Comprehensive Individualized Curriculum and Instructional Design: Curriculum and Instruction for Students with Developmental Disabilities/Autism Spectrum Disorders
Samuel Sennott, Portland State University
Sheldon Loman, Portland State University
Copyright Year: 2015
ISBN 13: 9781312886872
Publisher: Portland State University Library
Language: English
Formats Available
Conditions of Use
Attribution-NonCommercial
CC BY-NC
Reviews
This textbook provides an overview of many areas of curriculum and instruction for students. Content including environment, behavior, instruction and technology. The information provides a survey of the key aspects of design. The text lacks an... read more
This textbook provides an overview of many areas of curriculum and instruction for students. Content including environment, behavior, instruction and technology. The information provides a survey of the key aspects of design. The text lacks an effective index yet provides an extensive reference list within each chapter.
This textbook provides error-free and unbiased information for instructional planning. Due to the continued updating of technology, the information is outdated for technology programming.
This textbook provides a framework for curriculum design that will always be effective. The technology information, although outdated, is very relevant. The tools will update but the framework and idea of the tools will remain relevant. The text provides link to sources that may become outdated but are very useful and relevant.
The text is clearly written and easy to follow. The text provides graphics that allow the reader to further understand the information. Tools are available within the text that provide a guide and are immediately useable.
The text provides a continuum of terminology and framework.
The text is manageable and divided into teachable sections. Each chapter is easily transferable into course content units.
The text is clearly presented although lacks an index of easy to find information.
The text provides links to outside sources. The images are clearly placed within the text. The tables are accessible and transferable.
The text is presented with minimal grammatical errors.
The text is written in person first format, recognizing the unique needs of all students.
The subject of individualizing curriculum and instructional design for students with disabilities is quite vast, and while this text provides a good deal of information across each of 6 chapters, readers/users would benefit from further curricular... read more
The subject of individualizing curriculum and instructional design for students with disabilities is quite vast, and while this text provides a good deal of information across each of 6 chapters, readers/users would benefit from further curricular and instructional resources to supplement this text.
Contributing authors provide accurate information throughout the text, given what would have been current empirical evidence and current technology-based applications at the time of publication. Use of research citations throughout, bolstered by hyperlinked video exemplars or visuals (tables, figures, and other images) further supports this evaluation. Revising the text to update research evidence, fix broken web-links, and update iOS Accessibility information (chapter 5) would boost content accuracy for current readers.
Overall, the content of this text is very relevant to the work of supporting students with disabilities. At the time of this review (2022), relevance is affected by the passage of time since the text's publication. This text was originally published in 2015, but has since been updated in 2018 according to the copyright page (page 2). Updates are not explicitly identified by the editors/authors, but it appears that no updated citations were added in the intervening years. Web-links provided across chapters are frequently broken, and thus not usable for readers. In some instances (chapter 2), links to YouTube videos block access to content that is now deemed "private" or videos have been deleted altogether (chapter 5). Chapter 5, while comprehensive in presenting the accessibility features of iOS which was current at the time of original publication (2015) needs updating to align with current iOS versions and would benefit from similar content being explained for Android-based devices and perhaps Google-based apps. Technology has taken on a new, more ubiquitous and flexible role in educational contexts given the COVID-19 pandemic and without checking this text's publication year, it is readily evident it is pre-pandemic.
This text is likely most suitable for college/graduate students within teacher preparation programs in special education as some language and concepts are technical in nature and might not be readily understood without background knowledge or experience. (For example, the special education law, IDEA, is mentioned briefly by acronym only in chapter 6 which implies that the reader would already have strong knowledge of the law.) In-service or provisionally/conditionally licensed special educators might also find this text to be accessible given real-time experience working with students with disabilities. Though there were stylistic differences among authors, each chapter was written with clarity.
Chapter 1 sets the stage for the text, using the phrase "individuals with complex support needs" then later simplifying to "individuals with disabilities" or "IWD". Other chapters focus more specifically on students with autism spectrum disorder (chapters 2 and 3) while chapter 6 is again more general, describing one particular instructional strategy for use with "students with disabilities". Contributing authors are not consistent in the style and organization of chapters, with some writing from a personal rather than third-person standpoint, some providing clear chapter objectives and summaries and others not. While all chapters included supplemental visuals to break up sections of text, placement of these was inconsistent (embedded in-line with text vs. in an end-of-chapter appendix). Overall, each chapter stands more on its own than in tight cohesion with the others, though there is some cohesion among chapters for general concepts (e.g., universal design is mentioned in chapters 1, 2, and 5).
Chapters in this text could readily stand-alone as assigned readings. Noticeably missing are a table of contents and index of key terms which would help support modularity and student/reader navigation across the text.
Chapter 1 is clearly introductory and presents a framework that could easily set up an organizational structure for the five chapters that follow. However, chapter 1 does not directly reference those chapters, nor do chapters 2-6 refer back explicitly to the framework established in chapter 1. Each chapter feels isolated from the others. The text would benefit from a concluding chapter that ties all chapters back together in line with the text's overall purpose and points readers to what's next in their learning about curriculum and instructional support for individuals with disabilities. General organizational features across chapters (figures, tables, examples, etc.) are effective and support each chapter's internal organization.
Text, figures, images, and tables are displayed in a format that is accessible, and the text is available to view online or in a downloadable PDF format. Many web-links are broken, which presents an interface issue. Hyperlinks spelled out in full rather than embedded directly in meaningful text make the reading experience a bit clunky and would likely sound clunky via a screen-reader or PDF reader. Users of this text who have disabilities themselves might find some accessibility issues and a future update should saliently address accessibility via this lens.
There are a few minor errors throughout the text but these are not distracting for the reader nor do they negatively affect the text's readability.
Cultural relevance is not explicit in this text and any inclusivity across race, ethnicity, and background appears more incidental than intentional on the part of the authors.
This text's use of a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International license is one of its greatest strengths because readers and others have the opportunity to not only share the material in any format but to also adapt, remix, transform, and build upon the material. Opportunities are endless to take this material and make it relevant and up-to-date in other open educational resources (OER). I see this text as valuable well beyond the SPED 510 course for which it appears it was originally intended. I also appreciate the editors' efforts as trailblazers in open educational resources the field of special education teacher preparation where even in 2022 so few open-access textbooks exist.
This textbook has several key components of the curriculum and Instructional design for students with Autism. However, it is not comprehensive, and the content is limited in serving students with significant needs. I liked that the authors had... read more
This textbook has several key components of the curriculum and Instructional design for students with Autism. However, it is not comprehensive, and the content is limited in serving students with significant needs. I liked that the authors had links to some EBP resources to provide additional details and strategies. This book cannot be used as the only textbook for a class, but chapters can serve as reading materials, with additional supplemental resources or lecture notes. The textbook dives straight into the principles of providing instruction. However, there needs to be a section or introduction to define what the authors mean by "Individuals with complex needs."
Authors curate the chapters with significant knowledge and skill in their areas. Changes in the field and an increase in EBP and teaching strategy are missing in the book in 2015. There is a need to update the content and broaden this textbook's scope.
Some chapters provide good introductory concepts that are essential for basic understanding. However, this textbook needs to be updated to incorporate current teaching practices.
I wish the textbook had an index and used headings and subheadings to organize the chapter. Some content and concepts can be easily missed, as they are not highlighted in the chapters and can be skipped by readers unfamiliar with the content.
This textbook is more like a compilation of pre-reviewed or in-press articles, and thus, the cohesion looks forced.
I wish the book had more subheadings and key terms were clarified and explained in greater detail.
The chapters jump and make it challenging to teach instructional planning step-by-step. It does have several components required for instructional planning, but it is difficult for novice readers to connect.
It does not have an index or glossary, and some links do not work. However, several embedded videos are good for explanation.
Clean copy for reading.
Does not discuss DEI.
This book is a good starting point for open source textbooks in instructional planning for students with disabilities. It needs to be updated, and additional chapters may help make it more comprehensive.
The text looks at a few strategies in each chapter and expands upon each in a very brief, surface level way. In order to strengthen the book's comprehensiveness, each chapter should focus on a more broad overview of the intended strategy and then... read more
The text looks at a few strategies in each chapter and expands upon each in a very brief, surface level way. In order to strengthen the book's comprehensiveness, each chapter should focus on a more broad overview of the intended strategy and then dive further into 2-3 of the mentioned strategies. I have analyzed each chapter (in the my suggested order under "organization,") for comprehensiveness:
Chapter 1: Guiding Principles for Developing Comprehensive and Meaningful Instruction for Individuals with Complex Needs: This chapter is fairly comprehensive. To further strengthen this chapter, provide a brief overview of what each chapter will look at in the book. Also, define which type of population would benefit most from these strategies. If the text intends to provide strategies primarily for students with ASD, then this should be explicitly stated. If the text intends to imply that all strategies are effective for students with disabilities(SWD), then that needs to be made more clear.
Chapter 2: Principles of Applied Behavior Analysis to Teach: This chapter was quite comprehensive and provided a broad look at Applied Behavioral Analysis (ABA) and how to utilize this approach to improve student learning outcomes. The brief case study at the end could be modified to allow the reader to check their understanding of the material. For instance, the case could be truncated to present the problem to the reader, then allow the reader to think critically about how to "solve" the case and appropriately respond. The next page could define the "ideal" way to use ABA in the given case study. This could continue with an additional short case study to strengthen the comprehensiveness of this chapter.
Chapter 3: Developing Function-based Interventions: This chapter was very comprehensive and the charts/diagrams matched those that would be realistically utilized in a school setting for an IEP/ER/RR.
Chapter 4: Naturalistic AAC Communication Intervention: To increase the comprehensiveness of this chapter, Janice Light's areas of communicative competence could be explained, or at least defined with a reference for the reader to access more information. Touching on how to address these areas with an AAC device may also be beneficial. This could be accomplished with the addition of a case study.
Chapter 5: iOS 8 Accessibility: To improve the comprehensiveness of this chapter, the chapter should be reworked to look at several aspects of technology, how this relates to AAC, and how technology can be utilized to assist a variety of different learners.
Chapter 6: Using Content Acquisition Podcasts (CAPs) to Improve Vocabulary Instruction and Learning for Students with Disabilities and Their Teachers: This chapter comprehensively looks at one strategy (i.e., CAPs). To increase comprehensiveness, a more brief view of CAPs could be provided with resources that include the details. Further, 2-3 additional strategies could be explained.
Chapter 7: With the addition of a seventh chapter, this would allow the reader to digest how to utilize all aforementioned strategies with a few case studies. The case studies could be presented to the reader with questions to help guide the reader's reflection. Next, the text could present the "ideal" way to handle the case and assist the student in their academic and behavioral objectives.
The content written in the text was accurate when it was written in 2014. Chapter 5 on iOS8 was accurate and relevant at the time of publishing; however, this information is no longer accurate for current iOS devices. Apart from Chapter 5, the other chapters appear accurate and relevant. As noted in another review's review the book's scope of learning is small and there are few curriculums/strategies described; however the descriptions are still fairly accurate.
The text presents many resources that are outdated and not able to be utilized. There are several links throughout each chapter that do not work. Consider the following breakdown:
Ch. 1: 6/11 links are usable
Ch. 2: 2/9 links are usable (The link on page 27 is incorrectly entered and leads the viewer to an inappropriate website)
Ch. 3: 0/1 links are usable
Ch. 4: 0/6 links are usable
Ch. 5: 0/4 links are usable
Ch. 6: 5/10 links are usable
Ch. 5 which refers to iOS8 Accessibility was relevant when the chapter was written (i.e., 2014); however, this information is now outdated. When attempting to replicate some of the directions on my own iOS device, the instructions did not match the visuals I was viewing on my device. Currently, the most recent iOS is iOS 15.4.1 resulting in the chapter's information being obsolete.
The text could be strengthened by updating the links for consideration and updating Ch. 5 to match the current iOS capabilities. However, the authors may consider updating Ch. 5 in a way that does not specify how to work a certain operating system but rather provides an overall look at different types of technology and their ability to help SWD.
The written text is clear throughout. The rating of 4 indicates that there are some areas where jargon could be reduced or explained further for the reader. The text and vocabulary are generally easy to read and understand throughout each chapter. In Chapter 3, there are some areas that refer to jargon that are undefined. For instance, "backward chaining" is mentioned but not defined and could be considered confusing or unclear to a student reader. One way to remedy this situation may be to include a glossary with important terms. This would prevent certain terms from having to be explained in each chapter and create more clarity for a students in higher education.
In terms of terminology the text is internally consistent; however, some chapters refer more to students with ASD and some refer more to SWD. The chapters also follow different structural formats. The first chapter is very well structured and has a nice introduction and summary. The chapter on AAC is written very differently from the writer's point of view and includes anecdotal evidence, whereas the other chapters do not include this type of evidence. To improve consistency, a standardized structure for writing each chapter should be defined for each guest author.
The text is easily and readily divisible into smaller reading sections throughout each chapter. Enormous blocks of text without subheadings are generally avoided throughout the text. The way the chapters are organized as a whole decreases the modularity overall. Overall, topics within each chapter flow well; however, chapters seem to operate independently and topics throughout the entire text do not flow well into each other.
The chapters are organized in the following manner:
Chapter 1: Guiding Principles for Developing Comprehensive and Meaningful Instruction for Individuals with Complex Needs
Chapter 2: Naturalistic AAC Communication Intervention
Chapter 3: Principles of Applied Behavior Analysis to Teach
Chapter 4: Developing Function-based Interventions
Chapter 5: iOS 8 Accessibility
Chapter 6: Using Content Acquisition Podcasts (CAPs) to Improve Vocabulary Instruction and Learning for Students with Disabilities and Their Teachers
Each chapter is written by a different author with a different style of organization. When reading the text, this makes each chapter feel as though it is its own separate entity, rather than being a chapter which strengthens the overall message of the text.
Suggestions for strengthening the organization throughout the text include:
1. Determine a standardized way of writing each chapter and have all authors abide by this standardization. For example, Chapter's 1 & 2, start by offering references/figures/models that are embedded within the text and allow the reader to view the visual directly after reading the explanation. In Chapter's 3-6, there's a mixture of embedding visuals/diagrams and including the visuals at the end of the chapter, only. Consider embedding all visuals to increase ease of understanding and reference for the reader.
2. Present information in a more logical manner. For example, each chapter reads as its own separate entity. The chapters are written differently, organized differently and there is a lack of "flow" throughout the book itself. This could be remedied by providing a transitional page or explanation that helps the reader understand the purpose of the next chapter and how it relates to the previous chapter, and book as a whole.
3. Reorganize the chapters within the text and add an additional chapter for cohesiveness:
Chapter 1: Guiding Principles for Developing Comprehensive and Meaningful Instruction for Individuals with Complex Needs
Chapter 2: Principles of Applied Behavior Analysis to Teach
Chapter 3: Developing Function-based Interventions
Chapter 4: Naturalistic AAC Communication Intervention (Include more information in this chapter about communication for SWD)
Chapter 5: iOS 8 Accessibility (Rework this Chapter to include various types of devices and relate this to AAC)
Chapter 6: Using Content Acquisition Podcasts (CAPs) to Improve Vocabulary Instruction and Learning for Students with Disabilities and Their Teachers (Consider focusing on more than one learning strategy (e.g., CAPs) and provide a more broad introduction for approximately 3 learning strategies.)
Chapter 7: Add a chapter here, that summarizes all information and provides 1-2 case studies that demonstrate how to integrate the information in the previous chapters.
As a final note, it should also be determined whether the text is focusing on SWD as a whole, or students with ASD. The title eludes to ASD, however, this is mentioned in Ch. 1 and the AAC chapter and then seldomly mentioned throughout.
See notes under "relevance" for specific details regarding the interface issues. There are various interface issues throughout the text. Approximately 69% of the included links are not usable. Some of the visuals and diagrams are presented at the end of the chapter which makes it difficult for the reader to refer to the diagram, then refer back to the text discussing the diagram.
In Chapter 6 there are a few grammatical errors and formatting issues. These are very minor and do not impact the reader's view of the text as a whole. Overall the writing is technical, yet easy to read and appropriate for a college student level.
As a whole, the text is culturally relevant. Examples provided are inclusive of a variety of races, ethnicities, and backgrounds. Examples of photos/videos often show caucasian students; however, there are few video examples in general, so it is difficult to say this alone would make the text insensitive. Names used in examples appear to be comprehensive of multiple races, ethnicities, and backgrounds (though not all are included).
The purpose of this book is to provide current, pertinent, and practical information and resources for future special educators. With the way the book is currently written, I don't believe this goal was accomplished. There are several modifications that need to be made prior to utilizing this text in its entirety.
In order to improve the text's organization and relevance the chapters need to be reworked and additions/deletions should be made. As it is now, I could see each chapter being considered its own small "vignette" lesson for students to read after listening to a more broad lecture and if given multiple additional resources. Overall, the text has promising potential but the chapters do not work together to form a text that's cohesive and comprehensive. If the framework is expanded to include a standardized organization, additional strategies, more case studies, a summarizing final chapter, and relevant/current links to resources, this open educational resource will be much more beneficial and I would be more likely to utilize it/recommend others utilize it in the classroom.
The textbook does not cover all potential topics that one would expect for a course on curriculum and instruction; however, it does provide a solid overview of guiding principles, applied behavior analysis, and function-based interventions. The... read more
The textbook does not cover all potential topics that one would expect for a course on curriculum and instruction; however, it does provide a solid overview of guiding principles, applied behavior analysis, and function-based interventions. The text provides a refreshing perspective on how to include families and individuals with disabilities in the educational process through a discussion of person-centered planning and self-determination in the initial chapter. There are links to additional resources, including helpful videos, in each chapter; however, some of the links are not functional and need to be updated.
Given that the textbook includes a reference to learners with autism in the title, I was expecting more information connecting the topics covered to autism spectrum disorder (ASD). Adding background information on the learning characteristics of students with ASD, how each topic relates to teaching this unique population, and case study descriptions would strengthen the textbook. The chapters on AAC, iOS 8 accessibility, and CAPS cover important topics and could be expanded to include a discussion of other tools/protocols special education teachers might need to best teach their students. For example, the chapter on iOS 8 accessibility could broadly focus on the use of technology to assist special education students in accessing the general education curriculum, and then provide resources such as the information on iOS 8 accessibility and CAPS as an attachment or link.
The content is accurate and does not have any glaring errors. While the focus of the textbook is narrow, especially as it relates to approaches to teaching (e.g., MODELER) and tools (Apple iOS 8), it does not imply that these are the only tools available to teachers. Links to outside information are provided in each chapter for those interested in pursuing other approaches.
The textbook provides information relevant to today's classroom and can easily be modified to keep the material up-to-date. Updates to the chapter on iOS 8 accessibility may have to be made frequently since technology is ever evolving. As mentioned above, rather than focusing on one particular device, this chapter could be strengthened if it focused on how technology can be used to make the curriculum more accessible to students with disabilities in general. The authors also have not made a clear connection between the content and why the topics discussed pertain to students with ASD.
The textbook is written in a way that is accessible to college students. Technical terms are defined and explained within the text. A glossary would further assist students who might not be familiar with specific terminology.
In general, the textbook appears to be written on the same reading level throughout; however, there are inconsistencies in how chapters are structured. The first chapter could serve as a model for subsequent chapters as it is written in a straightforward, structured manner. This chapter includes a summary statement and main points at the beginning and a conclusion at the end. The chapter on AACs and iOs 8 accessibility would benefit most from following this format.
All of the chapters contain an adequate number of subheadings to break up text into manageable sections. Topics addressed within each chapter appear to flow well and are logically arranged.
Chapters are organized in a logical manner and flow well. Transitions between the chapters on guiding principles, principles of ABA, and function-based interventions are strong. The chapters on AAC, iOS accessibility, and CAPs would be strengthened by following a similar format.
It is easy to navigate the textbook and the charts/figures provide useful information and are simple to read. The authors provided sample data forms which are particularly useful for special educators. The videos enhanced the textbook by providing “real world” examples for students. Some links to resources are not working and need to be updated or deleted from the text.
There are no major grammatical errors and the textbook appears to have been edited prior to being published.
The textbook was written in a way that is sensitive to individuals with disabilities, providing a discussion of the importance of including students with disabilities as active participants in their education. It is apparent that attention was paid to using person-first language throughout the textbook. It would be beneficial to provide some case studies as examples for pre-service teachers. The case studies should pay particular attention to including multiple narratives that portray students with disabilities from a variety of cultural, racial, and ethnic backgrounds.
I think this textbook has the potential to be a useful resource for those teaching special education courses once it is expanded to cover more topics, contains clearer connection to ASD, and includes the addition of case studies. I am considering incorporating the chapters on guiding principles, applied behavior analysis, and function-based interventions in my courses but feel I would have to provide further information about connecting the material to teaching students with ASD. I would be interested in adding other materials from this book into my courses should new chapters, incorporating provided feedback, be written in the future.
This book provides a thorough guide for developing an individualized curriculum for individuals with disabilities. It might benefit from a table of contents and an index to aid the reader in finding information. The guiding principles in Chapter 1... read more
This book provides a thorough guide for developing an individualized curriculum for individuals with disabilities. It might benefit from a table of contents and an index to aid the reader in finding information. The guiding principles in Chapter 1 were particularly well-stated and provided a solid framework for the subsequent chapters. A number of tools were provided that will benefit students as they begin to work with individuals with disabilities.
The information in this book was accurate, error-free, and unbiased. Person-first language was used consistently throughout the book. A positive attitude toward individuals with disabilities, their families, and educators was conveyed. High-quality research support was included for the practices discussed.
The content is current and fits well within current evidence-based practices for educating individuals with disabilities. The chapter on accessibility will be one that requires updating as technology advances, but these updates should be relatively simple to make. The step-by-step guides in this chapter, with pictures, will be useful for students. Similarly, Chapter 6: Using Content Acquisition Podcasts..." may need some updating as technology advances and research on technology in the classroom advances, but these updates will be relatively simple to make.
This textbook is clearly written and terms which may be unfamiliar to some readers are clearly defined. This textbook was written for students in the field of special education, but my speech-language pathology students also will be able to understand the content due to the clarity of writing.
The framework and terminology of this textbook is consistent. Although the chapters were written by different authors, they fit together well.
I appreciate the modularity of this text, and could envision myself assigning different chapters in different courses. Each chapter could stand alone and still be easily comprehended by the reader.
The organization of the topics is easy to follow. A table of contents would be beneficial, but the order of the chapters and the content within each chapter works well.
There were no interface issues. The figures were clear and helpful.
The text contained no grammatical errors and used a good variety of sentence structures that were neither overly complex nor overly simplistic.
There was no cultural insensitivity. Individuals with disabilities were treated in a positive, respectful manner, and there were no offensive statements regarding cultural or linguistic diversity.
This textbook is well-written and would be a valuable resources for students in a variety of professions. For example, I plan to use this book with my speech-language pathology students. The checklists included will be useful resources for students as they complete their education and venture into the workplace.
The comprehensiveness of this textbook provides many areas of Autism Spectrum Disorders. It identifies the continuum of supports for people with ASD, in areas of instruction and behavioral needs. It provides the challenges within the classroom,... read more
The comprehensiveness of this textbook provides many areas of Autism Spectrum Disorders. It identifies the continuum of supports for people with ASD, in areas of instruction and behavioral needs. It provides the challenges within the classroom, home, and community. The text provides effective instruction, strategies, for student-centered services. The text explains the need for assistive technology to support students with ASD.
The content of the text is accurate and no errors. The content is clear and well-supported. There is no bias.
The content is relevant and current. As the numbers of students with ASD increase, it is important to keep current with classroom strategies, supports, and instruction, which is supported within the content of the text. Information about technology is important and that is relevant. Information about data collection is helpful for the reader to understand the necessary importance of progress monitoring.
The text is clear and supports behavioral and instructional strategies. Terms are defined early in the text, which is helpful.
The text is consistent and supports inclusive instructional practices and behavioral instruction. The general flow of the text was well-written and easy to follow.
The flow of the book supports the chapters supporting more information.
The length of the chapters is not too long and easy to follow along. Each chapter has its relevance.
The topics in the text are presented in a logical, clear, concise fashion. The chapters flow well and is well-organized.
The text is easy to navigate and is not distracting to the reader. All examples were clear and well-thought out.
The textbook contains no grammatical errors.
The text respects cultural diversity.
I enjoyed this book as another resource for special education. There are practical applications, providing behavioral and instructional strategies. This text should be used as a supplemental resource, and not as the main text for a class. The text has great information.
While all of the content in the text is useful in instructional design for children with disabilities, this text is not a comprehensive text that I would choose to use in this type of course. Rather, it would make a good supplement to other... read more
While all of the content in the text is useful in instructional design for children with disabilities, this text is not a comprehensive text that I would choose to use in this type of course. Rather, it would make a good supplement to other readings and multimedia resources. The text would benefit from a table of contents, glossary, and index.
Content appears accurate and error-free.
Content within the text is relevant and will remain so over time. Some of the links might not work over time and should be checked before utilizing the book for a course. Further, the chapters that discuss AAC and the use of technology within curriculum and instruction will likely need updating in the future as technology progresses.
The authors used an appropriate reading level to ensure the content is accessible at the graduate level. Technical terminology is used, but explained in such a way that the reader can apply the terms in a professional setting.
The text is consistent in the framework of each chapter and the level of terminology used. The authors did a good job of ensuring the readability flowed throughout the text, even though each chapter was written by a variety of individuals within the field.
This text would be great to assign separate chapters throughout a course, with some chapters able to be assigned out of order and others grouped to present a large body of information.
Each of the chapters were well organized in structure and flow. Likewise, most of the chapters flowed from one to the next.
All images, examples and embedded web links were clear and flowed well within the text. The text's interface ensured the reader remained engaged with the text, providing opportunities to apply what was being learned to real-life situations.
The text did not contain any grammatical errors; however, it did still contain a few directives for the editor of the text to complete references.
While this text did not address culture specifically, the authors clearly encourage and support the reader in including family members in the curriculum design process, ensuring the cultural beliefs of the family are embedded within individualized programming.
When I chose to review this book, I had assumed the topic coverage would focus on children with autism, as the book appeared to have been written for a graduate level course titled, "Curriculum and Instruction for Students with Developmental Disabilities/Autism Spectrum Disorders." However, this book was not specific to these disability categories. Rather, the content is applicable across all fields within special education.
This text is based on IWDs in the context of a family which makes it inclusive. It uses person-first language and is ecologically-based. The sample forms and websites should be quite helpful. Several assumptions are made with respect to the... read more
This text is based on IWDs in the context of a family which makes it inclusive. It uses person-first language and is ecologically-based. The sample forms and websites should be quite helpful.
Several assumptions are made with respect to the knowledge base the reader has acquired prior to the class in which the text is used. While these are reasonable it would have been helpful to have them delineated in the introduction.
The content of the book is accurate and error-free, avoiding common conflicts among topics addressed addressed (e.g. AAC and ABA). The material is presented in a neutral and unbiased manner.
The book has current content, but it is general enough so that the text will not become obsolete very soon. The exception to this might be the iOS8 chapter. Even in that case, the information is modularized in such a way to make updates to a specific section relatively easy to do.
The book is quite clear and is effective at establishing context then using technical terminology in that context and applying it functionally.
Terms are operationally defined early in the book or in each chapter and used consistently throughout the text.
It would be very easy to assign just pertinent chapters of the book and not necessarily in the order in which they are included in the book.
The text is generally well-organized, although more of an introduction explaining the organization to the reader would be helpful. While the idea of modules is helpful, at times opportunities might be lost to help students make connections (e.g. how might AAC be a tool utilized after FBA analysis).
The text is very easy to navigate. All of the links worked well.
No grammatical errors were noted.
The text is not culturally insensitive and appears culturally neutral.
An interesting approach. It is well-balanced—informative, but not heavy.
While the six chapters cover some important aspects of instruction for this population of students, I'd appreciate a more comprehensive view of developmental disabilities and autism spectrum disorder. Some introductory information with... read more
While the six chapters cover some important aspects of instruction for this population of students, I'd appreciate a more comprehensive view of developmental disabilities and autism spectrum disorder. Some introductory information with definitions, prevalence rates, etc. would be helpful as well as some broader context on inclusion for students--when is inclusion appropriate, what are the goals, etc. There are some great tools and resources in the book about assessments and tools for self-determination, inclusion, ABA, AAC, FBA etc., but there's never an explicit connection or discussion about why these particular areas are important specifically for students with DD and ASD. I think students would benefit from having some discussion around how and why we make these decisions about students rather than just presenting the tools. I'm also left wondering why are there no chapters about academic interventions, when and how to target academic vs functional outcomes, how to approach writing IEP goals in various areas, etc. yet there is an entire chapter on iOS 8 Accessibility.
The information presented is accurate, it's just not directly tied to students with developmental disabilities or autism.
The relevance/longevity is great. The authors included up to date tools and resources that can easily be updated over time.
The text itself is clear and does not overly rely on jargon. What's not always clear is why the chapter topics were chosen (see Comprehensiveness section of this review). I think a clearer presentation of the overall framework for the text would be helpful to the reader. For example, why is augmentative and alternative communication (AAC) given its own chapter? Why is AAC important for students with DD and ASD? It's never actually explaned that, for example, students with autism have communication impairments, that a hallmark of autism is deficits in communication and social skills, therefore communication devices are often necessary. Same for the other chapters--why are these topics critical for these disability areas?
Additionally, the text reads as if each chapter was written for a separate purpose or publication and compiled together under a title about DD and ASD. The chapters present important and accurate information about each individual topic (e.g., applied behavior analysis), but there's no clear connection to why each particular element is key for students with these disabilities (e.g., WHY do students with DD or ASD need applied behavior analysis?). Chapters 2-6 could have been written for any other textbook on any other disability.
While the terms presented are consistent across the text, the writing styles, framework, and organization of each chapter are not consistent and do not blend. For example, the first chapter is very straightforward while the second chapter opens with a personal vignette from the author. It makes the text seem inconsistent overall.
Another issue is that the terms intellectual disabilites and autism spectrum disorder are never actually defined. Even though the purpose of this text appears to be about instructional planning for kids with DD and ASD, a brief statement with some introductory information about the disabilities (what are they, how do they manifest in people) would be helpful to provide some level of consistency across the text as a whole.
The book can easily be split up into smaller sections for reading assignments. The text is broken up with logical and understandable headings and subheadings.
Overall the topics are presented in an organized way, but, as stated previously, an introduction would be helpful before jumping into the first chapter. What are DD and ASD, prevalence rates, why these two disabilities are often grouped together, how they manifest, etc. Also, the justification for the chapter topics is not clear and the flow from one chapter topic to the next is not overtly logical (see Comprehensiveness and Clarity sections of this review). As stated in other sections of this review, presenting the reader with some overarching framework or organizational structure showing key information about these disabilities, why the included topics are important for these disabilities, and how the chapters are related would improve the text's organization.
Additionally, some of the chapters include great and helpful subheadings (Chapter Objectives, Defining Characteristics, Summary--all in Ch. 3 on ABA) but not all of the chapters follow this format. Each chapter is like its own paper on a specific topic and they were compiled together to make a textbook.
The interface is fine. The graphics are great and there are helpful pictures and figures to add to the reader's understanding.
The grammar is adequate.
There are no explicit references or examples relating to diverse populations.
Each chapter itself presents quality information but the overall organization and flow of the book is very disjointed and confusing. There is no explicit definition of developmental disability or autism spectrum disorder and no justification for the inclusion of the chapter topics. (Why is there a chapter specifically on iOS 8 Accessibility? Why not just assistive technology or accessibility features of common devices?) There is no direct connection in any chapter (except Ch. 1) to DD and ASD--the chapters, while accurate and containing useful information, are not actually about DD or ASD. This book is essentially a collection of related topics that could be applied to students with DD and ASD.
This is a wide spanning topic that could potentially lead to a lack of practical ideas in favor of extensive background material on individual considerations for different populations. This book does a good job of ensuring each chapter has a... read more
This is a wide spanning topic that could potentially lead to a lack of practical ideas in favor of extensive background material on individual considerations for different populations. This book does a good job of ensuring each chapter has a focused set of recommendations for the major issues related to serving individuals with complex disabilities. Further, each chapter is well referenced, with helpful figures, links and worksheets.
The book favors broader approaches that work for a wide number of children over distinguishing children with autism spectrum disorders having certain needs versus other children with other disabilities having other needs. There is a balance of information related to behavior and communication, although I would say there is a little more emphasis on behavioral approaches to intervention.
The content is accurate and is not biased for or against any particular approach. I would note that Apple products are mentioned in one chapter exclusively and also in Chapter 2, but the products are not presented as the only workable technology solutions. The information on AAC contains strategies that are manageable by a variety of communication partners, however there is some more recent work relative to Just In Time Programming and Visual Scenes that would have been good additions. Although only a minor issue, a discussion of multimodal communication would also have been ideal.
The principles are all good and many of the strategies are not tied to specific technologies or temporarily "popular" approaches. Unfortunately, with iOS updates happening more and more frequently (iOS 11 at the time of this review, but iOS 8 in the book), it’s challenging to keep up. It would have been nice if the chapter author (who is very knowledgeable about topic) avoided use of words like, "latest version” especially since a lot of the basics are still the same with some refinements.
Although Youtube videos are quite helpful, there are some links that no longer work (p. 43, p. 89, p. 95, p. 99). In the case of iOS accessibility, it’s not too big of a deal, you can easily find updated video examples based on the titles of the videos listed in the chapter.
The book is highly readable even with the different authors for each chapter. The Figures and Tables are helpful. Although there is an emphasis on practical solutions in the book the tone is clearly for more self-motivated learners or learners. Knowledge of children with disabilities is expected, but discussions could be read by any professional working within the educational system.
The text was consistent in terms of having different visual supports. I did find it distracting that at times figures and tables were embedded in each chapter, and in the case of Chapter 4 were all at the end. Some chapters provided more case examples than others and the differences in the use of case examples is probably the largest weakness I could find in the book.
The entire book is not overly long and each chapter is easily readable within a single setting. Each chapter has a "take away" strategy that would work very well in a course format. The iOS Accessibility chapter is more referential than single intervention strategy based, so it would work as either something to reference in the context of intervention with a specific individual in another chapter or as a chapter to be used in conjunction with specific assignments to customize an iOS system for individuals with a variety of disabilities.
The high degree of modularity, means that there is less of a single narrative woven throughout. One thing I will say is that each chapter quickly gets to applications quickly. Chapters do not spend extensive time on historical context or competing trends. The chapters are satisfying on reaching practical information quickly each time. I only felt chapter 6 deviated from the focus on immediately addressing implementation of the strategy.
The use of external video links could mean a loss of one's place depending on how a user is reading the pdf. If it is embedded in a browser and the links open in the same tab, this could be problematic. I found it worked best when I opened videos in a new tab and this solved my issues. The book doesn't have internal hyperlinks and does not have a table of contents. The references did include doi's when available.
I did not note any grammatical errors. The technical quality of the writing is high while still being readable.
The text is not actively biased against any group. Since there are only a few photos with children, it is difficult to criticize the photos for being of white participants. No chapter attempts to highlight considerations relative to diversity. I will say that the strategies presented would work for a variety of cultural groups. Although not mentioned, the AAC strategies that inform the ModelER intervention have been shown to work with a variety of different communication partners. I think this is true for the other strategies as well.
I enjoyed this book as a resource. It can help to provide some practical ideas to speech-language pathologists or to special educators. I don't think it could be the sole resource I would use at the graduate level.
One thing I would look for as a supplement is more of a discussion of different professionals and how they can work together. Chapter 1 helps in this regard. At the risk of being overly expositional, I think a brief discussion of the roles and responsibilities of different team members (even as a glossary) would be a nice addition. The information is present in other places and could be supplemented for classroom use.
Comprehensive Individualized Curriculum and Instructional Design: Curriculum and Instruction for Students with Developmental Disabilities/Autism Spectrum Disorders is a practical text that is grounded in theory and provides a wealth of examples of... read more
Comprehensive Individualized Curriculum and Instructional Design: Curriculum and Instruction for Students with Developmental Disabilities/Autism Spectrum Disorders is a practical text that is grounded in theory and provides a wealth of examples of instructional and behavioral strategies to support students with complex and involved disabilities within a Universal Design for Learning (UDL) framework. While targeting curriculum design and effective instruction for students with developmental disabilities and autism spectrum disorders, the extensive and comprehensive collection of strategies and approaches for student-centered services, effective communication, behavior management, and use of technology, including AAC, can be applied to a diverse group of students with learning and behavioral challenges. The text contains numerous examples of tools for observation of student behavior and performance, including data collection and progress monitoring. These sample data collection tools are able to be immediately applied to practical use in the classroom and with families and other professionals serving individuals with complex and involved disabilities. iOS8 accessibility, with numerous visuals depicting features and how to use the features as support for effective learning with mobile devices using this technology, is very beneficial as Apple products are used by many school systems.
The content of the text is well-supported with current research from the field. There appears to be no errors and the extensive research and evidence-based practices throughout the text that are clearly referenced support this. There is no bias, although there is the chapter on accessibility of Apple products by an Apple Distinguished Educator.
This text is highly relevant as the number of students identified with ASD continues to increase and educational professionals are constantly challenged to effectively meet the instructional and behavioral needs of these students in the classroom and in community settings. The arrangement of the text would certainly ensure that updates can be implemented easily. This is important, as factors such as changing legislation can impact service delivery options and accountability for this group of students.
The text is well-written and free of educational jargon. The reader needs to be familiar with the categories of disabilities addressed, ASD and developmental disabilities, as there is little actual description, definitions, or characteristics of these areas of disability. There is extensive description of the instructional strategies and behavioral interventions, along with data collection methods, that provide excellent examples of materials and resources for implementation.
The text is consistent in professional terms and conceptual framework addressing effective and inclusive instructional practices and behavioral instruction for students with complex and involved disabilities. Professional terms are defined with ample examples. Some chapters end with a "conclusion" and some chapters end with a "summary" although that doesn't detract from a review of the main ideas of the chapter.
In reference to the modularity of the text, the content can be assigned at different points in a course. While the chapters do complement one another (see Organization/Flow/Structure) any one of the six chapters could serve as an excellent resource for the topic addressed, such as guiding principles for comprehensive instruction for students with complex and involved disabilities and learning and behavioral challenges, AAC, applied behavioral analysis (ABA), functional interventions and assessment (FBA) and effective us of technology tools.
The content of text is structured clearly and logically. The chapters are written to complement one another. There is no table of contents at the beginning of the text and that does lead to the reader needing to scan through the entire text to find relevant information within the topics. With frequent use of the text, the reader would eventually be familiar enough with the content to know in which chapters certain information is presented, but a table of contents would help.
While the text is free of any major interface issues, a few of the website links would not open. Another issue, while not too distracting or cumbersome, is that several charts are in the "landscape" page orientation, but sideways, so the reader must turn the computer to the side to read the charts or tables. Videos all appeared to work and provide specific information and examples to support skills and concepts addressed.
There are no grammatical errors.
The text is highly relevant to understanding the most effective research-based strategies and interventions to support students with ASD or with developmental disabilities thus is sensitive to the nature of the disability. Students with complex and involved disabilities will come from diverse racial, ethnic and cultural backgrounds and having a strong foundation in the most appropriate and effective strategies and interventions to serve these students will greatly assist with service delivery models.
This is a very practical text that provides many examples of how to implement and collect data on the use of evidence and research based strategies and intervention to support instruction and behavior management with students with complex and involved disabilities within an inclusive context.
The comprehensiveness of this textbook addresses a variety of areas within the study of Autism Spectrum Disorders. While the book does not include an index or glossary, the chapters all relate to the title of the textbook. read more
The comprehensiveness of this textbook addresses a variety of areas within the study of Autism Spectrum Disorders. While the book does not include an index or glossary, the chapters all relate to the title of the textbook.
The content is accurate, error-free and unbiased.
Content in the field of Autism Spectrum Disorders changes due to the increased prevalence of the disorder each year but the authors included relevant statistics and facts. If updates were made, it would be easy to implement those changes.
The textbook is clear and concise. It does include technical terminology related to Autism Spectrum Disorders and interventions utilized to support individuals but it is done so in a way that is understandable to professionals working in the field.
The consistency of the textbook could be improved in terms of the framework. For example, the textbook covers a wide range of specific topics related to Autism Spectrum Disorders in Curriculum and Instruction but it does not address all areas. The chapters on Applied Behavior Analysis and Augmentative Alternative Communication are well written but maybe too specific of topics to cover in a textbook related to Curriculum and Instruction. It would take extensive training to implement both Applied Behavior Analysis and Augmentative Alternative Communication, neither of which could be learned from simply reading this textbook.
The modularity of this textbook is good as I can assign smaller reading sections at different points within the course to my students. The chapters are of an appropriate length and provide a good overview of the content covered.
The topics are addressed in a logical, clear manner. The content flows well and is organized for the reader. The benefit of the textbook is the accessibility for readers to complete their reading on a variety of devices and using screen reader technology.
The interface of the textbook is appropriate and there are no issues with navigation, distortion of images or charts. Everything within the book appears clearly and without distraction.
The textbook contains no grammatical errors.
The text is not culturally insensitive or offensive in any way. It describes individuals with Autism Spectrum Disorders and other disabilities in an appropriate way.
This book will be an appropriate textbook to assign in small chapters for my students to read in an online Understanding Autism course at The University of Toledo.
The textbook provides a good overview of instructional strategies for students with autism and special needs. The chapters provide nice overviews of each areas. The chapters on technology are particularly comprehensive with clear descriptions and... read more
The textbook provides a good overview of instructional strategies for students with autism and special needs. The chapters provide nice overviews of each areas. The chapters on technology are particularly comprehensive with clear descriptions and examples of application. The chapters on behavioral strategies are adequate and not as clear as the technology chapters. Many links in the chapters were not accessible or were no longer available online. The section on UDL was particularly good. The video instruction and lecture was excellent. There are many good resources for the student to use to extend learning and generalize to a variety of settings.
The content was accurate and straight forward. The references in some of the chapters could use updating with more current literature and evidence particularly the chapters on behavioral strategies. The technology chapters were up to date.
As stated above, many links were not usable or unavailable. The references in some of the chapters could use updating with more current literature and evidence particularly the chapters on behavioral strategies. The technology chapters were up to date.
The chapters were clear and straight forward. At some points in the behavioral strategies, further descriptions and bullet summaries might be helpful to reinforce overall concepts. There were many sample blank templates which were good. Some of the templates had completed samples, others did not.
The text covers the current state of practice and instruction for students with autism with consistent language and models that a practitioner would be exposed to.
The chapter lengths were perfect so the textbook did not seem overwhelming. The various links (the ones that worked) were very helpful to elucidate concepts, provide examples, and extend learning to a variety of contexts.
Each chapter was organized well with basic introduction of concepts, specific descriptions of major aspects of concepts, rationale and evidence for concepts /models, examples and resources. In addition to the concluding paragraphs, a summary using a bullet, outline format may help to reinforce particular areas for the reader.
Some resource links were not usable or unavailable.
No significant areas noted.
The text was respectful of diversity language in both culture and ability.
Table of Contents
- Chapter 1: Guiding Principles for Developing Comprehensive and Meaningful Instruction for Individuals with Complex Needs
- Chapter 2: Naturalistic AAC Communication Intervention
- Chapter 3: Principles of Applied Behavior Analysis to Teach
- Chapter 4: Developing Function-based Interventions
- Chapter 5: iOS 8 Accessibility
- Chapter 6: Using Content Acquisition Podcasts (CAPs) to Improve Vocabulary Instruction and Learning for Students with Disabilities and Their Teachers
Ancillary Material
Submit ancillary resourceAbout the Book
This open textbook addresses the population of individuals with disabilities that experience complex lifelong needs across multiple areas in their lives. Drs. Sennott and Loman drafted this book (along with the help from some friends) with the hope of providing pertinent, practical, and current resources to future special educators who plan to serve individuals with complex disabilities.
About the Contributors
Authors
Samuel Sennott, PhD, is an assistant professor of special education. He completed his doctorate at The Pennsylvania State University and is the co-creator of the original Proloquo2Go, the popular iOS application that helps people who have difficulty speaking due to a range of disabilities such as autism, Down syndrome, cerebral palsy, and other disabilities. Proloquo2Go has been featured on the front page of the NY Times, by ABC News, and on 60 Minutes. Dr. Sennott's clinical, research and development, and advocacy work focuses on assistive technology, augmentative and alternative communication (AAC), language and literacy, and universal design.