Education and Training in Autism and Developmental Disabilities

Effects of Inquiry-based Science Instruction on
Students’ Acquisition of Inquiry Skills
Figures 2 and 3 summarize the number of
inquiry responses made by the students. For
clarity of presentation, one student from each
teacher’s classroom is presented in each
graph (e.g., Monica and Kyle both received
instruction from Teacher 1). There was a
change in level and trend after the training in
inquiry-based science instruction for all eight
students. Baseline scores ranged from 1 to 3
lesson components correct. Post-intervention
scores ranged from 3 to 12, with a majority of
the scores in classes 2, 3 at 9 (75%) or higher.
Both students in class 1 had to discontinue
participation in the study when their teacher
requested to be removed due to a death in the
family. Two maintenance probes were conducted
in class 2. Valerie scored 10 and 11 on
the probes and Charlotte scored 9 and 10 on
the probes indicating an ability to maintain
the high skill acquisition over time (see Figures
2 and 3).
Students’ Use of Science Terms
Only one teacher (Teacher 2) reported student’s
use of a new term (“skull”) outside of a
lesson. During observed lessons, students with
Teacher 2 also initiated use of newly introduced
terms (metal, magnet, dense, liquid,
solid, and dissolved). There were no other
observations of student initiation of science
terms.
Social Validity Results
Following the intervention, a parent survey
was sent to the parent/guardian of each student
involved in the study that used a 5-point
Likert scale (i.e., 5strongly agree,
1strongly disagree. Only three of the eight
(38%) parents/guardians returned the survey
and responses ranged from 4–5 (see Table 4).
Although the return rate was low, the survey
was not sent out again because the school year
ended. Similarly, a validity survey was sent to
the teachers involved in the study. The survey
contained seven questions which could be answered
using a 6-point Likert scale (i.e., 1I
disagree, 6I agree). Three open ended questions
were also included: (1) What was the
most helpful component of the training; (2)
Least helpful; and (3) Suggestions for improving/changing
training for future studies. All
four of the teachers (100%) returned the survey.
Scores for each of the seven questions
ranged from 5–6. Examples of comments to
the open ended questions included: Learning
the task analysis in order to teach all the components
of an inquiry lesson was the most helpful; more
sample lessons & more time for planning with regular
educators.
The teachers also were sent a feasibility survey.
The survey contained seven questions
which could be answered using a 5-point Likert
scale (i.e., 5strongly agree, 1strongly
disagree). All four of the teachers (100%)
returned the survey and responses ranged
from 3 to 5. Examples of additional comments
included: I appreciate being involved in this grant.
It has made me more aware of how to teach science
that would be most beneficial to my students. The
more I conduct inquiry science lesson plans, the more
comfortable I feel; Planning for inquiry lessons is
time consuming.
Discussion
The purpose of this investigation was to determine
if teachers of students with moderate
and severe intellectual disabilities could learn
to teach the process of inquiry using a task
analysis. A further objective of this study was to
determine if training the teachers would increase
students’ participation in inquiry science
lessons. The findings of this study demonstrated
a functional relationship between
the multi-component teacher training package
(videotape, manual, application, role play,
in vivo feedback) and teacher’s ability to instruct
students with moderate and severe intellectual
disabilities in the steps of inquiry.
The teachers generalized the task analytic instruction
across science content areas. All students
increased the number of responses to
participate in an inquiry lesson and one student
used a science term outside the lesson
and in another instance students initiated use
of the terms in the science lesson. Finally,
social validity measures indicated a high degree
of teacher satisfaction with the intervention
and its intended outcomes. Parent response
rate was low, but those who responded
were satisfied with the intervention.
Inquiry-Based Science Instruction / 393