Panerai, S., Ferrante, L., Caputo, V., & Impellizzeri, C. (1998). Use of structured teaching for treatment of children with autism and severe and profound mental retardation. Education and Training in Mental Retardation and Developmental Disabilities, 367-374.	Competency: 2.10 Structure the physical environment to provide optimal learning. As a teacher understanding the importance of structure for children with autism and setting up the room properly will help students be successful in school. Purpose: Using a multidimensional assessment procedure, the authors evaluated the effects of TEACCH after it has been implemented for 12 mos. and then 18 mos. 18 children and adolescents with ASD were participants with the mean chronological age of 13 and mean developmental age of 16 mos. The following assessment tools were used for the evaluation: Childhood Autism Rating Scale, Vineland Adaptation Behavioral Scale, and the PsychoEducational Profile, Revised.Structured observations of maladaptive behaviors and spontaneous communications were also completed.	Results from the study were positive for the use of Structured Teaching as there was an increase in working skills and functional communication abilities. An added plus for Structured Teaching was a reduction in anxious reactions to certain situations which lead to less inappropriate behaviors.
Vismara, L. A., & Lyons, G. L. (2007). Using perseverative interests to elicit joint attention behaviors in young children with autism: Theoretical and clinical implications for understanding motivation. Journal of Positive Behavior Interventions, 9(4), 214-228.	Competency: 2.7 Plan systematic instruction based on learner characteristics, interests, and ongoing assessment. One skill that is extremely difficult for children with autism is that of joint attention. Using preferred items to gain the interest of the child helps to build on this skill. Purpose: This single-subject reversal design with alternating treatments examined if joint attention would be initiated as a collateral effect of using motivating techniques of PRT along with interest stimuli.	Results from the study showed an almost immediate increase in joint attention when highly preferred reinforcers were included with PRT. Another finding, which was somewhat surprising was an increase in joint attention even with lower preferred items.
Bieberich, A. A., & Morgan, S. B. (2004). Self- regulation and affective expression during play in children with autism or Down syndrome: A short-term longitudinal study. Journal of Autism and developmental Disorders, 34(4), 439-448.	Competency: 2.11 Provide instruction in self- regulation. As a preschool teacher it is important that I begin teaching self-regulation to my students at an early age to keep inappropriate behaviors at a lower level. Purpose: The purpose for this study was to examine self- regulation and affective expression for children with autism or Down syndrome. It was conducted over a 2 year period using a	The results showed similar patters with both groups from time 1 to time 2, though the autism group showed more deviant ratings of measures of self-regulation and affective sharing. The children with autism showed rather high stability for self-regulation, but less stability than those with Down syndrome for all three factors.