Graduation Year

2025

Document Type

Capstone

Degree Type

Open Access Capstone

Degree Name

Doctor of Occupational Therapy (OTD)

Department

Occupational Therapy

Abstract

Unemployment and underemployment remain persistent barriers for autistic and developmentally disabled individuals, with up to 75% of autistic adults in the United States experiencing difficulty obtaining or maintaining meaningful work. To address this disparity within school-based transition services, this capstone project evaluated the effectiveness of video modeling as an instructional method for vocational skill acquisition among seven young adults with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) and other developmental disabilities (DD). Grounded in the Occupational Justice framework, this study utilized a quantitative pretest–posttest–follow-up quasi-experimental design to measure accuracy and task completion time on two vocational tasks: rolling silverware and filling condiment cups. Following baseline data collection, participants engaged with video models, classroom-based practice, and community-based training at a partnered job site over four weeks, with posttest and follow-up assessments conducted on weeks five and seven. Paired t-test analyses revealed statistically significant improvements in accuracy for both tasks from pretest to follow-up, indicating that video modeling supported meaningful skill acquisition. No significant differences were found in task completion time across data points. Researcher observations highlighted additional factors influencing employability, including hygiene and product quality, which may inform future intervention refinement. Overall, findings support video modeling as a valid, accessible, and contextually relevant approach to vocational training within public school transition programming, contributing to greater occupational justice for students with ASD and DD as they prepare for postsecondary employment.

Faculty Mentor

Dr. Camille Skubik-Peplaski, Ph.D., OTR/L, FAOTA

Department Affiliation

Occupational Therapy

Committee Member

Laura Bray, PhD OTR/L

Department Affiliation

Occupational Therapy

Department Affiliation

Occupational Therapy

Comments

I would like to thank Dr. Camille Skubik-Peplaski, my capstone advisor, for all her support and guidance over the course of my capstone project. She provided me with weekly mentoring and editing suggestions to help my vision for my graduate research come to life. I am so appreciative of all her time working with me directly as well as her careful suggestions for the editing of my final paper.

I would like to thank Dr. Laura Bray, for her insights on my capstone project. She provided me with valuable feedback to enhance the quality of both my capstone paper as well as my final presentation.

I would like to thank Dr. Shirley O’Brien. Dr. O’Brien was the first person I spoke with at EKU when considering starting the process of completing my doctorate degree. She is passionate about the field of Occupational Therapy, and our conversation made me feel this was a step I needed to take in my professional career.

I would like to thank my coworkers at Parma City School District for their support in assisting me in carrying out my graduate research. Their interest in helping our students succeed and willingness to help in scheduling and supporting the timeline of my research helped me stay on track with my Capstone plans.

I would like to thank my family for cheering me on for the last two years. My work in this program, specifically on this capstone project, occupied much of my free time and late nights. My husband, Erich took on extra responsibilities during this time too, to allow me space and time to complete these requirements. To my little guy, Jack… you are the ultimate motivation for a more inclusive world.

IRB Approval Number (if applicable)

6699

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