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Scripted and Unscripted Science Lessons for Children with Autism and Intellectual Disability
Victoria F Knight1,2, Belva Collins3, Amy D Spriggs4
1Vanderbilt University, 230 Appleton Place, Nashville, TN, 37203, USA. Vicki.knight@vanderbilt.edu.
Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders
|March 1, 2018
Summary
Unscripted science lessons were as effective as scripted ones for students with intellectual disability and autism spectrum disorder, but were more efficient and preferred by teachers.
Area of Science:
- Special Education
- Science Education
- Learning Disabilities
Background:
- Scripted and unscripted lessons are effective for teaching science to students with intellectual disability (ID) and autism spectrum disorder (ASD).
- Task analysis is a key instructional strategy for this population.
Purpose of the Study:
- To evaluate the efficacy, efficiency, and teacher preference of scripted versus unscripted task-analyzed science lessons for students with ID and ASD.
- To compare student outcomes, sessions to criterion, and lesson duration between the two lesson formats.
Main Methods:
- Elementary science curriculum lessons were implemented in both scripted and unscripted task-analyzed formats.
- Student science comprehension was assessed.
- Sessions to criterion and average lesson duration were measured.
Main Results:
- Both lesson formats demonstrated equal effectiveness in improving student science comprehension.
- Unscripted task-analyzed lessons were more efficient, requiring fewer sessions to reach criterion.
- Teachers expressed a preference for the unscripted lesson format.
Conclusions:
- Unscripted task-analyzed lessons offer a potentially more efficient and teacher-preferred approach to science instruction for students with ID and ASD.
- Findings support the use of flexible, unscripted instructional strategies in special education.
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