Affiliations: [a]
University of North Carolina at Charlotte, Department of Special Education and Child Development, Charlotte, NC, USA
| [b]
University of Kansas, Department of Special Education, Lawrence, KS, USA
| [c]
Portland State University, Special Education Department, Portland, OR, USA
Correspondence:
[*]
Address for correspondence: Leslie Ann Bross, PhD, University of North Carolina at Charlotte, Department of Special Education and Child Development, 9201 University City Blvd, Charlotte, NC 28223-0001, USA. Tel.: +1 816 719 6546; E-mail: [email protected].
Abstract: BACKGROUND:Young adults with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) frequently experience barriers to competitive integrated employment. Established evidence-based practices (EBPs) for individuals with ASD may serve as an effective training method to enhance the employment experiences of this population. OBJECTIVE:This study examined the effects of a packaged intervention consisting of corporate-created video modules, repeated practice with prompting and reinforcement, and social narratives to enhance the on-task work performance of a competitively employed young adult with ASD. METHODS:One male with ASD, age 20 years, was employed as a grocery store courtesy clerk and participated in this study. The intervention package was implemented at the beginning of his work shift. A co-worker was trained to implement the package as a means to generalize to natural intervention agents in the employment setting. An ABAB withdrawal design with probe sessions was utilized to evaluate the effects of the intervention package. RESULTS AND CONCLUSIONS:Results indicated improved on-task work performance to 80% or higher on work shifts the intervention package was implemented. Established EBPs can be used to enhance the job performance of young adults with ASD. Co-workers can also be trained to provide support to employees with ASD. Limitations and suggestions for future research are discussed with particular emphasis on studies in competitive integrated employment contexts.
Keywords: Autism spectrum disorder, competitive integrated employment, evidence-based
practices, postschool outcomes, single subject research
