Education and Training in Developmental Disabilities - Division on ...

monitor their frequency of follow<strong>in</strong>g directions.
Method
Participants <strong>and</strong> Sett<strong>in</strong>g
Six students were selected to participate <strong>in</strong>
this <strong>in</strong>vestigation based on the follow<strong>in</strong>g criteria:
(1) identification consistent with state
guidel<strong>in</strong>es (Iowa) as hav<strong>in</strong>g mental retardation
<strong>in</strong> the moderate to severe range (Level
III), (2) middle school grade placements of
7 th or 8 th , (3) current <strong>in</strong>clusion <strong>in</strong> general
education classes as a part of their IEP’s, <strong>and</strong>
(4) teacher evaluation of need for improvement
<strong>in</strong> follow<strong>in</strong>g directions.
All participants attended a medium-sized
midwestern junior high school serv<strong>in</strong>g approximately
350 7 th <strong>and</strong> 8 th graders. The
school day was divided <strong>in</strong>to seven 45 m<strong>in</strong> periods
with a 15 m<strong>in</strong> homeroom at the end of
the day. Five participants were <strong>in</strong>cluded <strong>in</strong>
exploratory classes (e.g., <strong>in</strong>dustrial technology,
art, family consumer science) <strong>in</strong> which
many specific directions were given to complete
an activity; for example, “everybody take
out your plans”, “now measure the width between
your front wheels,” or “does it comply
with our st<strong>and</strong>ards?” The sixth was <strong>in</strong>cluded <strong>in</strong>
a social studies class <strong>in</strong> which the teacher gave
directions as he moved from one aspect of the
class to the next; for example, “everybody
please take out your notebooks,” or “now
work<strong>in</strong>g <strong>in</strong> pairs, I want you to answer the first
five questions on the worksheet over Chapter
10.”
Among the tasks <strong>in</strong> <strong>in</strong>dustrial technology
were mak<strong>in</strong>g scale draw<strong>in</strong>gs, manufactur<strong>in</strong>g a
CO2 powered rac<strong>in</strong>g car, <strong>and</strong> assist<strong>in</strong>g <strong>in</strong>
build<strong>in</strong>g a concession st<strong>and</strong>. In art, the students
made pictures with different shapes,
contrast<strong>in</strong>g colors <strong>and</strong> vary<strong>in</strong>g hues. In family
consumer science students prepared different
types of foods (e.g., salads <strong>and</strong> desserts) <strong>and</strong>
sewed at least one item of cloth<strong>in</strong>g or a stuffed
animal or ball. Last, <strong>in</strong> social studies the students
worked on maps of different regions,
worksheets form the textbook, <strong>and</strong> m<strong>in</strong>iprojects
over different cultures.
All participants were male. One student was
African American (WH), <strong>and</strong> the rema<strong>in</strong><strong>in</strong>g
five students were Caucasian. Ages ranged
from 13 to 15 years. Full-scale WISC-III IQ
scores (Wechsler, 1991) ranged from 30 to 72,
with a mean of 57. Accord<strong>in</strong>g to teacher reports,
all participants were identified as hav<strong>in</strong>g
restrictive adaptive function<strong>in</strong>g <strong>in</strong> follow<strong>in</strong>g
directions. Two were diagnosed with autism,
<strong>and</strong> one was assessed as hav<strong>in</strong>g Aspergers Syndrome.
Participant characteristics are summarized
<strong>in</strong> Table 1. JB was a 13-year-old adolescent
who was <strong>in</strong> 7 th grade. He demonstrated obsessive/compulsive
behavior (e.g., repeatedly
clean<strong>in</strong>g off tables) <strong>and</strong> was be<strong>in</strong>g assessed for
Asperger’s Syndrome. JB would fixate on a
number of tasks, especially when clean<strong>in</strong>g was
<strong>in</strong>volved. For example, when asked to wipe off
a table, he would clean the entire table over
<strong>and</strong> over until he was stopped. JB was <strong>in</strong>cluded
<strong>in</strong> a home economics class. JB had a peer
assistant walk with him to <strong>and</strong> from class <strong>in</strong>
order to make sure he did not w<strong>and</strong>er off to
another part of the build<strong>in</strong>g.
JT was a 13-year-old male who was <strong>in</strong> 8 th
grade. He was mechanically <strong>in</strong>cl<strong>in</strong>ed <strong>and</strong> enjoyed
work<strong>in</strong>g with his h<strong>and</strong>s putt<strong>in</strong>g th<strong>in</strong>gs
together or tak<strong>in</strong>g th<strong>in</strong>gs apart. JT was <strong>in</strong>cluded
<strong>in</strong> an <strong>in</strong>dustrial technology class. Follow<strong>in</strong>g
directions was difficult for JT because
he would not focus on the teacher. He was a
popular young man who attended to his
peers. His teacher <strong>in</strong>dicated that he had great
difficulty follow<strong>in</strong>g directions.
WH was 15-years-old <strong>and</strong> <strong>in</strong> 8 th grade. He
had many athletic skills <strong>and</strong> participated <strong>in</strong>
TABLE 1
Participant Characteristics
Student
Age/
Grade IQ 1 Classification 2
Level of
Support 3
Group 1:
JB 13/7 th 60 2 Limited
JT 13/8 th 55 2 Limited
WH 15/8 th 72 2 Intermittent
Group 2:
CS 14/8 th 50 3 Extensive
GS 15/8 th 60 3 Extensive
AH 14/8 th 30 3 Pervasive
1 Based on WISC–III.
2 Based on local district requirements <strong>and</strong> us<strong>in</strong>g
their support term<strong>in</strong>ology (1 least support, 3
most support).
3 Based on AAMR Classification.
Self-Monitor<strong>in</strong>g / 5