Skip to main content

Research

TSLAT works to keep information updated. The evaluation section is revised every 2-3 years by a contracted well-qualified researcher. The intervention section is based on literature reviews of intervention science, the most recent review being Evidence-Based Practices for Children, Youth, and Young Adults with Autism (2020) by the National Clearinghouse on Autism Evidence & Practice (NCAEP). As this research is revised, TARGET is revised.

Procedures used by TSLAT to update the information that is shared in our Evaluations and Interventions sections.

Evaluations

Every 2-3 years, TSLAT contracts with a well-qualified researcher to update the evaluations in this section of TARGET. This researcher must have a school-based certification, have experience evaluating children with autism, have experience as a peer-reviewer for a professional journal, and have access to peer-reviewed research databases and journal articles.

The selected researcher is expected...

  1. To utilize the information provided in the current documents to locate and document any new research that has been generated in the thirteen areas of assessment covered in the TARGET.
  2. To locate other assessments that contain scientifically based, peer-reviewed information, and submit them to TSLAT staff for review with intent to include them in the update.
  3. To provide information and new research on assessments, which have been replaced by updated versions.
  4. To recommend deletions of assessments, which are out of date or unattainable.

This version of our Evaluations section includes research reported through December 31, 2018.

Interventions

The intervention section is based on literature reviews of intervention science, the most recent review being Evidence-Based Practices for Children, Youth, and Young Adults with Autism (2020) by the National Clearinghouse on Autism Evidence & Practice (NCAEP). As this research is revised, TARGET is revised.

The NCAEP report is a detailed review of the literature with the purpose to “describe a set of practices that have clear evidence of positive effects with autistic children and youth. The report is the third iteration of a systematic review that has examined the intervention literature (Odom, Collet-Klingenberg, et al., 2010; Wong et al., 2014; 2015), extending the coverage to articles published between 1990 and 2017.” (Steinbrenner, et al., 2020). This report continues the work that was started by the National Professional Development Center on Autism Spectrum Disorder (NPDC) with systematic reviews of the literature. This work is excellent and there is no need for TSLAT to duplicate this effort. If you are interested in their research methodology, please download a copy of the report. They have detailed information on their research, review protocols, and criteria for EBP identification.

Our goal is to summarize the research findings and present it in a way that is practical for Texas educators and families to use. Another goal along with that of the NPDC and the NCAEP is to promote the use of evidence-based practices for children and youth with autism, birth to 22 years of age. With this newest review from the NCAEP, we hope to provide Texas educators and families with updated information on the most effective interventions that can lead to the most successful outcomes for learners.