Effects of Embedding Special Interest Area in Instruction on the Engagement and Out-of-Seat Behaviors of Children With Autism Spectrum Disorder

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to examine the effects of embedding special interest areas (SIAs) in whole-group (WG) instruction on engagement and out-of-seat (OOS) behaviors for young children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) in general education classrooms. A multiple baseline across participants design was used to evaluate the functional relation between the SIA-embedded instruction and engagement and OOS behaviors of all three children. Non-targeted probes were conducted after every intervention session to investigate whether there was behavioral change when the SIAs were removed from instruction. Results indicated that embedding SIAs in WG instruction may increase the engagement behavior and decrease the OOS behavior of children with ASD; behavioral changes were maintained over time for all children.