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The Philadelphia Autism Instructional Methods Study (AIMS) was the largest randomized controlled trial of an autism intervention to date. Through AIMS, researchers at the University of Pennsylvania and The Children's Hospital of Philadelphia partnered with the School District of Philadelphia to determine the best ways to move evidence-based autism interventions into practice. The goal of the study was to improve educational outcomes for children on the autism spectrum. Although the study has ended, the AIMS continues to provide professional development training and in-classroom consultation to more than 120 classroom teams in kindergarten-through-5th-grade autism support classrooms across the city.

A number of new studies grew out of our initial trial. Our current studies examine implementation of social skills interventions in schools, and the best ways to increase teachers' use of evidence-based behavioral interventions for children with autism, such as Applied Behavior Analytic approaches like discrete trial training, pivotal response training, and functional routines. The ultimate goal of these studies is to determine the best strategies to implement proven-efficacious interventions in community settings so that they are effective and sustain once training is complete. We accomplish this goal by assessing which types of interventions are most readily implemented in schools, and what supports teachers need to implement these interventions.

Please contact the Coordinator of Philly AIMS, Erica Reisinger (215-573-8472) for more information.

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