Kathy B. Ewoldt

The ability to work and function independently is one of the most important skills for the achievement of ideal post-school outcomes. The use of self-monitoring to improve independence and/or reduce undesirable behaviors is an imperative need for individuals with autism. The purpose of this literature review was to examine technology-based self-monitoring interventions for individuals with autism. We used a four-step literature search process to identify studies for review. Online databases, such as ERIC, were used to search for studies. Using four inclusion criteria and PRISMA guidelines for the selection and screening process, we identified 16 studies that met the inclusion criteria. We used coding to summarize the following information from the included studies: participants who met the inclusion criteria, primary dependent variable, primary intervention, and study design. The results of the review revealed three primary functions of technology performed in self-monitoring. The included studies targeted on-task behaviors, skill acquisition, and socially relevant behaviors as primary dependent variables. The findings of the review suggested that future research could use self-monitoring interventions to support an adult with autism in employment settings and that a self-monitoring intervention could be tailored by considering individual differences.

Expository paragraph writing is difficult to learn and teach. For many students, particularly those with learning disabilities, it is difficult to manage the multiple, simultaneous complex processes required for success. And for their teachers, writing is the content area in which they feel least prepared to teach. This intervention applied the concept of reverse engineering to instructional design to teach expository paragraph writing using a color‐cued graphic organizer. The study evaluated the effects of using a systematic color code to highlight the alignment of where ideas originate in a graphic organizer to their development into a sentence within a well‐organized expository paragraph. Using a single case research design, with a pre‐ and post‐intervention assessments, students ( n = 5) with dyslexia improved their expository paragraph knowledge and skills. Percentage of non‐overlapping data and Tau analyses indicate a large to very large effect of the 2‐week intervention. Results, suggestions for further research, and implications for practice are discussed.