Evaluating the effect of a staff training package for paraprofessionals to teach communicative behavior to students with special needs

Zanton, Jessica Joy

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https://hdl.handle.net/2142/88043 Copy

Description

Title

Evaluating the effect of a staff training package for paraprofessionals to teach communicative behavior to students with special needs

Author(s)

Zanton, Jessica Joy

Issue Date

2015-07-14

Director of Research (if dissertation) or Advisor (if thesis)

Ostrosky, Michaelene M.

Doctoral Committee Chair(s)

Ostrosky, Michaelene M.

Committee Member(s)

• Halle, James W.
• DeThorne, Laura
• Shogren, Karrie A.

Department of Study

Special Education

Discipline

Special Education

Degree Granting Institution

University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign

Degree Name

Ph.D.

Degree Level

Dissertation

Keyword(s)

• paraprofessionals
• training
• severe disabilities
• communication

Abstract

The use of paraprofessionals to support the education of students with disabilities is increasingly common in special education. Too often, paraprofessionals are expected to assume instructional roles without sufficient preparation and supervision. Children with severe disabilities reportedly receive a high percentage of their education from paraprofessionals. Because these students learn best from carefully implemented systematic instruction, receiving instruction from adults with insufficient training puts these students at a high risk of not learning the skills required for lifelong independence. In this study, these concerns were addressed by teaching paraprofessionals to facilitate communicative behavior in children with disabilities by (a) setting up salient situations that increase the likelihood of child communication, (b) allowing sufficient response time, (c) using a systematic prompting strategy, (d) providing error correction, and (e) honoring children’s requests.

Graduation Semester

2015-8

Type of Resource

text

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http://hdl.handle.net/2142/88043

Copyright and License Information

Copyright 2015 Jessica Zanton

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