Fads in Special Education: An Overview

Chapter 12By Meg Lipper

ABA 553 Assessing Autism Interventions

Author: Thomas Zane, Ph.D, BCBA

Founder and director of the Center for Applied behavior Analysis at The Sage Colleges in Troy, NY

Masters in Psychology at Western Michigan University

Doctorate in Applied behavior Analysis at West Virginia University

Licensed psychologist in NY and MA Teacher training Staff development *Evidence based practice in Autism

Introduction Parents of children with autism and other developmental

and learning disabilities are often confronted by an overwhelming selection of treatment options, most of which are not scientifically validated.

Fads Can Be Harmfulo Waste Timeo Waste Moneyo Falsely raises hope and expectationso Distract from effective treatments

Concerns About Pseudoscience

Set of ideas based on theories put forth as scientific when they are not scientific

-The Skeptic’s Dictionary (http://skepdic.com/pseudosc.html)

Not actively promoted, but it is tolerated

Consistent : “revolving door” of Fad Treatments

“Wacky” or Novel

Often fail to effectively educate children with developmental disabilities

Why are Fads Adopted as Treatments?

Consumers in the field may lacko Educationo Have lower criterion for what they consider

a valid treatment

Why are Fads Adopted as Treatments?

Recommendation by pediatrician or other doctor SchoolOther parentsMedia – Positive Public Recognition: Internet, Books,

TelevisionDo you think these sources reliably recommend

interventions based on the objectivity of the evidence?

Why are Fads Adopted as Treatments?

Parents are in a vulnerable position -Doing Something is better than doing nothing -When parents are dedicated and enthusiastic they except claims without validation.

Worrall (1990) suggested that because of the need to help students with learning and behavioral problems, there is a pressure to try any technique or strategy for which there is even minimal proof or logic to suggest effectiveness.

The Cost of Special Education Fads

Waste money that could be put towards instructional programs that have been proven effective with empirical evidence

1968 -$1,200 per pupil 1999-2000 school year $12,474 per pupil2012-2013 NJ, $15,000

o NJ Coalition for Special Education Funding Reform

o Not updated nationwide due to funding

The Cost of Special Education Fads

I'm afraid the most current national SE expenditure data is what you have so at least you can say with confidence that it is the latest available. The reason that the data have not been updated is that we don't have the funding from the government that we had for the 1999-2000 study. I have developed a personnel-based index to provide an estimate of comparative special education resource allocations across states. It does not provide a dollar amount, as in 99/00, but is a basis for comparing states. If this is of possible interest, I can send it - Tom

Tom Parrish, Ed.D.Managing Research ScientistAmerican Institutes for Research2800 Campus Drive, Suite 200San Mateo, CA 94403650 843 8119

The Cost of Special Education Fads

IDEA – Individuals with Disabilities Education Acto Federal law established 1974

o Regardless of Federal and State funding, public schools are obligated and must provide a free and appropriate education for every child with a disability.

o This law states that all educational treatments must be empirically validated.

o Law requires schools to create IEP’s to meet the needs of each student classified as disabled.

Popular Un-validated Treatments

Cognitive Skills and Academicso Irlen lenses

Reading RecoveryWhole LanguageAutism

o CST (Craniosacral Therapy)o FC (Facilitated Communication)o AIT (Auditory Integration Therapy)

Cognitive Skills & AcademicsUS department of education (2000) states

more than ½ of students labeled with a learning disability have serious reading deficiencies.

“Irlen lenses” -also known as “The Irlen Method”o Founded by Helen Irlen 1980

www.irlen.com Use of colored overlays and filters to improve

the brains ability to process visual information.

Irlen lensesThere is skepticism that scotopic sensitivity syndrom (The

Irlen Syndrom) even exists (weiss 1990).

Lack of comprehensive research data

Reading RecoveryShort term intervention of one on one tutoring for first

graders with an under developed reading skill repertoire.

“lowest – achieving” first graders

30 minute lesson each school dayo 12-20 weekso “Trained reading recovery teacher”

Whole LanguageNon-traditionalNon-phonics based

o Does not focus on specific skillsChildren need direct instructionWhole language is “learner-centered” (Goodman, 1989),

in that the student is the focus, not the content of the instruction.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8d-Ho_QRy2w

AutismASD –including Asperger, Autism, and PDD

o CST (Craniosacral Therapy)o FC (Facilitated Communication)o AIT (Auditory Integration Therapy)

Other Treatmentso Educational - ABA, Developmental Educationo Medical - Sensory Diet, Secretin o Physical - Sensory Integration

Craniosacral TherapyAlso known as:

o Cranial Manipulative Therapyo Neural Organizational Techniqueo Craniopathy

“Gentle” strategy that focuses on changing, through physical manipulation, the “craniosacral” system of the body, consisting of the cerebrospinal fluid that envelopes the brain and is contained in the spinal cord.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nHLm9knl0vE

Craniosacral TherapyCST apparently can “do it all.”

o Autismo Learning disabilities, dyslexiao ADHD, emotional difficultieso Infantile disorders, colic, bedwettingo Post-traumatic stress disorderso Orthopedic problemso Traumatic brain and spinal cord injurieso Color blindness.

(Ferreri &Wainwright, 1985: Upledger, n.d.)

Craniosacral Therapy

Any method related to chiropractic therapy is considered to be lacking a strong research base regarding effectiveness and should be judged as potentially harmful to children with autism (Gleberzon & Rosenberg-Gleberzon, 2001).

Communication and LanguageAugmentative & Alternative Communication Intervention

(e.g.; light,1999)

Uses procedures which include:o Sign languageo Computers and other electronic speaking deviceso Facilitated Communicationo PECS (Picture Exchange Communication System)

Communication and LanguageFacilitated Communication

o Augmentative communication fado Little empirical evidence to support effectivenesso No Benefit, doesn’t work

Consists of individuals tapping on a keyboard with a facilitator holding their arm, shoulder, or wrist.

Auditory Integration TherapyListen to music through headphones

Digitally modified

Eliminate sound frequencieso 20 Sessionso 30 Minutes each

http://www.aitinstitute.org/Video_Player/videos.htm

Auditory Integration TherapyGravel (1994) pointed out that there is in fact, no

difference in hearing sensitivities between children with and without autism.

Researchers have used placebo treatment along with AIT and showed that AIT is no more effective than listening to regular music or no music at all (Yencer, 1998; Zollweg, Vance, & Palm, 1997).

Minimizing Fads in the Future

Everyone in the Fieldo Special Education Teacherso Teacher Trainerso Psychologists o Therapistso All other Professionals

Trainingo Need to be trained in the scientific method, and how to use

educational strategies that have empirical basis.

Questions or Comments?

ReferenceJacobson, J.W., Foxx, R.M., & Mulick, J.A., (2005).

Controversial therapies for developmental disabilities, fad, fashion, and science in professional practice. Lawrence Erlbaum.