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Improving Autism Program Quality in Special Education Units: The Use of an APERS-based Model to Support Student Learning and Participation
Sponsor: Stockholm University
Summary
This study assesses the effect of using the Autism Program Environment Rating Scale (APERS) as a tool for providing feedback, in-service training, and coaching to school staff in order to improve program quality in special education units (SEUs) for children with autism or related sociocommunicative challenges (SCCs). APERS is used in its culturally validated Swedish version (APERS-Primary-SE). Using a quasi-randomized parallel-group design, SEUs will be allocated to either an experimental (APERS+) or control (TAU) condition. In the APERS+ condition, school staff receive continuous and systematic feedback provided by trained coaches based on the initial APERS assessment. In the TAU condition, schools will also receive feedback based on the initial APERS assessment, but no continuous coaching. It is hypothesized that the APERS based intervention will improve overall program quality for children with autism or related SCCs as compared to TAU. Additionally, we also expect the intervention to improve student functioning, students' individual goal attainment, students' perception of their schools, and teacher self-efficacy as compared to TAU.
Key Details
Gender
All
Age Range
5 Years - 13 Years
Study Type
INTERVENTIONAL
Enrollment
200
Start Date
2026-09-20
Completion Date
2028-06-15
Last Updated
2026-09-21
Healthy Volunteers
Yes
Conditions
Interventions
APERS+
APERS assessments with written and oral feedback. Creation of an action plan that is continuously followed up by specially trained coaches weekly or bi-weekly in coaching sessions designed to support the use of evidence-based practices in school settings. Half-day lecture about autism and related SCCs.
Locations (1)
Stockholm University
Stockholm, Sweden