{"status":"ok","message-type":"work","message-version":"1.0.0","message":{"indexed":{"date-parts":[[2026,9,29]],"date-time":"2026-09-29T20:21:45Z","timestamp":1790713305510,"version":"4.1.0"},"reference-count":35,"publisher":"SAGE Publications","issue":"4","license":[{"start":{"date-parts":[[2021,8,3]],"date-time":"2021-08-03T00:00:00Z","timestamp":1627948800000},"content-version":"tdm","delay-in-days":0,"URL":"https:\/\/journals.sagepub.com\/page\/policies\/text-and-data-mining-license"}],"content-domain":{"domain":["journals.sagepub.com"],"crossmark-restriction":true},"short-container-title":["Autism"],"published-print":{"date-parts":[[2022,5]]},"abstract":"<jats:p>The novel coronavirus (COVID-19) disrupted how educators provided supports and services for students with autism spectrum disorder. School closures and related pivoting between learning modalities were difficult for all students, but especially for students with autism, who rely on routine and often require individualized instruction. There has been limited opportunity for teachers to share their experiences of rapidly changing educational circumstances. The purpose of this mixed-methods study was to investigate how special educators and school-based specialists adapted practices for such students in response to pandemic conditions. One hundred and six educators from 40 school districts completed a written survey inquiring about the modifications they made to Individualized Education Programs (IEPs) and their efforts to implement evidence-based practices. Participants reported adding individualized contingency learning plans to Individualized Education Programs, adjusting service minutes, and sometimes eliminating social goals. A thematic analysis (Braun and Clarke, 2006) of educators\u2019 written reflections identified four themes, highlighting a renewed importance on collaboration with parents, who helped deliver intervention and monitor progress in the home setting. While students with more intense needs struggled, others actually preferred virtual instruction. This raises concerns for what will happen in the future, when social expectations resume. Despite the overwhelming challenges posed by COVID-19, participants demonstrated remarkable resiliency and innovation.<\/jats:p>\n                  <jats:sec>\n                    <jats:title>Lay abstract<\/jats:title>\n                    <jats:p>The novel coronavirus (COVID-19) disrupted how special educators provided supports and services for students with autism spectrum disorder. School closures and the related pivoting between learning modalities (i.e. virtual, hybrid, and face-to-face) were difficult for all students, but especially for students with autism, who rely on routine and require individualized instruction. In this study, we surveyed 106 special education teachers, behavior specialists, and speech pathologists who work with autistic students to learn about how they adapted instruction to comply with the complex social distancing rules and changing expectations of the pandemic. Participants reported \u201cmaking the best out of a bad situation\u201d and \u201cconstantly using \u2018trial &amp; error\u2019 to find the best way for our students to eLearn.\u201d They emphasized the importance of collaboration with parents, who helped deliver intervention and monitor progress across settings. They made alterations to Individualized Education Programs, by adding individualized contingency learning plans, adjusting service minutes, and sometimes eliminating social goals. Participants were surprised that while students with more intense needs struggled, others actually preferred virtual instruction. This raises concerns for what will happen in the future, when social expectations resume. Despite the overwhelming challenges posed by COVID-19, participants demonstrated remarkable resiliency and an innovative ability to adapt instruction.<\/jats:p>\n                  <\/jats:sec>","DOI":"10.1177\/13623613211035935","type":"journal-article","created":{"date-parts":[[2021,8,4]],"date-time":"2021-08-04T02:30:47Z","timestamp":1628044247000},"page":"889-899","update-policy":"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.1177\/sage-journals-update-policy","source":"Crossref","is-referenced-by-count":73,"title":["Special education for students with autism during the COVID-19 pandemic: \u201cEach day brings new challenges\u201d"],"prefix":"10.1177","volume":"26","author":[{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0003-3219-4041","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Sarah","family":"Hurwitz","sequence":"first","affiliation":[{"name":"Indiana University Bloomington, USA"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Blaine","family":"Garman-McClaine","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Indiana University Bloomington, USA"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0003-1348-1635","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Kane","family":"Carlock","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Indiana University Bloomington, USA"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]}],"member":"179","published-online":{"date-parts":[[2021,8,3]]},"reference":[{"key":"bibr1-13623613211035935","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1108\/JCS-02-2018-0003"},{"key":"bibr2-13623613211035935","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1016\/S0022-4405(00)00048-0"},{"key":"bibr3-13623613211035935","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1186\/s13229-020-00365-y"},{"key":"bibr4-13623613211035935","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1186\/s40359-015-0089-9"},{"key":"bibr5-13623613211035935","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1007\/s10803-021-04950-9"},{"key":"bibr6-13623613211035935","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1191\/1478088706qp063oa"},{"key":"bibr7-13623613211035935","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1177\/1362361319836257"},{"key":"bibr8-13623613211035935","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1007\/s10803-018-3795-3"},{"key":"bibr9-13623613211035935","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1186\/1748-5908-1-1"},{"key":"bibr10-13623613211035935","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1016\/S2215-0366(20)30197-8"},{"key":"bibr11-13623613211035935","unstructured":"Every Student Succeeds Act, Pub. L. No. 114-95 (2015)."},{"key":"bibr12-13623613211035935","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1016\/j.jbi.2008.08.010"},{"key":"bibr13-13623613211035935","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1007\/s10803-020-04844-2"},{"key":"bibr14-13623613211035935","author":"IBM Corp","year":"2020","journal-title":"IBM SPSS statistics for Windows"},{"key":"bibr15-13623613211035935","unstructured":"Indiana Department of Education. (2020). Contingency planning considerations for students with disabilities in the current COVID-19 environment. https:\/\/www.doe.in.gov\/specialed\/covid-19-guidance-and-resources"},{"key":"bibr16-13623613211035935","unstructured":"Individuals with Disabilities Education Improvement Act of 2004, 20 U.S.C. \u00a7 614 et seq."},{"key":"bibr17-13623613211035935","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1177\/1362361315588200"},{"key":"bibr18-13623613211035935","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1002\/jcop.22333"},{"key":"bibr19-13623613211035935","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1186\/s13012-021-01105-3"},{"key":"bibr20-13623613211035935","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1186\/s13012-018-0842-6"},{"key":"bibr21-13623613211035935","volume-title":"Findings and conclusions: National standards project, phase 2","author":"National Autism Center","year":"2015"},{"key":"bibr22-13623613211035935","volume-title":"Educating children with autism. Committee on Educational Interventions for Children with Autism","author":"National Research Council","year":"2001"},{"key":"bibr23-13623613211035935","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1080\/10459881003785506"},{"key":"bibr24-13623613211035935","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1177\/0014402919889888"},{"key":"bibr25-13623613211035935","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.3102\/0013189X211004138"},{"key":"bibr26-13623613211035935","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1007\/s10803-013-1884-x"},{"key":"bibr27-13623613211035935","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1023\/B:SPOE.0000018559.47658.67"},{"key":"bibr28-13623613211035935","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1016\/j.rasd.2021.101747"},{"key":"bibr29-13623613211035935","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1016\/j.rasd.2018.04.007"},{"key":"bibr30-13623613211035935","unstructured":"Stelitano L., Mulhern C., Feistel K., Gomez-Benda\u00f1a H. (2021). 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