Date of Award

2026

Degree Name

Leadership Studies

College

College of Education and Professional Development

Type of Degree

Ed.D.

Document Type

Dissertation

First Advisor

Dr. Tammy Johnson

Second Advisor

Dr. Barbara Nicholson

Third Advisor

Dr. Andrew Nelson

Abstract

The purpose of this nonexperimental, descriptive, mixed-methods study was to evaluate whether, and to what degree, the Autism Mentor Course professional development program increased paraprofessional content knowledge related to the support of students with autism in the educational setting. Specifically, the study measured content knowledge of paraprofessional participants prior to and upon completion of the 10-week course, their perceptions of the program’s effectiveness in increasing their self-efficacy, and recommendations for improving the course. Study participants (n = 10) were paraprofessionals who worked in West Virginia public schools, supported or planned to support at least one student with autism, and provided informed consent. Data collection spanned two separate sessions of the course and included pretest and posttest scores, a postsurvey, and focus group discussions. Quantitative data collected through pretest and posttest scores and postsurvey scaled questions were analyzed using descriptive statistics. Qualitative data collected through the postsurvey open-ended questions and focus group transcripts were manually coded to identify common themes among participant perceptions. Results indicated paraprofessionals in the study’s sample had overall positive perceptions of the course experience and reported increased perceptions of self-efficacy. In addition, all course participants improved their scores between the pretest and posttest, although initial high scores on the pretest limited the amount of growth that could be measured. Participants indicated they particularly valued the flexibility of the self-paced format; however, areas for improvement were also identified, including addressing access and navigation issues in the Blackboard Ultra learning management system online course delivery platform and increasing opportunities for synchronous interaction.

Subject(s)

Education.

Educational leadership.

Special education -- West Virginia.

Autism - Education.

Special education teachers -- Training of.

Teachers' assistants -- Training of.

Autistic children -- Education.

Children with autism spectrum disorders -- Education.

Teacher effectiveness.

Public schools -- West Virginia.

Educational evaluation.

West Virginia.

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