Educating Adults About Children With Autism Spectrum Disorders (EACA)

描述（由申请人提供）：这项小企业创新研究（SBIR）第一阶段拨款提案的目的是强调丹亚国际有限公司（丹亚）将采取的步骤，以发展成人自闭症谱系障碍儿童教育（EACA），这是一个教育培训计划，面向经常与1至5年级自闭症谱系障碍（asd）儿童互动的学校工作人员。EACA是一个创新的多媒体培训项目，专门为满足成年人对教育资源的迫切需求而设计，这些成年人与越来越多的进入公共教育系统的自闭症儿童互动。计划的组成部分将包括培训促进者指南、参与者工作手册和在员工亲自培训期间使用的视听计划补充。教育培训计划将涵盖的主题领域包括自闭症的定义和描述，如何与自闭症儿童进行有效的互动，以及如何管理问题行为，并为公立学校环境中的不同类型的成年人（私人助理/一对一助手[称为辅助教育者]，校长，巴士司机，体育教师，艺术/音乐教师，自助餐厅工作人员/图书管理员）定制部分。在第一阶段，项目团队将为两个模块（1)“自闭症谱系障碍的定义和描述”和(2)为辅助教育工作者定制的模块）编写培训课程材料，并为剩下的一般模块（“与自闭症谱系障碍儿童互动”和“问题行为管理”）起草大纲。在整个产品开发过程中，项目团队将从主要利益相关者和我们的专家顾问小组那里获得投入和反馈。在第一阶段项目结束时，我们将与辅助教育工作者一起进行一项试点研究，采用随机实验/滞后控制设计来确定可接受性和可用性，并评估在增加参与者对自闭症的理解和促进对自闭症儿童的积极态度方面的有效性。EACA将是一个创新的多媒体培训项目，通过教学校人员如何正确地与自闭症儿童互动，帮助他们融入课堂、校车和运动场上，通过一种成本效益高、易于使用、针对特定位置的干预措施。

DESCRIPTION (provided by applicant): The purpose of this Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) Phase I grant proposal is to highlight the steps that Danya International, Inc. (Danya), will take to develop Educating Adults About Children With Autism Spectrum Disorders (EACA), an educational training program for school personnel who regularly interact with children in grades 1 through 5 with autism spectrum disorders (ASDs). EACA is an innovative multimedia training program specifically designed to meet the pressing need for educational resources for adults who interact with the growing numbers of children with ASDs entering the public education system. Program components will include a training facilitator's guide, participant workbook, and audiovisual program supplement to be used during in-person staff trainings. The educational training program will cover topic areas such as the definition and description of ASDs, how to engage and effectively interact with a child with autism, and how to manage problem behaviors, with customized sections for different types of adults in public school settings (personal assistants/one-on-one aides [known as paraeducators], principals, bus drivers, physical education teachers, art/music teachers, cafeteria workers/librarians). During Phase I, the project team will create training program materials for two modules: (1) "Definition and Description of ASD" and (2) the customized module for paraeducators, as well as draft an outline for the remaining general modules: "Engaging and Interacting With a Child With ASD" and "Managing Problem Behaviors." Throughout product development, the project team will obtain input and feedback from key stakeholders and our expert Advisory Panel. At the end of the Phase I project, we will conduct a pilot study using a randomized experimental/lagged control design with paraeducators to determine acceptability and usability as well as to assess effectiveness in increasing participants' knowledge related to understanding ASDs and promoting positive attitudes toward children with ASDs. EACA will be an innovative multimedia training program to aid school personnel by teaching them how to properly interact with children with ASDs to assist in their inclusion in the classroom, on school buses, and on playing fields via a cost-efficient, easy-to-use, position-specific intervention. PUBLIC HEALTH RELEVANCE: Educating Adults about Children with Autism Spectrum Disorder (EACA) will be an educational training program for school personnel who regularly interact with children in grades 1 through 5. Customized sections for adults in public school settings, such as paraeducators, administrators, bus drivers, and librarians, will effectively engage and train these adults to positively interact with a child with autism, manage problem behaviors, and foster social inclusion in various school settings.