Video Activity Schedules to Increase Independence for Students with Disabilities

Success in post-school environments, such as the employment and community access, is increased when an individual is independent of instructor or caregiver support. Individuals with disabilities can self-instruct using various forms of assistive technology to alleviate instructor support, thus increasing their autonomy. This study used a multiple probe across behaviors design replicated across two participants to examine the effectiveness of a video activity schedule (VidAS) to increase independence in novel vocational tasks across three school settings (i.e., office, cafeteria, library). Both participants, one participant with an intellectual disability and one participant with a traumatic brain injury, were able to self-instruct using VidAS and independently complete all three tasks within each environment. Implications for teachers and practitioners working with transition-age youth with disabilities are discussed as well as limitations to the current study.