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NCT Number: NCT07524192

A Self-Instructional Online Program for Early Childhood and Elementary Teachers Supporting Autistic Children and Children With Developmental Delays

The goal of this clinical trial is to evaluate the preliminary effectiveness and acceptability of a self-instructional, web-based teacher training program designed to support the development of autistic children and children with developmental delays.

This study aims to examine whether participation in the program can improve teachers' knowledge, attitudes, and teaching self-efficacy related to inclusive education and support for autistic children and children with developmental delays.

The main questions it aims to answer are:

1. Does participation in the self-instructional program improve teachers' knowledge about autism and developmental delays? 2. Does the program improve teachers' attitudes toward inclusive education and their teaching self-efficacy? Researchers will compare teachers who participate in the self-instructional online intervention program (SEED program) with teachers who receive comparison educational materials (Kit for Kids from Organization for Autism Research) to determine whether the intervention leads to greater improvements in knowledge, attitudes, and teaching self-efficacy.

Participants will:

1. Complete an online pre-intervention survey assessing background information, knowledge, attitudes toward inclusion and neurodiversity, and teaching self-efficacy. 2. Participate in a two-week self-instructional online program or receive comparison materials, depending on group assignment 3. Complete an online post-intervention survey evaluating the same outcomes, as well as program satisfaction and acceptability.

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Key information

Who can participate

Healthy volunteers accepted: Yes

Only the study team can determine whether someone qualifies for participation.

Inclusion criteria

  • Public school teachers currently employed in kindergarten or elementary schools who hold at least a Level 2 teaching certificate (or higher).
  • Teachers who understand the purpose of the study and provide informed consent to participate.

Exclusion criteria

  • Teachers who have majored in special education at the undergraduate or graduate level.

Treatment and study plan

SEED Online Self-Instructional Program

Behavioral

The SEED Online Self-Instructional Program is a web-based teacher training intervention designed to support the development of autistic children and children with developmental delays. The program consists of self-paced online modules covering child development, classroom management, and instructional strategies for inclusive education. Content is delivered through short instructional videos and web-based learning materials, and participants complete the program independently over a two-week period.

Comparison Educational Materials (Kit for Kids)

Behavioral

The comparison educational materials (Kit for Kids) consists of alternative instructional resources related to supporting autistic children and children with developmental delays. Participants assigned to this intervention review the provided materials during the study period as a comparison condition. These materials do not include the structured self-instructional online modules provided in the experimental intervention.

Primary outcomes

  1. (Knowledge) Autism Knowledge Questionnaire-2 (ASK-Q-2) Total Score

    Time frame: Baseline (pre-intervention) and immediately after the intervention

    The Autism Spectrum Knowledge Questionnaire (ASK-Q) is a 37-item questionnaire designed to assess knowledge and understanding of autism spectrum disorder (ASD). Each item is rated as "Agree" or "Disagree". Items are scored dichotomously (1 = correct response, 0 = incorrect response). Total scores are calculated by summing correct responses across all 37 items. Total scores range from 0 (lowest knowledge) to 37 (highest knowledge), with higher scores reflecting greater knowledge of autism spectrum disorder.

  2. (Knowledge) Participatory Autism Knowledge Measure (PAK-M) Total Score

    Time frame: Baseline (pre-intervention) and immediately after the intervention

    The Participatory Autism Knowledge Measure (PAK-M) is a 56-item questionnaire designed to measure autism knowledge, neurodiversity-oriented beliefs, and perspectives informed by the lived experiences of autistic individuals. Each item is rated on a 7-point Likert scale, with 1 indicating "Strongly disagree" and 7 indicating "Strongly agree". After reverse-scoring negatively worded items, total scores are calculated by summing responses across all 56 items. Total scores range from 56 to 392, with higher scores indicating greater knowledge and more accurate understanding of autism and neurodiversity.

  3. (Knowledge) Survey for Educators' Empowerment for Diversity (SEED) Total Score

    Time frame: Baseline (pre-intervention) and immediately after the intervention

    The Survey for Educators' Empowerment for Diversity (SEED) is a 68-item instrument developed by the research team to measure changes in knowledge related to autism and developmental delay following participation in the program. The instrument is organized around 13 core topics addressed in the program, with 5 to 7 items per topic, yielding a total of 68 items. Each item uses a dichotomous true-or-false response format. Responses are scored as 1 for correct answers and 0 for incorrect answers. Total scores are calculated by summing correct responses across all items. Total scores range from 0 to 68, with higher scores indicating greater knowledge and understanding of autism and developmental delay.

  4. (Attitude) Teacher Attitudes Toward Inclusion Scale (TATIS) Total Score

    Time frame: Baseline (pre-intervention) and immediately after the intervention

    The Teacher Attitudes Toward Inclusion Scale (TATIS) is a 14-item self-report questionnaire designed to assess teachers' overall attitudes toward inclusive education. The scale evaluates beliefs about the inclusion of students with disabilities, perceived effectiveness of inclusive practices, and teachers' personal willingness and commitment to implementing inclusive classroom practices. Each item is rated on a 7-point Likert scale, with 1 indicating "Strongly disagree" and 7 indicating "Strongly agree". After reverse-scoring negatively worded items, total scores are calculated by summing responses across all 14 items. Total scores range from 14 to 98, with higher scores indicating more positive attitudes toward inclusive education and stronger support for the inclusion of students with disabilities in general education classrooms.

  5. (Attitude) Neurodiversity Attitudes Questionnaire (NDAQ) Total Score

    Time frame: Baseline (pre-intervention) and immediately after the intervention

    The Neurodiversity Attitudes Questionnaire (NDAQ) is a 28-item self-report questionnaire designed to assess overall attitudes and perceptions toward neurodiversity. Each item is rated on a 5-point Likert scale, with 1 indicating "Strongly disagree" and 5 indicating "Strongly agree." After reverse-scoring negatively worded items, total scores are calculated by summing responses across all 28 items. Total scores range from 28 to 140, with higher scores indicating more positive attitudes toward neurodiversity and greater endorsement of neurodiversity-informed perspectives.

  6. (Attitude) Sentiments, Attitudes, and Concerns about Inclusive Education - Revised (SACIE-R) Total Score

    Time frame: Baseline (pre-intervention) and immediately after the intervention

    The Sentiments, Attitudes, and Concerns about Inclusive Education - Revised (SACIE-R) is a 15-item self-report questionnaire designed to assess teachers' emotional reactions, attitudes, and concerns regarding inclusive education. The scale evaluates affective responses toward students with disabilities, acceptance of inclusive education, and concerns related to implementation challenges and perceived difficulties in inclusive classroom settings. Each item is rated on a 4-point Likert scale, with 1 indicating "Strongly disagree" and 4 indicating "Strongly agree". After reverse-scoring negatively worded items, total scores are calculated by summing responses across all 15 items. Total scores range from 15 to 60, with higher scores indicating more positive sentiments and attitudes toward inclusive education and fewer concerns about inclusion.

  7. (Teaching Self-Efficacy) Teachers' Efficacy for Inclusive Practices (TEIP) Total Score

    Time frame: Baseline (pre-intervention) and immediately after the intervention

    The Teachers' Efficacy for Inclusive Practices (TEIP) scale is a 14-item self-report questionnaire designed to assess teachers' self-efficacy beliefs regarding their ability to implement inclusive education practices. The scale evaluates three domains: inclusive instructional strategies, behavior management, and collaboration and support. Each item is rated on a 6-point Likert scale, with 1 indicating "Strongly disagree" and 6 indicating "Strongly agree". Total scores are calculated by summing responses across all 14 items. Total scores range from 14 to 84, with higher scores indicating greater self-efficacy for implementing inclusive educational practices.

Other outcomes

  1. SEED Program Acceptability and Feasibility Questionnaire Total Score

    Time frame: Immediately after the intervention

    The SEED Program Acceptability and Feasibility Questionnaire is a 20-item self-report instrument developed by the research team to assess participants' satisfaction with the program, perceived appropriateness of program content, feasibility, implementation capacity, and perceived efficiency of the online intervention. The questionnaire consists of two sections: (1) a 10-item scale assessing satisfaction and content appropriateness, and (2) a 10-item scale assessing feasibility, including perceived practicality, difficulty level, ability to implement intervention strategies, efficiency, pacing, and overall quality. Each item is rated on a 5-point Likert scale, with 1 indicating "Strongly disagree" and 5 indicating "Strongly agree". Total scores are calculated by summing responses across all 20 items. Total scores range from 20 to 100, with higher scores indicating greater acceptability, feasibility, and overall perceived quality of the SEED online intervention program. Two additional o

Study contacts

Contact information is provided by the study sponsor or research team.

Sponsors and collaborators

Lead sponsor

Boin Choi

Other

Registry information

Official study title

Development and Preliminary Evaluation of a Self-Instructional Online Program for Early Childhood and Elementary Teachers Supporting Autistic Children and Children With Developmental Delays

Acronym: SEED

Important dates

Study start
2026
Primary completion
2026
Study completion
2026
First posted
Apr 13, 2026
Registry last updated
Apr 13, 2026

OpenTrials presents study information sourced from ClinicalTrials.gov. The official registry record should be consulted for the latest information.

View the official ClinicalTrials.gov record (opens in a new tab)

This listing is for discovery and informational purposes only. It is not medical advice, does not guarantee that a study is recruiting, and does not determine eligibility. Contact the study team and a qualified healthcare professional when considering participation.

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