Efficacy of web-based professional development with and without coaching on teaching skills of special education teachers' and their students' outcomes

This study compared the effectiveness and efficiency of (a) web-based professional development with and without coaching on teaching special education teachers of students with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) to use the Social Stories and video modelling interventions and (b) Social Stories and video modelling interventions on teaching safety skills in their students with ASD. Moreover, the opinions of teachers and parents of students were also examined as the social validity of the study. Three certified special education teachers and their students with autism spectrum disorders participated in this study. An adapted alternating treatments design was used twice simultaneously in a nested manner to compare the differential effects of (a) web-based professional development with and without coaching on teaching the use of Social Stories and video modelling to the special education teachers of students with ASD and (b) social stories and video modeling on teaching safety skills to these students. Findings showed web-based professional development with and without coaching on teaching special education teachers of students with autism spectrum disorders the use of Social Stroies and video modeling interventions were almost equally effective and efficient. In addition to that Social Stories and video modelling interventions acquired were found equally effective and efficient on teaching safety skills in students with ASD. Last, both participant teachers and parents of the participating students' opinions on the study were positive in general.