Generalization of executive function skills in inclusion settings for students with Asperger's syndrome

The purposes of this single case investigation were to research the effects of an intervention designated to prepare a student with Asperger's Syndrome for placement within a public high school. The student attended a specialized private school for grades 3-8. Upon entrance into eighth grade, the student entered the intervention program. This program included placement in a mainstream eighth grade social studies class with the accompaniment of the examiner. The intervention included daily feedback and strategies aimed to increase occurrences of task completion, increase executive function skills within the class setting, and decrease maladaptive behaviors. The identical areas of interest were sent to the student's current public high school teacher for rating. Findings reveal an increase in student's overall points earned as indicated by archival data for the intervention year. During the non-intervention year, teacher-reported points decreased significantly. This indicates that while the intervention increased the student's success in a mainstream setting (the eighth grade Social Studies class), these skills were not, however, generalized to the mainstream high school setting.