Applied Sciences "Peer-Assisted Learning Strategies" (PALS) Evidence-Based Practices Assignment (Synthesis Matrix)
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EBPEXAMPLE.pdf
EEX 6051 – Evidence-Based Practices Assignment
Synthesis Matrix Template
Student Name: Stuart Miller
Strategy Name: Visual supports (VS) for students with disabilities.
Strategy Description:
A VS is a visual representation of scheduled tasks and activities; it is typically composed
of pictures, images, symbols, or text prompts that are arranged to depict a sequence of
steps for a specific task, or a schedule of activities and how to transition between them.
(Spriggs et al, 2015). VSs are objects that can be seen and/or held, which are used to
provide information visually to enhance an individual’s understanding of the physical
environment, people, and the social environment. They are also used to supplement
communication (Rutherford et al, 2020). For example, a commonly used VS for students
with autism is a visual timeline. This can be set up, depending on the individual’s ability
or level. The timeline could be used in a ‘now & next format or it could highlight a full
day in school. Again, depending on ability, will determine how the timeline is displayed.
It could include objects of reference, photos, symbolic picture or even text. VS have the
potential to increase understanding, reduce anxiety, facilitate participation, support
communication, and increase independence, thereby reducing the risk of challenging
behaviour and supporting inclusion (Baxter, Rutherford, & Holmes, 2015).
Thesis:
Visual supports should be utilised by educators when working with children with
disabilities in order to promote independence, aid communication and reduce the
risk of problem behaviours.
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Main Idea #1 (required)
Utilizing VS can promote independent social interaction, engagement, and communication in
students with disabilities.
Source A Source B Source C Source D
-Last name(s) of
author and year
Donato, C., Shane,
H. C., & Hemsley, B.
(2014).
-Participants studied
3 focus groups of
parents, educators
and health
professionals.
-Intervention studied
To explore the views
of key stakeholders
on using visual
supports for children
with developmental
disabilities in early
intervention group
settings.
-Last name(s) of
author and year
Akers, J. S., Higbee, T.
S., Gerencser, K. R., &
Pellegrino, A. J. (2018)
-Participants studied
Three children
diagnosed with ASD,
between the ages of 3
to 5, who attended a
university-based
preschool for
individuals with ASD,
were the target
participants in the
study. Additionally,
twelve neurotypical
children, between the
ages of 4 to 5, who
attended a university-
based early childhood
-Last name(s) of
author and year
Duttlinger, C., Ayres,
K. M., Bevill-Davis, A.,
& Douglas, K. H.
(2013).
-Participants studied
Four students were
selected for
participation in this
study based on the
following criteria: (a)
age range from 11 to
15 years; (b) cognitive
level within the mild-
moderate range of
intellectual
functioning; (c) within-
average range of
visual and auditory
functioning (based on
successfully passing
-Last name(s) of
author and year
Foster‐Cohen, &
Mirfin‐Veitch, B.
(2017
-Participants studied
23 children: 4 girls
and 19 boys,
ranging in age from
5 years 7 months to
10 years old at entry
into the project and
between 7 years 8
months and 11
years 10 months at
the finish.
Intervention studied:
The use of VS with
children with
disabilities across a
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-Findings related to
the main idea.
Participants in the
parents' focus group
reported that visual
supports were used
with their children
both at home and at
the early intervention
centre, with positive
outcomes on their
children's language,
communication,
learning, and
behaviour. The
educators reported
using visual supports
'all the time' and 'for
everything', including
within the group
setting to facilitate
children's
comprehension,
expression, and
orientation to the
sequence of
activities.
center also
participated in this
study as peer
participants.
Intervention studied:
Efficiency of VAS on
children with ASD
when learning to
engage in complex
group play.
Finding related to the
main idea:
The three target
children with ASD in
the study showed to
have learned to play
hide-and-seek as a
result of the
implementation of VS
and continued to play
appropriately even
after most of the VS
materials were
removed. Depicting,
that VS is effective in
teaching children with
ASD how to properly
engage in group play.
school system’s vision
and hearing
screenings); (d) ability
to independently
complete tasks used
in study without
supervision; (e) goals
in his or her
Individualized
Education Plan (IEP)
that included skills
emphasizing
independence in the
self-contained
classroom, general
education classroom,
and community
settings; (f) no prior
training in
independently setting
up picture prompts as
a self-management
strategy for accurately
completing multi- task
verbal directives.
Intervention studied:
The independent
creation of picture
activity schedules
mainstream primary
school.
Finding related to
the main idea:
Overall, the study
found that both
parents and
teachers embraced
the use of VS and
that there was a
positive impact in
classroom
participation and
engagement and
home routines. Not
all children
progressed as well
as others, some
were at a lower
academic level and
found accessing the
VS more difficult.
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(PAS/VS) and how
four middle school
students with
intellectual disability
used them to
complete tasks
independently.
Finding related to the
main idea:
All participants
exhibited increased
abilities to complete a
sequence of three or
five tasks following
verbal directions when
using the PAS as
compared with the
conditions where no
PAS was utilized.
Summary Paragraph(s) for Main Idea #1:
The use of VS can promote independent social interaction, engagement, and
communication in students with disabilities. In various studies, the use of VS showed an
increase in engagement within the classroom, increased abilities to complete tasks and
activities independently and improved communication (Donato et al, 2014., Akers et al,
2018., Duttlinger et al 2013., Foster‐Cohen, & Mirfin‐Veitch, 2017). Additionally, the
study by Akers et al (2018) showed that by using the VS you can teach children with
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ASD how to engage in correct social interaction while playing games together. The
three children were able to play a game of hide and seek. This ability to social play,
engage and communicate continued even when the VS were removed. VS have been
shown to help improve social interaction, engagement, and communication in children
with disabilities. The visual cues and sequencing of events reduces the anxiety by
providing a visual representation of the plan ahead.
Main Idea #2 (required)
VS can promote independence and life skills at home and/or in the community.
Source A Source B Source C Source D
-Last name(s) of
author and year
Foster‐Cohen, &
Mirfin‐Veitch. (2017)
-Participants studied
23 children: 4 girls
and 19 boys, ranging
in age from 5 years 7
months to 10 years
old at entry into the
project and between
7 years 8 months
and 11 years 10
months at the finish.
Intervention studied:
- Last name(s) of
author and year
Marshal and Mirenda
(2002)
-Participants studied
The study followed a
family of a child with
ASD - Wyatt lived at
home with his mother
and father, Laura and
Martin, and with his
younger brother, Elliott.
A respite worker
provided childcare in
the family’s home two
mornings a week and
some evenings. Wyatt
attended an inclusive
-Last name(s) of
author and year
Donato, C., Shane, H.
C., & Hemsley, B.
(2014).
-Participants studied
3 focus groups of
parents, educators
and health
professionals.
-Intervention studied
To explore the views
of key stakeholders
on using visual
This study source was downloaded by 100000790520884 from CourseHero.com on 07-18-2023 12:50:34 GMT -05:00
https://www.coursehero.com/file/122132863/EBP-Assignment-docx/
The use of VS with
children with
disabilities across a
mainstream primary
school.
Finding related to the
main idea:
Overall the study
found that both
parents and teachers
embraced the use of
VS and that there
was a positive impact
in classroom
participation and
engagement and
home routines.
Parents found that
the VS brought a
more organised and
less disruptive
approach to home
life.
preschool program for
children with autism
and their typical peers
every weekday
afternoon for 3 hours.
-Intervention studied
Combining positive
behavior support and
family-centered
intervention in home
settings.
-Findings related to the
main idea
The parents found that
they were able to
implement consistently
the use of various VP’s
to assist Wyatt through
his daily schedule. This
helped reduce the
average number of
behavioural episodes
from approximately 20
to around four or fewer
per day. The parents
also witnessed a
marked increase in
Wyatt’s attempts to do
things for himself
supports for children
with developmental
disabilities in early
intervention group
settings.
-Findings related to
the main idea.
Participants in the
parents' focus group
reported that visual
supports were used
with their children
both at home and at
the early intervention
centre, with positive
outcomes on their
children's language,
communication,
learning, and
behaviour. The
parents appreciated
knowing their child’s
communication goals
and what they could
and should expect of
their child’s
development.
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during daily routines.
The areas where they
saw these increases
were toileting, hand
washing, brushing
teeth and mealtime.
Summary Paragraph(s) for Main Idea #2:
VS can promote independence and life skills at home and/or in the community.
Numerous studies showed that when the parents who were given the instruction on how
to use VS in the home setting, they recorded increased levels of independence and
increased communication from their children with disabilities at home (Foster‐Cohen, &
Mirfin‐Veitch, 2017, Marshal and Mirenda, 2002), Donato et al, 2014). The use of VAS
has shown to prepare the individual, for the following activity or the following step within
an activity, by visually depicting and providing clear expectations to the learner of what
is to be performed next. When students are taught to utilize VAS, they can then use the
support of it in order to determine how to proceed and what to do next, and how to
remain on-task and on- schedule. Although the study carried out by Marshal & Mirenda
(2002) is dated, it showed that by parents buying into the use of VS at home, the
parents were able to witness more independence in life skills such as toileting and at
mealtime. Overall the use of VS provides children with disabilities a support that is non-
intrusive and can assist with transitioning from activity to activity or to the next step in a
chain. Home life is often less structured than an educational or clinical setting, using the
VS at home can bring about more organisation and provide the opportunities for
children to become independent. Although VS showed a positive impact at home,
Rutherford et al (2020) suggested that greater studies need to be carried out to gather
even greater evidence on VS use at home and in the community.
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References
Akers, J. S., Pyle, N., Higbee, T. S., Pyle, D., & Gerencser, K. R. (2016). A synthesis of script fading effects with individuals with autism spectrum disorder: A 20-year review. Review Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders,3, 1-17. https://doi- org.ezproxy.lib.uwf.edu/10.1007/s40489-015-0062-9
Baxter, J., Rutherford, M., & Holmes, S. (2015). The Visual Support Project (VSP): An authority-wide training, accreditation, and practical resource for education settings supporting inclusive practice. The Journal of Communication Matters, 29(2), 9–13.
Donato, C., Shane, H. C., & Hemsley, B. (2014). Exploring the feasibility of the Visual Language in Autism program for children in an early intervention group setting: Views of parents, educators, and health professionals. Developmental Neurorehabilitation, 17(2), 115–124. https://doi- org.ezproxy.lib.uwf.edu/10.3109/17518423.2014.880526
Duttlinger, C., Ayres, K. M., Bevill-Davis, A., & Douglas, K. H. (2013). The effects of a picture activity schedule for students with intellectual disability to complete a sequence of tasks following verbal directions. Focus on autism and other developmental disabilities, 28(1), 32–43. https://doi.org/10.1177/1088357612460572
Foster‐Cohen, & Mirfin‐Veitch, B. (2017). Evidence for the effectiveness of visual supports in helping children with disabilities access the mainstream primary school curriculum. Journal of Research in Special Educational Needs, 17(2), 79–86. https://doi.org/10.1111/1471-3802.12105
Marshall, J. K., & Mirenda, P. (2002). Parent-professionals collaboration for positive behaviour support in the home. Focus on Autism and Other Developmental Disabilities, 17, 216–228.
Rutherford, M., Baxter, J., Grayson, Z., Johnston, L., & O’Hare, A. (2020). Visual supports at home and in the community for individuals with autism spectrum disorders: A scoping review. Autism: The International Journal of Research and Practice, 24(2), 447–469.
Spriggs, A., van Dijk, W., & Mims, P. J. (2015). How to implement visual activity schedules for students with disabilities. DADD Online Journal: Research to Practice. Vol.2, 21-34. http://daddcec.org/Portals/0/CEC/Autism_Disabilities/Research/Publications/dec2_2 015 %20DOJ_2.pdf ISSN: 2377-3677
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