The effectiveness of the smart board-based small-group graduated guidance instruction on digital gaming and observational learning skills of children with autism spectrum disorder

Abstract

The objective of this study was to teach digital gaming skills to children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) using a SMART board with a graduated guidance teaching method in a small-group instructional format, to determine the participants’ levels of learning by observation, and to determine the views of their families on the conducted instruction. For this purpose, a multiple probe design across behaviors was used and replicated across four students who received training at a university practice unit and were diagnosed with ASD. In addition to the effectiveness data collected to determine the effects of the utilized instructional package on the levels of digital gaming and observational learning of the participants with ASD, reliability and social validity data were also collected. The effectiveness data analyzed with graphical analysis. Findings demonstrate that small-group instruction with graduated guidance was effective in teaching digital gaming skills to children with ASD. It was also observed that the children acquired a high level of accuracy at non-directly targeted gaming skills via observational learning