![In a new study lead by Joshua Plavnik, Michigan State University researchers have shown that video-based group lessons could be an effective aid for teenagers […]](/wp-content/uploads/2013/02/NEWSICON2-620x300.png "Teenagers with autism learn complex social skills from new video technologies")
In a new study lead by Joshua Plavnik, Michigan State University researchers have shown that video-based group lessons could be an effective aid for teenagers diagnosed with autistic spectrum disorder (ASD) and those that teach them. The arrival of this study is timely in the face of increasing number of ASD diagnoses and a lack of classroom resources.
Plavnik, an assistant professor at MSU says “Teaching social skills to adolescents with ASD has to be effective and practical”. Previous methods of teaching these social skills have been one on one. By contrast, this study demonstrates for the first time that with video, group lessons can be effective, particularly when followed up by opportunities to practise the new skills in the classroom.
The researchers carefully monitored behavioural changes in a group of teenagers with ASD over a three month period. During this period, each student participated in group classes where they received video instruction on how to interact in group scenarios, and other complex social scenarios. They were then left to practice these skills with peers. All individuals showed rapid improvement in their ability to interact with others in group contexts, and family members reported increased participation and comfortable behaviour in social situations.
Video-based methods like these could be a huge help in classroom situations where there is no funding available for one on one teaching, potentially enabling students with ASD to integrate more fully with their peers, and maintain complex social behaviours in the future.
