So many acronyms and so little time!

When these are all seen as separate or additional things to do, it can become overwhelming or, maybe, even scary (Oh my!). By looking at High Leverage Practices (HLPs) and Evidence Based Practices in Autism (EBPs) as a collection of helpful tools for implementing IEPs, they can become a little less scary and overwhelming.

What are EBPs and HLPs?

In 2014, the National Professional Development Center on Autism Spectrum Disorder (NPDC) published their report on 27 strategies that met criteria for being identified as evidence based practices for autism.  These are a set of practices that have been shown, through scientific research, to be effective with students with ASD.  A set of 22 High Leverage Practices for special educators was released by the Collaboration for Effective Education Development, Accountability, and Reform (CEEDAR) and the Council for Exceptional Children (CEC) in 2016.  HLPs are frequently occurring practices that all special educators should know how to do.

How can HLPs and EBPs help with IEPs?

Both HLPs and EBPs support high quality implementation of IEPs and promote increased student outcomes across content areas and settings. Focusing on how these practices can support and guide instruction that positively impacts student learning can help educators to see them as tools rather than obstacles.  Overlaps in identified practices are noted and a few examples are outlined below.

HLP		EBP in Autism
HLP9 Teach social behaviors Includes explicit instruction in: self-management, communication, and interpersonal skills		Self-Management Social Skills Training Functional Communication Training
HLP10 Conduct functional behavioral assessments to develop individual student behavior support plans		Functional Behavior Assessment (FBA)
HLP16 Use explicit instruction Includes modeling and scaffolding		Modeling Task Analysis Prompting
HLP19 Use assistive and instructional technologies		Technology-aided Instruction and Intervention
HLP20 Provide intensive instruction		Discrete Trial Training (DTT)
HLP21 Teach students to maintain and generalize new learning across time and settings		Naturalistic Interventions

Where can you learn more?

Borrow books on HLPs from the TTAC ODU Lending Library, by visiting our site and searching the library catalog for “high leverage practices”.

Information on EBPs for autism, along with online learning modules, can be found on the NPDC website.

Information, resources, and online learning modules about HLPs can be found through the CEEDAR website and through the IRIS Center.

References