The use of visual supports and video modeling are evidence-based instructional practices for students with ASD (Wong, et al., 2013). Many students with ASD will receive a variety of special and general education services, including physical education. To provide effective and appropriate services to students with ASD, teachers must utilize effective teaching strategies. Students with ASD are known to be more visual learners and struggle with verbal communication. The purpose of this study was to compare the effects of using Picture Task Card and Video Modeling visual supports on the object control performance of children and youth with ASD.
Method:
Participants (N = 27) included 4-18 year olds with ASD who were tested twice using the Test of Gross Motor Development (Ulrich, 2000). Each testing session incorporated either the Picture Task Card or Video Modeling visual support protocol in a counterbalanced order.
Analysis/Results:
Paired T-tests (p < .05) indicated that no differences existed for the object control raw, standard and age-equivalent scores between the two different protocols. Neither method was significantly different than the other. Both the Picture Task Card and Video Modeling Protocols elicited the same results for the object control raw, standard, and age equivalent scores among all participants.
Conclusions:
Use of visual supports is a necessary teacher competency when instructing many students with disabilities, including those with ASD. Physical Education teachers of students with ASD can use both picture task supports and video modeling as effective, alternative means of task prompts and expectancies.