Interval Recording System Research Articles

First Grade Primary School Students’ Physical Activity Level on Physical Education Subject through Live Life Well at School Program

Physical education is a subject in school that provides motion experience to students. In addition, it also received the mandate to develop the quality of the student movement through the physical activity (PA). The first motion quality that needs to be addressed is the quality of fundamental motor skills (FMS). Live Life Well at School (LLWS) is a special program to address the quality of FMS which was developed in New South Wales. This program was adopted in Indonesia and proved to have a significant impact on FMS. Nevertheless, further examination should be done on how the program is able to build a culture of active life by increasing the proportion PA up to an acceptable level. The research method used is quantitative descriptive. PA of students are identified through video analysis using duration and interval recording system. The results showed that: (1) the proportion of instructional time allocation is for giving instruction, the physical activity, and for management respectively, and (2) one-third of students following lesson on the physical activity at active and very active level. The LLWS can be adopted to provide a number of adequate movement experiences to students as well as improving their FMS.

Engaging Preschool Children With Severe and Multiple Disabilities Using Books and iPad Apps

A single subject multiple treatment design was used to compare the engagement of 3 preschool children with severe and multiple disabilities, using 2 different stimuli: picture books and iPad apps matched for theme and content. Two of the 3 children had diagnoses of autism spectrum disorder in addition to their other disabilities. Sessions for each child were guided by trained facilitators who were staff working in the inclusive childcare settings attended by the children. Sessions were video recorded and later coded using a 5-second interval recording system. Visual inspection of the data indicated that 1 child was equally engaged with both media, while the 2 with diagnosed autism spectrum disorders were better engaged with the iPad apps. These results are discussed in relation to the potential of technology to engage children with high support needs and autism spectrum disorder with a view to enhancing their engagement in inclusive early childhood settings.

Increasing Recreational Initiations for Children Who Have ASD Using Video Self Modeling

The current study examined the effects of video self modeling (VSM) on social initiations using a multiple baseline across participants experimental design. Three students with Autism Spectrum Disorders (ASD) watched videos of themselves engaged in typical, age appropriate social initiations prior to playtime with a triad of peers. A partial interval recording system was used to measure social initiations of students with ASD and typically developing peers. The percentage of intervals during which students with ASD exhibited play initiations increased to levels comparable to typically developing peers for all three participants. Two students with ASD demonstrated elevated levels of initiations during a maintenance probe conducted two weeks post-intervention. The efficiency of using VSM within a social skills curriculum, limitations of the current study, and future directions for VSM are discussed.

Staff training effective in increasing learning opportunities for school-aged children with autism spectrum disorders

Objective: This study examined the effectiveness of instruction and video feedback on staff's ABA skills during one-to-one play situations and initiations of children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD).Methods: Data were collected within a multiple baseline design across 5 dyads. A continuous 20 s interval recording system was used to record motivation, creating opportunities, prompting and reinforcement of staff and child initiations. Training included instruction, consisting of instructions, video examples and role-plays. After this, a 4-h delayed video feedback condition started.Results: Three staff members created significantly more learning opportunities during post-instruction and a significant increase occurred during video feedback for one staff member. Initiatives increased significantly in two children during post-instruction. During follow-up, three children showed unprompted initiatives. The mean percentage of spontaneous initiations increased during follow-up.Conclusion: The findings provide support for training staff in a clinical setting to create learning opportunities, which also may result in concomittant improvement in child initiations.

Increasing On-Task Behaviors of High School Students with Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder: Is it Enough?

This study used audiotaped chimes and a student checklist to improve the on-task behavior of three 10th -grade students with ADHD. The study took place in a high school study hall specifically for students with disabilities. The observers used a 10-second whole interval recording system to record on-task/off-task behavior within an alternating treatment experimental design. The conditions included: Baseline, Self-monitoring, and Self-monitoring with Reinforcement. Results indicate that all three participants improved their on-task behavior. Self-monitoring alone was effective in increasing the on-task behavior of two participants. Self-monitoring with reinforcement was needed to increase the on-task behavior of the third student.

Effects of Supervisor Performance Feedback on Increasing Preservice Teachers' Positive Communication Behaviors With Students With Emotional and Behavioral Disorders

The purposes of this study were to examine the effects of supervisor performance feedback on preservice teachers' rates of positive and negative communication behaviors with students with emotional and behavioral disorders and the effects of the intervention on the preservice teachers' perceptions of classroom management and climate. The authors used a multiple baseline design across preservice teachers with a 1-min interval recording system to measure the frequencies of positive and negative verbal and nonverbal communication behaviors of preservice teachers. They also recorded preservice teachers' statements and gestures to provide specific performance feedback. Preservice teachers' perceptions on the effects of the intervention were monitored using their reflective journal entries. Specific performance feedback increased the ratio of positive-to-negative preservice teacher communication behaviors. In addition, preservice teacher satisfaction was improved. Results suggest that supervisors' use of specific performance feedback may assist preservice teachers to implement a higher ratio of positive-to-negative communications with their students.

CURRICULUM ENRICHMENT WITH SELF-TESTING ACTIVITIES IN DEVELOPMENT OF FUNDAMENTAL MOVEMENT SKILLS OF FIRST-GRADE CHILDREN IN GREECE

The purpose of this study was to investigate the effect of Self-testing activities on the development of fundamental movement skills in first-grade children in Greece. Two groups of children were tested. The Control group (n = 23 children) received the regular 12-wk. physical education school program and the Experimental group (n = 22 children) received a 12-wk. skill-oriented program with an increasing allotment of self-testing activities. The Test of Gross Motor Development was used to assess fundamental movement skills, while the content areas of physical education courses were estimated with an assessment protocol, based on the interval recording system called the Academic Learning Time-Physical Education. A 2 × 2 repeated measures analysis of variance with group as the between factor and testing time (pretest vs posttest) as the repeated-measures factor was performed to assess differences between the two groups. A significant interaction of group with testing time was found for the Test of Gross Motor Development total score, with the Experimental group scoring higher then the Control group. A significant main effect was also found for test but not for group. This study provides evidence supporting the notion that a balanced allotment of the self-testing and game activities beyond the usual curriculum increases the fundamental motor-skill development of children. Also, it stresses the necessity for content and performance standards for the fundamental motor skills in educational programs. Finally, it seems that the Test of Gross Motor Development is a useful tool for the assessment of children's fundamental movement skills.

Practices of Coteachers in Inclusive Preschool Classrooms

Combined Head Start (HS)-early childhood special education (ECSE) class- rooms are one of several emerging models for inclusive preschool programs; however; few descriptions of coteaching at the preschool level exist. An exploratory study was conducted to begin to identify the practices of HS and ECSE teachers in combined, team-taught classrooms. Two separate observations using an interval recording system were conducted in seven combined HS-ECSE classrooms. The classrooms served between 14 and 20 children, including 4 to 8 children with disabilities. Results indicated that the behaviors of HS and ECSE teachers were fairly similar; with both groups using facilitation rather than direct assistance as their primary teaching method, and redirection rather than discipline to suggest alternative responses to children. Overall, the HS teachers engaged in more teaching behaviors than the ECSE teachers; and the ECSE teachers provided most of the monitoring. Observations also indicated that the coteachers in this study utilized "parallel teaching" and "one teaching, one supporting" models of collaborative teaching. These data provide an initial description of coteaching behaviors in inclusive preschool classrooms. Future research should investigate the relationships of different coteaching styles and child-outcome variables.

A playroom observation procedure to assess children with mental retardation and ADHD.

Forty-two children (ages 6 to 12 years old) with moderate mental retardation to borderline intellectual functioning were studied in a laboratory playroom setting to determine whether children identified as ADHD (attention deficit hyperactivity disorder) or controls differed on activity and attentional measures. Children with ADHD were further divided into ADHD + conduct problems (ADHD + CD) and ADHD-only subgroups (with an ADHD-combined group comprising children of both subgroups). An interval recording system was used to code observations of independent play and a restricted academic task. Results indicated that the ADHD-combined group was significantly more vocal and engaged in a significantly greater number of toy changes than controls during independent play. Significant group differences were also noted during the restricted academic task, with the ADHD-combined and ADHD + CD groups more off-task and engaging in a greater number of toy touches than controls. Discriminant analyses found independent play measures to predict group membership in 70 percent of cases (ADHD-combined vs. controls), but in only 64 percent of cases using measures from the restricted academic task. No significant findings resulted when the ADHD subjects were further divided into two subgroups. Despite some inconsistent findings, such laboratory-based observations may be of value in the diagnosis of ADHD in children with moderate mental retardation to borderline intellectual functioning.

Methylphenidate in children with mental retardation and ADHD: Effects on independent play and academic functioning

Twenty-two children with mental retardation and attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) participated in a double-blind, placebo-controlled study of methylphenidate involving .3 and .6 mg/kg medication doses and a placebo. Clinic-based observations of independent play and a restricted academic task were conducted to assess drug response. An interval recording system was used to code behaviors such as length of play, physical movement, intensity of play, and toy pickups during a 10-min independent play observation; on-task behavior, fidgetiness, out-of-seat behavior, and touching toys were coded during a 10-min restricted academic task. Results indicated significant changes across a number of dependent measures with the use of methylphenidate. Both play and restricted academic tasks may serve as appropriate clinic-based means of assessing stimulant medication efficacy in children with mental retardation and ADHD.

Naltrexone in Young Autistic Children: A Double-Blind, Placebo-Controlled Crossover Study

This study evaluated the efficacy and safety of naltrexone, an opiate blocker, in the treatment of autism. Thirteen children with autistic disorder, aged 3.4 to 8.3 years (mean 5.4), were studied in home, school, and outpatient laboratory. Naltrexone, 1.0 mg/kg, was given daily in a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled crossover design. Dependent measures included parent and teacher Clinical Global Impressions (CGI), Conners Rating Scales, and Naltrexone Side-Effects (SE) Rating Scale; laboratory CGI, movement actometer readings, and a 10-second interval recording system analysis of on-task, communication initiations, disruptive behavior, and self-stimulation. Eight of 13 subjects improved in two or more settings. Changes in parent measures (CGI, Conners Impulsivity-Hyperactivity Factor, and SE-Restlessness) and Teacher CGI achieved statistical significance. Teacher SE-Restlessness and initiation of communication in the clinic showed a trend toward improvement. Actometer readings improved in two children who were very active at baseline. Adverse side effects were behavioral, mild, and transient. Administering the bitter tablet was a challenge. Naltrexone offers promise as an agent for modest improvement of behavior and social communication in young children with autism. Parent and teacher measures can be useful in outpatient trials to evaluate change.

Written Language Instruction for Students with Mild Handicaps: Is There Enough Quantity to Ensure Quality?

Full-day classroom observations of learning disabled, emotionally disabled, educable mentally retarded, and nonhandicapped students ( N = 122) were conducted. A 10-second interval recording system was used to document tasks and student responding during written language instruction in regular and special education settings. Regardless of categorical designation, extreme variability was found in the amount of time individual students spent in writing activities or in receiving written language instruction. Implications for improving written language instruction for students with mild handicaps include increasing allocated time, teaching written language as an integrated process, and coordinating written language activities with different content areas. Collaborative problem solving between regular and special educators is needed to accomplish these changes.

Use of escape and reward in the management of young children during dental treatment.

A reinforced practice procedure was used to facilitate cooperative behavior in five children, aged 3 to 6 years, during dental treatment. In a multiple baseline design across subjects, the children were rewarded with escape, inexpensive stickers, and praise for cooperative behavior in the presence of the sights, sounds, and some sensations of the dental instruments prior to actual dental treatment. Direct observations of disruptive behavior via a 15-s interval recording system indicated baseline levels as high as 90% were reduced to less than 15% by the final treatment visit. In addition, the procedure was effective in reducing overall heart rate and blood pressure reactivity to dental treatment. All children were rated by the involved dental professionals as more cooperative and relaxed following exposure to reinforced practice.

Portable system for the measurement of heart rate

We describe a simple RR interval recording system; it does not involve an analogue recording of ECG data on magnetic tape and does not therefore suffer from the inherent problem of tape speed variability on playback, which is a frequent cause of inaccuracies in RR interval timing. The system operates in both recording and playback modes and records of up to 60 minutes duration can be obtained without operator intervention. Its accuracy with respect to RR interval is not less than 99.5%.

Fostering Friendliness in a Fast Food Franchise

As a result of upper level management interest in improving customer service in a fast foods restaurant, a behavioral program was designed to measure and improve one aspect of service, the friendliness of front-line personnel (N = 11). Friendliness was defined behaviorally and measured using an interval recording system. A multiple-baseline design across areas within the restaurant was employed. During the program, desired behaviors were defined and rehearsed, cues were provided (e.g., after greeting customers), and the behaviors were followed by consequences that came from the manager (e.g., recognition), customers (c.g., smiling back), and the employees themselves (e.g., checkmarks). The interventions were successful in one area and partially successful in another. Suggestions are made for future research on the subject of customer service.