Supporting teachers of children with autism using distance education and video portfolios

Rural Special Education Quarterly, Fall 2002 by Zahn, Gail, Buchanan, Michelle

The video clip that accompanied the script provided a visual example of the child using the supports described to function independently and appropriately in the classroom. Ideally, the teacher would continue to videotape the child throughout the year to provide follow-up training for staff and documentation of progress.

Conclusion

Wyoming is faced with addressing the needs of a growing population of students with autism. Providing adequate training for teachers of students with autism in the remote areas found in Wyoming, requires the use of a variety of distance education media. The Autism Training Initiative (ATTAIN) provided an alternative to traditional distance education practices with the use of video. The use of videotape helped to overcome the limitation to direct observation of emerging skills by providing an alternative to on-site observation of field experiences of teachers in training.

Maintaining a video portfolio during training was of use to both the teacher participating in the training and the individual delivering training. The video portfolios developed by ATTAIN participants provided insight into adjusting instruction to meet an individual child's needs and generated knowledge of the child's progress in learning by examining growth on a specific task. Used in this way, the video portfolio helped blend assessment and instruction into one circular process. For these reasons, video portfolios have been a critical factor in the success of the ATTAIN training program.

The success of the distance education model developed for ATTAIN influenced the development of similar training programs currently offered through the University of Wyoming. In particular, instruction in a number of low incidence disability areas is now being offered in Wyoming's early intervention program using this model.

References

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