SDLMI + UNITED Strategy for Autism (SDLMI Trial)

Palo Alto (17 mi)

Age: Any Age

Sex: Any

Travel: May be covered

Time Reimbursement: Varies

Trial Phase: N/A

Waitlist Available

Sponsor: Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA)

No Placebo Group

Trial Summary

What is the purpose of this trial?The AIRB research team will compare the use and effectiveness of each intervention (Mind the Gap, Remaking Recess and Self Determined Learning Model of Instruction) with and without the addition of our implementation strategy, UNITED. In all groups, the research team will train community practitioners using remote delivery of professional development modules specific to the intervention and active coaching as dictated by the intervention procedures. The research team will pair UNITED with three interventions that cover the ages of early childhood, childhood, and adolescence. These include Mind the Gap (MTG), a family navigation intervention for children newly diagnosed under age 8, Remaking Recess (RR), a school-based social/peer engagement intervention for children ages 5-12, and Self-Determination Learning Model of Instruction (SDMLI), a self-advocacy intervention for adolescents (13-22 years; 22 is the upper age limit of high school for individuals with disabilities). For the SDLMI, school personnel will be trained to work with adolescents with ASD using the SDLMI model. This model will help students with ASD set their own goals and help attain them. The total time commitment for the school personnel is 1 school year (2 semesters) for about 47 hours. The total time commitment for the parent of the student with ASD is about 1 hour (sign consent/fill out demographic survey). The total time commitment for the student with ASD is 1 school year (2 semesters) for about 25.25 hours.

Eligibility Criteria

This trial is for school staff and adolescents aged 13-19 with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) or Neurodevelopmental Disorders (NDD), from under-resourced families. Eligible participants include those attending Title I schools, have a family income below 250% of the federal poverty guidelines, and have an official ASD/NDD diagnosis.

Exclusion Criteria

My parent or caregiver is not willing to participate.

Treatment Details

The AIRB-4 study tests the Self-Determined Learning Model of Instruction (SDLMI) for adolescents with ASD. It involves training school personnel to help students set and achieve their own goals over one school year, requiring about 47 hours from staff and around 25 hours from students.

2Treatment groups

Experimental Treatment

Active Control

Group I: UNITEDExperimental Treatment1 Intervention

UNITED is premised on the idea that successful implementation in organizations like schools and early intervention systems requires a team-based approach, in which the team is thoughtfully assembled, develops a plan for implementation, assigns roles and responsibilities, and carefully tracks and supports implementation and sustainment in all its stages within a few meetings and ongoing coaching from the research staff.

Group II: Implementation as Usual (IAU)Active Control1 Intervention

The organizations will implement SDLMI as usual. The research team will be available to provide support on the SDLMI intervention as needed.