know. To my beloved father and the memory of my mother. Dad, I am so very thankful that you are there to see me reach this goal. You and Mother instilled in me a love of learning and a passion for excellence that is part of the fabric and fiber of my being and a major reason I undertook this endeavor. During phone conversations and our times together you have always asked about my studies and expressed your interest and belief in me. Your encouragement has meant the world to me. Thank you, Dad, for blessing me with the most valuable gift a daughter could ever receive, that of knowing my father loves me and is proud of me. To my son John Mark. I cannot thank you enough for all that you have done to make my dream come true. When it was my turn to pursue a lifelong ambition, you were there for me with your generous love and support. As I cross the finish line and reach for the prize, I look to the sidelines knowing you are there as one of my biggest fans. Without you my dearest son none of this would have been possible. Thank you from the depths of my heart. To my sisters and all the rest of my family. Thank you for all your kind words of encouragement and for spurring me on by being such outstanding role models yourselves in numerous, multi-facetted ways. I thank God for each and every one of you and the countless ways He has blessed my life through such an amazing family. 4 ACKNOWLEDGMENTS I wish to express my appreciation to all the faculty in the Department of Educational Leadership and Policy Analysis at East Tennessee State University. They have inspired me with their wealth of knowledge, their dedication to excellence, and the outstanding quality of their educational leadership. I am especially grateful to Dr. Eric Glover, my advisor and dissertation chair, whose mentorship, personal interest, and kind words of encouragement have been invaluable to me. I am deeply grateful for the feedback, guidance, and warm support he has given me throughout my studies and the dissertation process. He has given me confidence to persevere and helped to make my journey a delight. I also wish to express my gratitude to the other members of my committee. Dr. Virginia Foley and Dr. Pamela Scott have shared their wisdom as treasured teachers, providing new understandings and practical applications for my own role as an educational leader. I especially appreciate the positive encouragement, support, and gift of time they have provided throughout the dissertation process. I also wish to thank the cognate member of my committee, Dr. Cecil Blankenship, for his time and support. We share a common background and passion for special education, and I have especially relished his helpful insights from this field. I want to thank Dr. Karen Reed-Wright, my external auditor, for generously providing her time and assistance in helping me to reach this milestone. She has been a terrific resource and a welcome source of feedback and encouragement throughout this process. I am also grateful to the colleagues in my cohort. Without the friendship and support of these outstanding educators, I could not have made it to the journey’s end. Finally, I wish to express my deepest appreciation to the parents, special education teachers, and general education teachers who so generously allowed me to interview them for this study and hear their remarkable stories and experiences. 5 CONTENTS Page ABSTRACT .......................................................................................................................... 2 DEDICATION ...................................................................................................................... 4 ACKNOWLEDGMENTS .................................................................................................... 5 LIST OF TABLES ................................................................................................................ 14 Chapter 1. INTRODUCTION ........................................................................................................ 15 Purpose of the Study ................................................................................................. 19 Research Questions ................................................................................................... 19 Significance of the Study .......................................................................................... 20 Scope of the Study ...................................................................................................