An Intervention Strategy for Teaching a Student with ASD to Write Sentences in Response to Prompts

ABSTRACT

Students with high-functioning autism spectrum disorder (HFASD) may have difficulties with writing despite average or above-average intellectual ability. We designed an intervention strategy (Draw, Sentence, Detail, Check) to improve the ability of an 8-year-old with HFASD to write elaborated sentences in response to written prompts. We investigated the effectiveness of the strategy using a single-subject A-B-A design. Results indicated that the student’s written responses were longer and contained more details after the treatment and that gains were maintained 10 weeks later. Here we consider the intervention strategy and findings from a social cognitive perspective. We discuss theoretical and instructional implications as well as suggestions for future research.

Acknowledgments

Portions of the information in this article were presented at the Cullowhee Conference at Western Carolina University (Cullowhee, North Carolina) in March 2014 and the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association Convention (Denver, Colorado) in November 2014.