SBIR Phase I: Computer-assisted instructional program to teach functional life skills to students with language and cognitive disabilities

这项小企业创新研究（SBIR）第一阶段项目将侧重于开发基于证据的计算机辅助教学（CAI），以提供生活技能培训，这些技能是科学、技术、工程和数学（STEM）熟练程度的基础。这项研究的结果将以一种更具成本效益的方式提供功能性STEM技能培训，提供更一致的治疗交付，需要更少的员工培训，并且更容易为有特殊需求的儿童所接受。通过CAI对课程的可访问性允许更好的提示、塑造、强化、数据收集和报告以及个性化治疗。此外，CAI已被证明在许多情况下比传统教学更有效，并且对许多学生具有极大的激励作用。预计该产品将成为学校向300万名学龄前至12年级认知障碍学生提供功能性生活技能教学方式的突破。这些技能是STEM（科学、技术、工程和数学）的基础，而这些技能在学校中是一个服务严重不足的强制性课程领域。目前的方法通常依赖于经过认证的学校工作人员或合同专家单独提供干预措施并手动记录结果。如果成功，该项目将影响以证据为基础、以标准为基础和计算机辅助的干预措施，从而提高每美元支出的一致性、数量和服务质量。该产品将通过个性化的互动课程和游戏质量奖励来激励学生，并将为学区、教师和治疗师提供自动化的进度跟踪和全面的教师和管理人员报告。此外，该产品将是便携式的，因此可以在家庭和学校使用，在线共享笔记和进度报告，以改善学校和家庭的沟通。

This Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) Phase I project will focus on development of evidence-based, computer assisted instruction (CAI) to provide training in life skills that are the underpinnings for science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) proficiencies. The outcomes of this research will provide functional STEM skill training in a manner that is more cost-effective, provides more consistent treatment delivery, requires less staff training, and is more accessible to children with special needs. Accessibility to curriculum through CAI allows for better prompting, shaping, reinforcement, data collection and reporting, and individualization of treatment. In addition, CAI has been proven to be more effective than traditional teaching in many situations, and to be extremely motivating for many students.It is anticipated that this product will be a breakthrough in the way schools provide functional life skills teaching to 3 million students with cognitive impairments in grades Pre-K to 12. These skills are the underpinnings of STEM - science, technology, engineering and mathematics that are a greatly under-served yet mandated curriculum area for schools. Current approaches often rely on certified school staff or contract specialists individually to deliver interventions and manually record results. The project if successful will impact evidence-based, standards-based, and computer-assisted intervention so as to improve consistency, quantity, and quality services per dollar spent. The product will motivate students with personalized interactive lessons and game-quality rewards, and will support school districts, teachers, and therapists with automated progress tracking and comprehensive teacher and administrator reports. Additionally, the product will be portable thus enabling home and school use, with on-line shared notes and progress reporting to improve school-home communication.