Context & Objectives

Project Design Change Note: Pre-Study

An approved change to the project design was given On March 15, 2023, which was those who had volunteered to be involved in this project were teachers of grade 1 and 2 classrooms, rather than Kindergarten teachers. The McDowell Foundation gave our project permission to change our focus to grades 1 and 2.  This said, the findings of this project are likely to be of relevance to teachers of primary grades. This is found as a footnote on page 1 of Summary of Study Findings - Supporting Neurodiverse Learners by Using Visual Supports as a Tier 1 Intervention.

Context

The study, Supporting Neurodiverse Learners by Using Visual Supports as a Tier One Intervention, examined the research question, “What can be learned by incorporating visual supports, as a Tier 1 intervention, for both neurotypical and neurodivergent students, in grades 1 and 2 (primary) classrooms?”

This study included four classrooms, whose teachers had expressed interest in participation.  Classrooms contained both neurodivergent and neuro-majority (diverse) learners.  Participating teachers had a desire to learn more about effective and efficient use of visual supports as a Tier 1 (whole class) initiative/intervention.  The study looked at the impacts of using visual supports with students, taking into account considerations that could include, but that were not limited to, how student engagement, performance/task initiation, classroom interactions, independence, classroom procedures and routines, teacher/staff member workload, and other pedagogical, curriculum implantation, social interaction, emotional regulation, and classroom structure factors are impacted by the introduction of visual supports in grade 1 or 1/2 classroom environments.

Administrators of participating classrooms were in agreement with participation and over the course of the study I got to speak with administrators and Educational Assistants who were supporting in the classrooms.

Classrooms were all within Regina Public School Division #4 in Regina, Saskatchewan - an urban school division on Treaty Four Territory and the Homeland of the Métis Nation.  The design of the study included wanting to use classrooms in different schools.  Based on expression of interest, four teachers from three schools expressed interest, which allowed the researcher to accept all four classrooms (in three schools). Schools were located in different areas of the city and offered diversity in their makeup.

Initial Study Objectives:

• Determine what might be learned by incorporating visual supports, as a Tier 1 intervention, for both neurotypical and neurodivergent students (as gathered through the adult viewpoint). This may include, but not be limited to challenges, barriers (and possible solutions) as well as benefits, successes, and factors for future generalization and success. There could be information to be gained around student independence, teaching factors/requirements for success, social interaction amongst students or other factors, around classroom routines, in terms of curriculum implementation, in terms of pedagogy, and in other areas.

• Determine what might be learned by incorporating visual supports, as a Tier 1 intervention, in a Kindergarten classroom for adults (teacher, Educational Assistant, possibly Learning Resource Teacher). There could be information to be gained around factors/requirements for successful use of visual supports, around intensification of workload in relation to the use of visual supports (and, if so, perhaps this study can propose solutions to this challenge), around increased student independence, around how and when visual supports are most naturally incorporated into classroom routines, classroom environment, and teaching practices. There could be implications related to pedagogy, curriculum implementation, and a range of other educational action research areas based on this study's findings.

Summary Comments about Study Objectives:  

• As can be found above, and as seen in Benefits to Learners of Using Visual Supports - Short List Form and Benefits to Learners of Use of Visual Supports with Explanation there were many positive outcomes for all learners (both neuro-majority and neurodivergent) in classrooms.  Maximum benefit was seen when visual supports were included in classrooms alongside intentionality, co-creation of the visual supports, and explicit teaching (the content of the visual and how to use or reference the visual and when a student might do so).

• As can be seen in Benefits to Teachers When Visual Supports are Used Class-wide and Tips for Consultants and Coaches there were positive outcomes for a variety of adults - classroom teachers (reduction in preparation work for lessons when visuals were co-created), a freeing of time to work with learners individually because students were more independent when they could refer to visual supports, and a reduction in out of pocket expenses to purchase electronic or commercialized products if visual supports are co-created.  

• Adults visiting the classrooms (administrators, division-based professionals, Educational Assistants, coaches and consultants visiting classrooms, and guest/substitute teachers) felt confident that they were answering questions that students posed with the same procedures and vocabulary as the classroom teacher. When adults dropped in and out of rooms or were only in rooms for a short time, they could quickly understand expectations in terms of the activity or lesson because of the visual supports being presented (this consistency, of course, benefits students as well). 

Video: Research Design as Described by Participating Teachers

The Supporting Neurodiverse Learners by Using Visual Supports as a Tier 1 Intervention Study was funded by McDowell Foundation and was supported by Regina Public Schools.  For additional information, including objectives, please see Summary of Study Findings - Supporting Neurodiverse Learners by Using Visual Supports as a Tier 1 Intervention.