Telehealth Training for Practical Functional Assessment in Educators of Individuals with Developmental Disabilities
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| Year of publication | 2024 |
| Type | Appeared in Conference without Proceedings |
| Citation | |
| Description | This study investigates the feasibility of using telehealth to train educators in the Practical Functional Assessment (PFA), a tool for identifying triggers of challenging behaviors in individuals with developmental disabilities. Telehealth offers a promising solution for underserved areas lacking qualified professionals, where educators often rely on personal knowledge. The research employs a changing criterion design with two participants - US teachers from rural areas. The eight-week telehealth training incorporated both synchronous (individual online sessions) and asynchronous (e-learning modules) modalities. Educators' progress in accurately implementing PFA steps was tracked using a checklist. Following a baseline phase, educators received Behavior Skills Training (BST) through role-playing with a confederate (participant 1) or applying PFA to a written case study (participant 2). While these preliminary results are based on a small sample, they suggest significant potential for telehealth training. Further research will involve recruiting participants from the Czech Republic to refine best practices for this approach. |
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