Students' Research Projects
The graduate program in the Department of Educational and Counseling Psychology and Special Education at UBC attracts many students with specific interests in developmental disabilities and autism. All M.A. and Ph.D. students are required to complete original research projects as part of their programs. M.Ed. students have the option of doing so as well. Research projects completed by students under Dr. Mirenda include the following:
Francesca Barth, 1998, "Treatment acceptability of choice-making interventions for adults with developmental disabilities" (M.A. thesis)
Louise Boulet, 1999, "Effectiveness of Picture Communication Symbols in the acquisition of specific American Sign Language vocabulary by deaf students with intellectual disabilities" (M.A. thesis)
Joanne Marshall, 1999, "Family-professional collaboration for positive behavior support: A participatory action research project" (M.A. thesis, published in Focus on Autism and Other Developmental Disabilities)
Diana Wilk, 1999, "A retrospective analysis of technology use patterns in students with autism over a five year period" (M.Ed. project, published in the Journal of Special Education Technology)
Christine Lupien, 2000, "Parental satisfaction with the use of picture symbols for communication with their children with autism spectrum disorders" (M.Ed. project)
Jennifer Katz, 2000, "Including students with developmental disabilities in schools: Instructional strategies and educational outcomes in typical and 'multiple intelligences' elementary school classrooms" (M.A. thesis, two manuscripts published in the International Journal of Special Education and one manuscript published in Research and Practice for Persons with Severe Disabilities)
Hoa Kuoch, 2000, "Social story interventions for young children with autism spectrum disorders" (M.A. thesis, published in Focus on Autism and Other Developmental Disabilities)
Miriam Elfert, 2003; Wilda Adams Memorial Scholarship, 2001 and Laurel Foundation award, 2002; "The experiences of behaviour interventionists who work with children with autism: Occupational stress, coping, and family and child variables" (M.A. thesis, published in Autism: The International Journal of Research and Practice)
Brenda Fossett, 2003; Laurel Foundation award, 2002; "Sight word reading in children with developmental disabilities using Picture Communication Symbols" (M.A. thesis, published in Research in Developmental Disabilities)
Liana Maione, 2004; Laurel Foundation award, 2002; "Investigating the functional relationship between video feedback and peer interaction skills of a child with autism spectrum disorder" (M.A. thesis, published in the Journal of Positive Behavior Interventions)
Brian Trenholm, 2004, "Home and community literacy experiences of individuals with Down syndrome" (M.A. thesis, published in Down Syndrome Research and Practice)
Ken Brown, 2004, "Effectiveness of functional equivalence training plus contingency mapping with a child with autism" (M.A. thesis, published in the Journal of Positive Behavior Interventions)
Kirsten Turoldo, 2004, "The impact of word prediction software on the written output of students with physical disabilities" (M.Ed. project, published in the Journal of Special Education Technology)
Bruce Hamm, 2004, "Post-school quality of life for individuals with complex communication needs" (M.A. thesis, published in Augmentative and Alternative Communication)
Karen Bopp, 2006; Barry C. Munro Memorial Scholarship in Educational Psychology, 2001; partial SSHRC doctoral fellowship, 2002; partial UGF, 2003; "Behavioral predictors of child outcomes and parenting stress in children with autism" (Ph.D dissertation)
Stephanie Jull; SSHRC Masters fellowship, 2005; "Teaching parents to facilitate play dates for children with autism spectrum disorders" (M.A. thesis, in progress)
Vickie Kleeberger; "Teaching generalized imitation skills to children with autism using video modeling" (M.A. thesis, in progress)
Joanne McCartney; "Effectiveness of assistive technology for students with Down syndrome" (M.A. thesis, in progress)
Richard Stock; Autism Research Training student scholar, 2007; "Outcomes of a group intervention based on Skinner's analysis of verbal behavior for young children with autism" (Ph.D. dissertation, in progress)
Karen Bopp, Ph.D.; National Alliance for Autism Research/Autism Speaks post-doctoral fellow, 2006-2008; "Relationship between prelinguistic communicative behaviors and early intervention outcomes in children with autism"
Vickie Kleeberger; "Teaching generalized imitation skills to children with autism using video modeling" (M.A. thesis, published in the Journal of Positive Behavior Interventions)
Stephanie Jull; SSHRC Masters fellowship, 2005; "Teaching parents to facilitate play dates for children with autism spectrum disorders" (M.A. thesis, published in the Journal of Positive Behavior Interventions)
Karen Bopp, 2006; Barry C. Munro Memorial Scholarship in Educational Psychology, 2001; partial SSHRC doctoral fellowship, 2002; partial UGF, 2003; "Behavior predictors of language development over two years in children with autism spectrum disorders " (Ph.D dissertation, published in the Journal of Speech, Language, and Hearing Research; see http://breeze.setbc.org/p65709571/)
Joanne McCartney; "Effectiveness of assistive technology for supporting the written output of students with Down syndrome" (M.A. thesis, see http://breeze.setbc.org/taprr )
Karen Bopp, Ph.D.; National Alliance for Autism Research/Autism Speaks post-doctoral fellow, 2006-2009; "Relationship between prelinguistic communicative behaviors and early intervention outcomes in children with autism"; see:
Landa Mark, SSHRC Masters fellowship, 2007, "Teaching children with autism to share using video modeling" (M.A thesis, in progress)
Brooke Myers, "Impact of group self-advocacy training on adolescents with high-functioning autism or Asperger's syndrome" (M.A. thesis, in progress)
Nadine Trottier, "Promoting social-communicative development in students with autism who use augmentative and alternative communication (AAC)" (M.A. thesis, in progress)
Richard Stock; SSHRC doctoral fellowship, 2008; Autism Research Training student scholar, 2007-2010; "Comparison of pivotal response training and a group intervention based on Skinner's analysis of verbal behavior for young children with autism" (Ph.D. dissertation, in progress)
Miriam Elfert; SSHRC doctoral fellowship, 2008; Autism Research Training student scholar, 2008-2011; "Effectiveness of a psychosocial intervention to support fathers of children with autism spectrum disorders" (Ph.D. dissertation, in progress)
Stephanie Jull; Autism Research Training student scholar, 2008-2011; "Teaching parents to support children with autism in peer play date interactions: A comparison of group and individual training models" (Ph.D. dissertation, in progress)