Timers

Kellie Snowden SPED 843  Dr. Aronin  Spring 2011

 Timers

__Description of Intervention Method__ Timers visually display time to students. Visual timers visually represent the amount of time remaining after an individual sets the timer. The Time Timer is an example of a visual timer. The Time Timer numbers signify the passage of time in minutes and range from 5 to 55 minutes. There is a movable piece of plastic on the timer that an individual can set for a time frame. A red wedge corresponds to the amount of time left. This gets smaller as time passes. Egg or kitchen timers count backwards and make a noise when the amount of time that was set has expired. They can be different sizes, shapes, and designs. Timers are a way to indicate upcoming changes and transitions. They can be used to teach time management by indicating the start and end of an activity and to increase waiting behavior.

__Types of Students Who Benefit from the Method__ Students with a variety of disabilities, including autism and intellectual disabilities, can benefit from timers. Students with difficulty transitioning and time management may benefit from timers. Students that have difficulty waiting can also benefit from timers. Timers can be used with all students.

__Qualifications for Using the Method __ There are not any qualifications for using timers. One simply needs to understand how to work the timer and be familiar with the students he/she is working with.

__Costs of Using the Method __ The costs of using timers are the amount of money spent on purchasing the timer and batteries. This is an inexpensive method.

__Potential Risks with Using the Method __ Students may become dependent on the auditory or visual input they receive from the timer. If the timer is not available, some students may have difficulty adjusting to other methods.

__Benefits of Using the Method __ <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; font-size: 10pt; line-height: 115%;">Timers can prepare students for transitions. They can be used to teach time management by indicating the start and end of an activity. They can be used to increase waiting behavior. They can allow the student to gain independence by not needed additional prompts from teachers.

__<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif;">Settings for Method Use __ <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif;">Timers can be used in all settings. They are portable. Timers can be used in regular education classrooms, special education classrooms, specials, home, and community settings.

__<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif;">Field’s Attitude Towards the Method __ <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; font-size: 10pt; line-height: 115%;">Timers are frequently used in both regular and special education classrooms. The field has a positive attitude toward the method.

<span style="display: block; font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; text-align: center;">Summary of Research Study

<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif;">Grey, I., Healy, O., Leader, G., & Hayes, D. (2008). Using a time timer to increase appropriate waiting behavior in a child with developmental disabilities. //Research in Developmental Disabilities, 30,// 359-366.

__<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif;">Description of Subjects __ <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">There was one subject in this study. She was an 11-year old female who attended a school for children with intellectual disabilities and pervasive developmental disorders. She was diagnosed with a moderate level of intellectual disability and cerebral palsy. She was also physically aggressive.

__<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif;">Description of Research Design __ <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif;">A changing criterion design with a baseline and 3 intervention phases was used in this study. The baseline phase lasted 2 weeks. During the baseline, the participant was told to “wait” and a stopwatch was used to measure appropriate waiting behavior. If she waited 30 seconds, she was allowed to complete the playground activity. If she exhibited inappropriate waiting behavior, she was directed to another activity. During Phase 1, the experimenter held a red card in front of the participant and told her to “wait.” The card was removed after 1 second at first. The intervals of time for waiting for the playground activity were gradually increased. In Phase 2, the intervention was moved from the playground to the classroom and used the red card and the Timer to increase waiting time. The student needed to sit appropriately to get a picture of her favorite cartoon. In Phase 3, the Time Timer alone was used to extent wait time. Then, the Time Timer was used in a new setting (lunch).

__<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif;">Dependent Variable __ <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif;">The dependent variable was appropriate waiting behavior. This was defined as the absence of inappropriate behaviors that are outlined in the article.

__<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif;">Independent Variable __ <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif;">The independent variable was the use of a Time Timer.

__<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif;">Summary of Results __ <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">During phase one, the participant’s appropriate wait time was 1 second and 0 seconds. In Phase 2, wait appropriate wait time was increased from 1 second to 20 seconds. During Phase 3, appropriate wait time was increased to 120 seconds. In Phase 4, appropriate waiting behavior was increased from 150 seconds to 600 seconds. Overall, the Time Timer was used to increase appropriate waiting behavior using a changing criterion from 1 second to 10 minutes.