Are they ready for this? Experiences on implementing educational behavior-analytic interventions in Norwegian kindergartens

Are they ready for this?: Experiences on implementing educational behavior-analytic interventions in Norwegian kindergartens

This thesis describes an investigation into experiences connected to the implementation of educational behavior-analytic interventions (ABA) for children with autism in kindergartens. The research questions and the methodological choices in this investigation evolved based on new experiences over the course of the research project. Three sub-studies were conducted: a single case study on the implementation of ABA teaching programs specifically targeting joint attention skills for children with autism in kindergartens (Study 1); a questionnaire survey on the experiences of ABA supervisors in implementing ABA in kindergartens (Study 2); and an interview study on the experiences of ABA teachers in implementing ABA in kindergartens (Study 3). During Study 1, it appeared that the teaching intensity of the targeted ABA teaching programs varied largely from what was initially planned for all four of the participating children. Under those conditions, the learning outcomes of the children also varied. With regard to Study 2, the survey data obtained from 29 ABA supervisors indicated that many children with autism who receive ABA in Norwegian kindergartens do not receive the number of teaching hours being planned for them. There also seems to be quite a large number of kindergartens that lack teaching teams and who receive supervision less than what is generally recommended to obtain the optimal outcome from ABA. With regard to Study 3, the interview data obtained from 10 ABA teachers illustrated how implementation factors such as compatibility, complexity, client responsiveness, and supervision can be manifested when ABA is implemented in the kindergarten. A main finding was that in some cases there seem to be conflicting opinions within the kindergarten about whether ABA is right for the child, something that was interpreted to reflect a conflict between the categorical and the relational perspectives of special education.