Selecting Educational Interventions for Students

Selecting Evidence-Based Practices (EBPs)

• Educators need to make informed decisions about which EBPs to implement, considering factors such as strength of evidence, cost, complexity, and contextual fit.
• The selection of EBPs is a complex endeavor, requiring the prioritization of factors such as ease of implementation, knowledge required, and cost.

Factors to Consider for EBP Selection

• Strength of evidence: The level of evidence supporting the effectiveness of the EBP.
• Cost: The financial resources required to implement the EBP.
• Complexity: The number of steps required for successful implementation, materials needed, data collection demands, and training necessary to achieve fidelity.
• Contextual fit: The alignment of the EBP with the specific context, including the population of students served, existing school structures, and routines.

Implementing EBPs with Fidelity

• Fidelity involves the accurate and consistent implementation of the EBP.
• Factors to consider for implementation include the complexity of the EBP, the degree of training required, and the ease of transfer to other educators.
• The use of a decision matrix can help educators organize, compare, and contrast information on one or more EBPs of interest.

Example of EBP Implementation: Token Economy

• A token economy is an EBP that leverages reinforcement, one of the 27 identified evidence-based practices for students with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD).
• The token economy can be implemented with differential reinforcement to ignore disruptive behavior and reinforce target behavior.
• The use of preprinted grids and simple star stickers as tokens can make the implementation affordable and easy to prepare.

Key Considerations for EBP Implementation

• The complexity of the EBP should be considered, including the number of steps required for successful implementation, materials needed, and training necessary.
• The degree of transferability of the EBP to other educators and contexts should be assessed.
• The cost and logistics of implementation should be considered, including the need for ongoing training and support.

This quiz assesses the considerations when selecting interventions for students, including factors such as ease of implementation, required knowledge, and cost. It also explores the importance of communication with parents and educators.