Using Self-Monitoring to Increase Attending to Task and Academic Accuracy in Children With Autism

This study was conducted to investigate the effectiveness of a self-monitoring procedure on increasing attending to task and academic accuracy in two elementary students with autism in their self-contained classroom. A multiple baseline across participants in two academic subject areas was used to assess the effectiveness of the intervention. Both students were taught to self-monitor in language arts and mathematics with measures of attending to task and academic accuracy being collected simultaneously. Results are interpreted to conclude that the self-monitoring procedure was effective for both students and resulted in immediate increases in attending to task and academic accuracy even though results in academic accuracy were variable. Social validity was documented by the increase in two behaviors relevant for student success (attending to task and academic accuracy) and greater student independence.