OARacle Newsletter

In October 2024, OAR’s Board of Directors authorized funding for six applied autism research grants and one autism resource grant. The new research grants total $338,844, bringing OAR’s total research funding to $5.3 million since 2002. This article is the fifth of the previews to be featured in The OARacle this year.

Over half of autistic students display challenging behavior in the classroom according to recent research. Evidence suggests that evaluating the reason, or function, for the challenging behavior and then teaching and reinforcing an appropriate replacement behavior significantly improves student behavior.

Enter the function-based behavior support plan. A function-based behavior support plan is an empirically supported, evidence-based tool that can help teachers deal with challenging behavior. If teachers can use evidence-based, proven practices, they can reduce negative outcomes, like strained relationships between teacher and student, the use of restraint and seclusion, and being removed from or not included in general education classrooms.

However, teachers often don’t receive effective training on how to design and implement function-based behavioral interventions. In addition, most function-based behavior support plans are based on the science of applied behavior analysis (ABA), which some autistic adults believe is responsible for detrimental mental health impacts. A related issue is that interventionists and researchers do not consider autistic students’ perceptions of the goals, procedures, and outcomes of behavioral interventions. Researchers in a 2024 study found that social validity data were collected from directly from autistic consumers in less than 20% of cases.

Megan Carpenter, Ph.D., BDCA-D, and Lydia Beahm, Ph.D., BCBA, will lead a 14-month OAR-funded study, Socially Valid Behavior Support Plans for Students with Autism, to develop and deliver an eight-session professional development series, based on the ECHO for Education Initiative model. The series will provide educators with the knowledge and skills to develop and implement socially valid function-based behavior support plans that improve the school experiences for autistic students. Autistic adults will serve as consultants for the project.

The study’s goals are to:

• Further knowledge of what constitutes socially valid function-based behavior support plans from the perspective of autistic individuals
• Increase teachers’ knowledge, confidence, and usage of skills to design and implement socially valid behavior support plans
• Improve rural educators’ access to experts in autism

Methodology

This study will be conducted in two phases:

• Phase 1: The research team will collaborate with autistic young adults to identify and define socially valid, evidence-based processes and practices for developing and implementing function-based behavior support plans. They will use the information to develop the series for educators. The autistic consultants will review the series and provide feedback.
• Phase 2: Educators will be invited to participate in the series to learn more about supporting autistic students and developing and implementing socially valid, evidence-based, function-based behavior support plans. The research team will collect social validity data from the autistic consultants and educators to ensure all interested parties positively perceive the training and practices.

Dr. Beahm is an assistant professor at Clemson University. As a former special education teacher, she has extensive experience working with autistic individuals in the elementary setting. Her research focuses on improving the feasibility of evidence-based practices for classroom and behavior management, analysis of social validity in behavioral research, developing high-quality online support for educators, and implementing social-emotional learning curricula in the classroom.

Dr. Carpenter is a research fellow at Clemson University. Her research focuses on supporting educators to implement positive behavioral supports to promote access to and participation in inclusive educational settings for students with extensive support needs, including those with autism, intellectual disability, and multiple disabilities.

Phase 1: Drs. Beahm and Carpenter will use a qualitative research design to identify and define socially valid processes and practices for developing and implementing function-based behavior support plans. The will hire autistic young adults with varying support needs as consultants. Consultants must have received ABA services and/or had a behavior support plan during their K-12 school experiences.

The autistic young adults will provide feedback on which practices are socially valid or how to adapt practices to increase social validity. The researchers will ask the consultants questions to understand their perspectives on:

• Whether the suggested practices should be used
• Any adaptations needed to the practice
• What other practices they should consider

The researchers will use universal design for learning principles to ensure that:

• Meetings are accessible, with supports like written, oral, and video examples of the suggested practices and increased wait time
• Multiple methods of expressive communication are accessible to all consultants
• Practices and questions are provided ahead of time to all consultants

Phase 2: Drs. Carpenter and Beahm will recruit 50 K-12 educators who support autistic students or support other educators who support autistic students. Educators may work in any public, charter, or private school in the United States. Half of the educators will participate in the professional development in the fall of 2025, and the other half will participate in the spring of 2026. All of the educators will complete a demographic survey that includes information about:

• Themselves: race and ethnicity, gender identity, teaching experience, educational experiences, certifications
• The school where they work: Location, percentage of students who receive free or reduced lunch, race and ethnicity of student population, type of school
• The autistic students they currently support: Level of support need, educational placement of students, age, race, and ethnicity

Each of the weekly one-hour sessions will include:

• Introductions
• A didactic presentation
• Case-based learning
• Surveys

Evaluation

In phase 1, the researchers will use qualitative analysis to analyze meeting recordings and shared notes in order to identify the types of interventions that should be used and ensure the data accurately represents the consultants’ thoughts. They will use the data to identify specific practices to include in the professional development series. Once the series schedule is developed, we will share it with the consultants and make adjustments. Only evidence-based practices that were positively perceived by the autistic consultants will be included in the series.

In phase 2, Drs. Beahm and Carpenter will use a quantitative, waitlist control trial with pre- and post-surveys to understand the impact of the professional development series on educators’ perceived knowledge, confidence, and usefulness of the practices identified in phase 1. During the final ECHO training session, teachers will fill out a ratings form to share their perceptions of the series.

Outcomes

This study will evaluate a professional development series that offers socially valid, evidence-based practices for autistic students. Because the researchers are including the perspectives of autistic consultants, they expect that educators will be more willing to implement the practices. Additionally, the study will highlight the value of collaborating with autistic individuals. The study may also identify some commonly used evidence-based practices that should be modified to meet autistic individuals’ needs.

With educators who are better informed and prepared as a result of the series, autistic students will have increased access to socially acceptable behavioral supports that improve their in-school experiences, including relationships with their peers and access to more inclusive educational settings.

Sherri Alms is the freelance editor of The OARacle, a role she took on in 2007. She has been a freelance writer and editor for more than 20 years.