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Scaling up the use of evidence-based practice (EBP) for autism across service sectors and regions has presented a considerable challenge indicating a clear need for continued development. The California Autism Professional Training and Information Network (CAPTAIN) integrates implementation drivers into specific procedures and methodology as an implementation strategy to support statewide scale up. The current study was designed to evaluate the impact of CAPTAIN on provider-level outcomes including attitude toward, and knowledge, fidelity and use of autism EBPs, and overall classroom quality. Overall, results indicated variability across measures, with some significant differences between CAPTAIN-trained and non-CAPTAIN-trained providers. CAPTAIN-trained providers reported more openness to EBP. Significantly more CAPTAIN-trained direct service providers reported collecting fidelity of implementation data (X[superscript 2](2, N = 1515) = 10.95, p = 0.004), collecting student data (X[superscript 2](2, N = 1509) = 14.19, p = 0.001), and reported using their primary EBP with "most or all students" (X[superscript 2](2, N = 1514) = 11.41, p = 0.003) than providers not trained by CAPTAIN. In summary, these preliminary findings show promise for the efficacy of the CAPTAIN model to increase dissemination and implementation of EBP at the classroom level.

BackgroundThe increase in the number of autistic children being identified has led to increased demand on public schools to provide high-quality services. Effectively scaling up evidence-based practice (EBP) use for autistic students is challenging, given the complicated organization of special education. Teachers have significant challenges implementing autism EBP with fidelity. Factors such as implementation leadership and climate and attitudes toward EBP are linked to successful EBP use and may vary at different levels of the education system. Examining mechanisms of successful implementation is a critical step to support scale-up.MethodIn this observational study, conducted from September 2018 to March 2020, California school personnel (n = 2273) at multiple levels of the system completed surveys related to implementation climate, leadership, and attitudes toward EBP. Data were collected throughout California at the Special Education Local Plan Areas, County Office of Education, and district and school levels from educators and administrators working in public schools supporting autistic students. Multi-level modeling was conducted to characterize implementation readiness.ResultsOverall, implementation climate and leadership scores are low across levels with regional levels rated more positively than districts or schools. Attitudes toward EBP were moderate, with those working in schools having the poorest ratings and specialists/trainers and related service providers (e.g., speech-language pathologists) having the highest ratings.ConclusionsOutcomes provide a unique opportunity to compare implementation factors across organizational levels with a large, statewide sample. These data provide guidance for developing implementation interventions at multiple levels of the education system to increase readiness for effective scale-up of autism EBP in schools. Personnel and leaders at different organizational levels may need differentiated training targeting improved implementation climate and leadership. Personnel within districts and schools may experience a particular benefit from leadership support for EBP implementation.

Public programs have been charged with implementation of evidence-based practices (EBPs) to improve outcomes for children with autism. However, research indicates that scale-up of EBPs poses challenges. This study identifies perceived variables linked to effective statewide scale-up of EBPs in special education by exploring implementation climate and leadership across special education organization types (e.g., schools, districts, and regional consortiums). A simultaneous QUAL + QUAN mixed methods design was employed with the primary function of convergence and triangulation. Data were drawn from focus groups with 30 special educators and a statewide survey completed by 656 school personnel in one U.S. state. In general, perceptions of implementation climate and leadership are weak in special education organizations, with strengths at regional levels focused on special education and increased challenges at the school and district levels. Implications for practice and future research are identified.

Lay abstractSupporting use of evidence-based practice in public service programs for autistic individuals is critical. The California Autism Professional Training and Information Network (CAPTAIN) brings together best practices from intervention and implementation research to support scale up of autism services. The current study was designed to evaluate the impact of CAPTAIN on provider-level outcomes including attitude toward, knowledge, fidelity, and use of autism EBPs and overall classroom quality. Overall, results indicated variability across measures, with some significant differences between CAPTAIN-trained and non-CAPTAIN-trained providers. These preliminary findings show promise for the efficacy of the CAPTAIN model to increase dissemination and implementation of EBP at the classroom level.

Autistic students benefit from child-centered goals that align with evidence-based practices (EBPs) that meet their individualized needs, however, most teachers are not trained in how to implement autism-specific EBPs. The challenges do not lie with teachers alone. Professional development (PD) providers, such as district or regional autism experts who train and coach teachers on how to implement autism-specific EBPs, face barriers accessing the needed supports to conduct high-quality PD and lack experience with individualizing their methods for training and coaching teachers. When PD providers have networks of professional support, they can potentially gain access to resources to provide successful individualized coaching for teachers. No research has measured the impact of the social networks of PD providers on their performance as coaches in classrooms for teachers of autistic students. To test the hypothesis that social network resources can impact the performance of PD providers who coach teachers how to use EBPs for their autistic students, we conducted social network analysis with PD providers. Findings suggest that network factors were associated with the self-reported performance for PD providers. PD providers who have more people in their networks who were autism EBP experts, as well as more people in their networks who supported them with how to individualize their PD efforts to specific teachers or districts, had higher performance as teacher coaches. We discuss future research about how to support network development for PD providers and policy implications.

Understanding the factors that influence the use of evidence-based practices (EBPs) for autism spectrum disorder (ASD) in schools is critical to the selection of effective implementation strategies to support their sustained use. The current study has 2 aims: (a) evaluate the association between school leadership profiles (undifferentiated and optimal) and fidelity of EBP implementation and (b) examine the role of implementation climate as a mediator in this association. Participants included 56 principals, 90 special education teachers, and 133 classroom staff from 66 elementary schools. Participants completed the Multifactor Leadership Questionnaire and Implementation Climate Scale. Teachers and staff reported on intensity (frequency) of EBP delivery, and the research team rated the accuracy (adherence) to the components of the EBP. Schools were required to implement at least 1 of 3 EBPs for ASD (discrete trial training, pivotal response training, or visual supports). Using structural equation modeling, we found that schools with optimal leadership had higher observed ratings of teacher and staff fidelity for pivotal response training accuracy (p < .05), but not for discrete trial training or visual supports. However, this association became nonsignificant with the introduction of implementation climate into the models. Optimal leadership profiles were linked to more positive teacher/staff-reported implementation climate, compared with undifferentiated profiles (p < .01), but found no association between implementation climate and fidelity. Overall, the results of this study indicate that the role of principal leadership in EBP implementation is complex, which has implications for fostering a conducive organizational implementation context in schools. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2020 APA, all rights reserved).

Research regarding variables influencing evidence-based practice implementation within school services for students with autism spectrum disorder is limited. Using qualitative methods, the current study applies the Exploration, Preparation, Implementation, and Sustainment framework to characterize factors impacting the implementation of practices for students with autism spectrum disorder across urban and rural school districts. The guiding questions of the study include: (1) Are contextual factors perceived as barriers or facilitators, and do these perceptions vary by district location? and (2) What are the key factors impacting implementation across the Exploration, Preparation, Implementation, and Sustainment phases? Focus group participants (n = 33) were service providers to children with autism spectrum disorder from urban- and rural-located school districts. Several personnel-related themes (attitudes and buy-in, knowledge and skills, staffing, and burnout) were shared by participants representing both urban and rural districts. However, some themes related to system and organizational factors (leadership approval, support and expectations, district structure, competing priorities, time for effective professional development, litigation and due process, and materials and resources) differed between the district locations. This project serves as an initial step in understanding the current process of evidence-based practice implementation within the school context and may help identify intervention targets to include in implementation planning.

Public programs have been charged with implementation of evidence-based practices (EBPs) to improve outcomes for children with autism. However, research indicates that scale-up of EBPs poses challenges. This study identifies perceived variables linked to effective statewide scale-up of EBPs in special education by exploring implementation climate and leadership across special education organization types (e.g., schools, districts, and regional consortiums). A simultaneous QUAL + QUAN mixed methods design was employed with the primary function of convergence and triangulation. Data were drawn from focus groups with 30 special educators and a statewide survey completed by 656 school personnel in one U.S. state. In general, perceptions of implementation climate and leadership are weak in special education organizations, with strengths at regional levels focused on special education and increased challenges at the school and district levels. Implications for practice and future research are identified. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]