Kansas City Schools Sought for Peer-Based Autism Intervention Program
Preschoolers can make the best research partners, which is why education scientists at the University of Kansas are looking to partner with schools for early childhood autism interventions.
Through the PIPA project, Kansas City area schools are invited to implement the Stay-Play-Talk method, a peer-mediated intervention designed to improve communication skills among preschoolers with autism.
What is the PIPA Project?
PIPA, or the Peer Intervention for Preschoolers with Autism, is an an evidence-based autism intervention that uses the benefits of peer-mediated interventions for autistic preschoolers. We recently caught up with researcher Dr. Kathy Bourque to talk about the project.
“In these kinds of peer-mediated interventions, peers—typically developing preschool children, in this case—are guided by adults to prompt communication and social behaviors during structured play activities with autistic peers,” Dr. Bourque said.
How Stay-Play-Talk Enhances Communication in Preschoolers
Through PIPA, a school special education team member works with the trio of children to use a communication intervention called Stay-Play-Talk. This research study on autism interventions in preschool classrooms has shown to increase communication and social skills among autistic children.
The Kansas Department of Education recently highlighted the federally funded project in area schools such as USD 469 in Lansing, Kansas. Dr. Bourque, together with researcher Janet Weaver at the Juniper Gardens Children’s Project in Kansas City, Kan., are looking for more schools to partner with.
Outcomes showed marked changes in spontaneous communication and reciprocity, behaviors that are critical for early social development.
Join the Research: Partner with Us for Autism Intervention
By October, researchers are seeking 12 more children in area schools to enroll in the study on preschool autism intervention.
“We can’t approach an individual special education classroom or teacher, though,” Bourque told us. “We need to have the involvement of district administrators first, so the race is on to find more partners.” Interested districts are encouraged to reach out to Weaver at janet.weaver@ku.edu to inquire about getting the project into their district.
Eligibility and Enrollment Details
Both children who have been clinically identified as autistic, as well as those who haven’t yet received a clinical evaluation for autism, are eligible to participate. Over the course of the multi-site study, 120 preschoolers with autism will be recruited to participate in local preschools in the Kansas City metro area and preschools across North Carolina.
Bourque recently presented results of a 2-year study at the International Society of Autism Research (INSAR) conference in Stockholm, Sweden. In five school districts, the research team provided a similar Stay-Play-Talk peer-mediated intervention for preschoolers with autism with limited or no spoken language, which involved 24 children with autism and 47 peer buddies.
Interested in partnering with the PIPA project? Contact Janet Weaver at janet.weaver@ku.edu to explore how your district can contribute to this important autism research