Comparison of Face-to-Face and Remote Support for Interventionists Learning to Deliver JASPER Intervention with Children Who have Autism

Abstract

Technology-enabled interventions have the potential to break through barriers related to travel time and access in rural and remote communities. Practitioner training to provide high-quality behavioral interventions for children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is typically resource intensive including multiday trainings and ongoing live coaching. Although technology-enabled training including video conference and video review may be more accessible, technology may also introduce unique challenges by increasing the coach’s reliance on verbal feedback and reducing their ability to use common strategies such as modeling and environmental arrangement. Therefore, it is not clear whether technology-enabled training will result in similar outcomes for interventionists or the children they serve. Secondary analyses of data from a randomized controlled intervention trial compared new interventionists receiving 3 months of face-to-face training (n = 16) to interventionists receiving remote training (n = 11) to deliver a social communication intervention with fifty children age 3–9 with ASD. No significant differences were found in fidelity after 3 months between interventionists receiving face-to-face versus those receiving remote training. Overall, interventionists made significant gains in fidelity and children made significant gains in initiations of joint attention, requests, and play diversity. This study provides preliminary support for the use of a technology-enabled interventionist training protocol.