Coding Training for Developmental Disabilities

Overseen By Timothy Tansey, PhD

Age: 18 - 65

Sex: Any

Trial Phase: Academic

Sponsor: University of Wisconsin, Madison

Disqualifiers: Caucasian, No developmental disability, others

No Placebo Group All trial participants will receive the active study treatment (no placebo)

Approved in 1 Jurisdiction This treatment is already approved in other countries

Compensation: Varies

Number of Visits: 6

Duration: 2 weeks

150 Participants Needed

Trial Summary

What is the purpose of this trial?

The purpose of the present study is to develop and evaluate the Technology Early Career Preparation Intervention (TECH-Prep) program with African American high school students with developmental disabilities. Developmental disabilities include conditions such as Autism spectrum disorders, seizure disorders, behavior disorders, brain injury, cerebral palsy, Down syndrome, and fetal alcohol syndrome/effects. This program is designed to increase technology career interests, self-efficacy, outcome expectancy, goal persistence, and increase entrance into post-secondary education or work subsequent to high school completion of African American youth with developmental disabilities.

Do I need to stop my current medications for this trial?

The trial information does not specify whether you need to stop taking your current medications.

What data supports the effectiveness of the treatment TECH-Prep Intervention, Technology Early Career Preparation Intervention for developmental disabilities?

Research shows that using technology, like handheld computers, can help people with intellectual disabilities learn and maintain job skills. Additionally, integrating technology with vocational training has been effective in helping individuals with severe physical disabilities secure employment, suggesting that similar approaches could benefit those with developmental disabilities. ^{1 2 3 4 5}

Is the Coding Training for Developmental Disabilities generally safe for humans?

The research articles reviewed do not provide specific safety data for the Coding Training for Developmental Disabilities or its related interventions. However, in similar training programs for individuals with developmental disabilities, no injuries were reported during the training phases. ^{1 6 7 8 9}

How is the TECH-Prep Intervention treatment different from other treatments for developmental disabilities?

The TECH-Prep Intervention is unique because it focuses on preparing individuals with developmental disabilities for careers by integrating technology and vocational training, which is not commonly emphasized in other treatments. This approach helps participants develop job-related skills using computers and technology, aiming to improve their employment prospects and independence. ^{2 3 9 10 11}

Research Team

Timothy Tansey, PhD

Principal Investigator

University of Wisconsin, Madison

Eligibility Criteria

This trial is for African American young adults aged 18-24 with developmental disabilities such as Autism, seizure disorders, or Down syndrome. Participants must be able to give informed consent and have an interest in technology careers after high school.

Inclusion Criteria

I understand and can agree to the study's procedures and risks.

Individuals of diverse racial and cultural backgrounds

Diagnosed with a developmental disability

Exclusion Criteria

I am older than 24 years.

Do not have a developmental disability

I am unable to understand and agree to the study's details on my own.

Timeline

Screening

Participants are screened for eligibility to participate in the trial

2-4 weeks

Treatment

Participants engage in the TECH-Prep program, which includes coding career overviews, video testimonials, and training materials for workplace social skills development

2 weeks

Online participation

Follow-up

Participants complete surveys to assess changes in career readiness, goal persistence, and outcome expectations

6 weeks

Surveys at baseline, immediately post-intervention, and 6 weeks post-intervention

Treatment Details

Interventions

• TECH-Prep Intervention

Trial Overview The TECH-Prep program aims to boost technology career interests and skills among these individuals. It focuses on increasing self-efficacy, outcome expectancy, goal persistence, and entry into higher education or the workforce.

Participant Groups

Group I: Online Training Program Experimental Treatment 1 Intervention

An online intervention for people with disabilities intended to increase social skills and interest in coding careers.

TECH-Prep Intervention is already approved in United States for the following indications:

Approved in United States as TECH-Prep for:

• Career preparation and technology education for high school students with developmental disabilities

Who Is Running the Clinical Trial?

University of Wisconsin, Madison

Lead Sponsor

Trials

1,249

Recruited

3,255,000+

Virginia Commonwealth University

Collaborator

Trials

732

Recruited

22,900,000+

Findings from Research

The study demonstrated that a handheld computer prompting system effectively helped four adolescents with moderate intellectual disabilities learn and generalize vocational skills.

Participants maintained a 100% task performance level for up to 9 weeks, indicating the potential for long-term retention of skills learned with this technology.

NCBI (Pubmed)

pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Generalized use of a handheld prompting system. Cihak, DF., Kessler, KB., Alberto, PA.[2019]

The vocational training program 'Careers in Automation for Persons with Severe Physical Disabilities' successfully aimed to help individuals with severe physical impairments secure employment through the use of technology, as demonstrated by the profiles of 24 clients over 4 years.

Case studies highlighted that matching technological accommodations to both employer needs and personal preferences is crucial for job satisfaction and productivity, rather than just focusing on the complexity of the technology used.

NCBI (Pubmed)

pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Career transitions for persons with severe physical disabilities: integrating technological and psychosocial skills and accommodations. Lash, M., Licenziato, V.[2014]

The study assessed clients with physical disabilities to evaluate their computer skills and found that while programming jobs are not promising, opportunities in terminal operations and microcomputer-related occupations show potential for further exploration.

Based on the findings, a training program tailored for individuals with disabilities was recommended, utilizing the IBM Personal Computer, with sufficient interest to support its establishment for one year.

NCBI (Pubmed)

pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Computer vocations for severely physically disabled persons: survey results. Stride, BD.[2006]

The Desktop Vocational Assistant Robot (DeVAR) was positively received by users with severe mobility impairments, indicating its potential to enhance independence in work environments, based on an 8-month pilot study with four subjects and staff evaluations.

Participants suggested improvements for the DeVAR system, such as better microphone technology and workspace design, which could enhance its effectiveness as a vocational assistant, leading to plans for a larger multicenter evaluation.

NCBI (Pubmed)

pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Workstation robotics: a pilot study of a Desktop Vocational Assistant Robot. Taylor, B., Cupo, ME., Sheredos, SJ.[2019]

A study involving 22 residents with severe and profound mental retardation found that a comprehensive treatment approach, which included staff training and edible reinforcement, was more effective for skill acquisition than a simpler method that only used prompting and modeling.

Daily documentation of teaching did not improve the effectiveness of the treatment, suggesting that the quality of the intervention is more important than the quantity of documentation.

NCBI (Pubmed)

pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

A comparison of behavioral techniques to teach functional independent-living skills to individuals with severe and profound mental retardation. Matson, JL., Smalls, Y., Hampff, A., et al.[2017]

A study using a video-prompting procedure via telehealth successfully taught five children with intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD) essential first aid skills for treating insect stings, minor cuts, and burns, showing significant improvements that lasted for at least 4 weeks.

The training not only helped the children perform first aid on themselves but also allowed them to generalize these skills to new situations, indicating the effectiveness of this teaching method.

NCBI (Pubmed)

pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

An evaluation of video-prompting procedures via telehealth to teach first aid skills to children with intellectual and developmental disabilities. Sureshkumar, BM., Zonneveld, KLM.[2023]

A multicomponent treatment package successfully taught 3 students with moderate mental retardation to safely remove and discard broken materials from various locations, demonstrating the efficacy of the intervention.

No injuries occurred during the training, highlighting the safety of the methods used, although follow-up data showed mixed results in skill retention after 1 week and 1 month.

NCBI (Pubmed)

pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Teaching safety skills to high school students with moderate disabilities. Winterling, V., Gast, DL., Wolery, M., et al.[2021]

A detailed task analysis for teaching sewing skills was developed and validated, showing that it effectively helped five moderately retarded adolescents learn to sew hems, buttons, and seams.

The training not only led to rapid acquisition of these skills but also allowed the adolescents to generalize their sewing abilities to untrained tasks, demonstrating the effectiveness of the teaching methods used.

NCBI (Pubmed)

pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Teaching mending skills to mentally retarded adolescents. Cronin, KA., Cuvo, AJ.[2018]

The COMPETE program successfully trained young adults with cognitive impairments in essential job skills, particularly in using technology like computers and fax machines.

Out of 27 participants, 17 were successfully placed in jobs after completing the 3-year training program, demonstrating the program's effectiveness in improving employment outcomes for this group.

NCBI (Pubmed)

pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

COMPETE: a model for vocational evaluation, training, employment, and community for integration for persons with cognitive impairments. Mann, WC., Svorai, SB.[2019]

The Comprehensive Employment Preparation program aims to equip adolescents with developmental disabilities with essential job and psychosocial skills, promoting their ability to become self-sustaining members of society.

Research highlights the importance of social, problem-solving, and employment-seeking skills in achieving and maintaining employment, indicating that targeted interventions can effectively address individual deficiencies in these areas.

NCBI (Pubmed)

pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Comprehensive employment preparation for adolescents with developmental disabilities: an empirical paradigm. Wodarski, JS., Wodarski, LA., Kim, TW.[2019]

A systematic review of eight studies found that training in virtual environments can effectively help people with neurodevelopmental disorders transfer vocational skills to real-world settings, addressing barriers to employment.

The review highlights the potential of virtual training as a safe and reliable method for skill development, especially given recent technological advancements that improve accessibility and affordability.

NCBI (Pubmed)

pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Vocational Training in Virtual Environments for People With Neurodevelopmental Disorders: A Systematic Review. Michalski, SC., Ellison, C., Szpak, A., et al.[2021]

References

1. United States pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Generalized use of a handheld prompting system. [2019]

2. Netherlands pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Career transitions for persons with severe physical disabilities: integrating technological and psychosocial skills and accommodations. [2014]

3. United States pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Computer vocations for severely physically disabled persons: survey results. [2006]

4. United States pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Workstation robotics: a pilot study of a Desktop Vocational Assistant Robot. [2019]

5. United States pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

A comparison of behavioral techniques to teach functional independent-living skills to individuals with severe and profound mental retardation. [2017]

6. United States pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

An evaluation of video-prompting procedures via telehealth to teach first aid skills to children with intellectual and developmental disabilities. [2023]

7. United States pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Teaching safety skills to high school students with moderate disabilities. [2021]

8. United States pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Teaching mending skills to mentally retarded adolescents. [2018]

9. United States pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

COMPETE: a model for vocational evaluation, training, employment, and community for integration for persons with cognitive impairments. [2019]

10. United States pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Comprehensive employment preparation for adolescents with developmental disabilities: an empirical paradigm. [2019]

11. Switzerland pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Vocational Training in Virtual Environments for People With Neurodevelopmental Disorders: A Systematic Review. [2021]