Phillip Strain

The Principal Investigator (PI) will conduct a program of research for improving the reading outcomes of students with or at risk for co-occurring reading disabilities and attention problems. In addition, the PI will participate in mentoring and training activities to develop knowledge and skills related to this particular group of students, the use of single-case design to inform intervention development, and the analysis of group design data. A growing body of research indicates that a sub...

The purpose of this study is to explore factors (e.g., preschool center policies, staff buy-in, family involvement) that are related to teachers' initial and long-term fidelity of implementation of the LEAP Preschool Model (LEAP), an intensive, inclusive intervention for children with autism spectrum disorders (ASD). One of the greatest challenges in the field of early intervention is closing the gap between what is known about effective instructional practices for preschool children and the...

Students with serious behavioral challenges may experience a host of negative school and life outcomes if their behavior is not addressed early in life. Of students with any category of disability, students with emotional disturbance are at greatest risk for school failure and have the poorest academic records and highest dropout rates. To help improve outcomes for these students, the research team is evaluating the efficacy of a promising intervention to provide young children in preschool ...

According to the Centers for Disease Control, autism is increasingly becoming a public health crisis with a prevalence that has reached 1 in 110. To provide early intervention, LEAP-USA was developed as a comprehensive intervention model for preschool children with autism. Based on inclusion with typically developing peers, it aims to provide intervention and early education for young children with autism in a manner that does not tax school systems' limited resources. The first randomized c...

The purpose is to conduct an intensive analysis of a standardized intervention, "Prevent-Teach-Reinforce (PTR)," that is based on the extensive research literatures of applied behavior analysis and positive behavior support. The principal objective of the research will be to investigate the impact of the PTR intervention when applied by typical school personnel, as compared to control conditions. Secondary goals include (a) differentiating those students for whom the PTR intervention is effe...

The purpose of this project is to assess the efficacy of LEAP-USA in achieving positive child and family outcomes as a model of intervention for young children with autism. The researchers intend to examine the differential effects on key outcomes resulting from high-fidelity implementation.