The Development of Teacher Training Curriculum for
Organizing of Learning Experiences to Enhance Social
Development for Persons with Autism Spectrum Disorder

 

ABSTRACT
The present study sought to (1) assess the needs in the development of the teacher training
curriculum on providing learning experiences for promoting social development among persons
with autism spectrum disorder (ASD), (2) develop the curriculum, and (3) examine its
effectiveness. A mixed-method approach and research and development were adopted. The
data were collected during July 2022–April 2023. The results are reported: 1. A review of
documents, literature and related studies showed that teacher preparation was required for
promoting persons with ASD’s social development. Additionally, the survey indicated that the
school directors’ primary need for self-improvement was the frequency of attending training
programs (PNIModified = 0.54), while that of the teachers was knowledge and understanding
of promoting social development (PNIModified = 0.21). Also, the school directors’ strongest
need in providing learning experiences was continuous promotion of social development
(PNIModified = 0.47), and that of the teachers was implementation of learning activities based
on lessons plans (PNIModified = 0.21). 2. The developed curriculum comprised eight components:
rationale, objectives of the curriculum, contents, training activities and methods, training
materials, durations, venues, and measurement and evaluation. Concerning its quality,
the curriculum achieved a high level of suitability (x = 4.38, S.D. = 0.16). 3. After the curriculum
implementation, the teachers achieved higher post-training scores (x = 22) than their
pre-training scores (x = 17.20) and were most satisfied (x = 4.71, S.D. = 0.08). Provision of
learning experiences achieved a mean score of 84.67%.

KEYWORDS
development of the teacher training curriculum, persons with autism spectrum disorder,
social development

1 INTRODUCTION
Over the past three decades, the principles of thinking and components of social
justice have been constantly evolving. A collection of relevant articles has brought
to light that social justice features three main pillars, namely equality, equity, and
reciprocity. Specifically, equality is grounded on the view that all human beings possess
full and equal rights to dignity, basic needs, and equitable opportunities from
society, regardless of individual differences and preferences. Equity stems from the
belief that every human being is entitled to be provided with products from the society
on the basis of fairness, needs, or individual differences, which could be referred
to as “a principle of differences”. Reciprocity, on the other hand, is a component of
social justice which has been increasingly discussed in the recent decade [1] [2] [3][4] [5]. Under the constitution of the Kingdom of Thailand, the law on protection of
the rights of persons with disabilities has been enforced. In particular, it serves as
the organic act, namely [6], which addresses the protection of persons with disabilities.
Article 20 under this act stipulates that those with disabilities shall have the
rights to access and utilize facilities, social welfare, and other forms of assistance
provided by the state.
Based on a review of literature, related studies and the state of problems concerning
social development among persons with autism spectrum disorder (ASD),
teachers contribute significantly to enhancing abilities and address issues among
these individuals who are increasing in numbers. In reference to the comprehensive
data on epidemiology provided by [7], there has been a growing prevalence of
ASD during the past decade. In Asia, there had been a tremendous rise in the prevalence
rate of ASD from 1.9:10,000 in the pre-1980 period to 14.8:10,000 in 2013.
Recent research in the United States of America has reported the 1:68 prevalence
rate for ASD in school-aged children, while Thailand’s prevalence rate is approximately
9.9:10,000. Given a surge in persons with ASD, Special Education Bureau has
increased the number of classrooms for them. In addition, it has provided a larger
number of teachers to accommodate the growing proportion of those with ASD by
reassigning teachers from other areas of special education with a downward trend
to the field of ASD, where they serve as instructors and facilitators. These reassigned
teachers for persons with ASD do not complete their education in the field of special
education but in other fields, including Thai, mathematics, science and technology,
social studies, religion and culture, health and physical education, arts, occupations
and technology, and foreign languages. Consequently, there has been a paucity of
the essential knowledge and skills among these teachers to provide learning experiences
to enhance the persons with ASD’s social development.
Social development among the persons with ASD has been regarded as one of the
disorders which should be enhanced through methods and techniques tailored to
individuals with special needs to enable them to interact with others and integrate
into society without causing undue distress to themselves or others. As a result, the
teachers for those with ASD who serve to enhance abilities and resolve issues faced
by those individuals should be equipped with a body of knowledge and skills in
providing learning experiences for promoting social development. Thus, the present
study sought to develop the teacher training curriculum on providing learning experiences
for promoting persons with ASD’s social development. It was conducted in
the hopes of enabling the teachers to create learning experiences to enhance social
development, thus easing the challenges of navigating life within society faced by
those with ASD

2 MATERIALS AND METHODS
The present study adopted a mixed-method approach and research and development.
It was carried out through three phases as illustrated in Figure 1 below.

Phase 1: Investigating the needs in development of
the teacher training curriculum on providing
learning experiences for promoting social
development among persons with ASD
(Research: R1)
Step 1: Conducting a review of documents, literature and
relevant studies
Step 2: Carrying out a survey on the needs
The needs in development of the teacher
Phase 2: Developing the teacher training curriculum
(Development: D1)
Step 1: Developing the curriculum and its documents
Step 2: Assessing their quality
The training curriculum and its documents
Phase 3: Investigating effectiveness of the teacher
training curriculum
(Research: R2)
Step 1: Implementing the curriculum
Step 2: Assessing provision of learning experiences
The effective teacher training curriculum

The present adopted a mixed-method approach and research and development

2.1 Materials
Phase 1: The synthesis of concepts forms and needs assessment questionnaires
Phase 2: The focus group interview and the evaluation form of accordance for
draft teacher training curriculum
Phase 3: The pre- and post-training assessment, the questionnaires for participants’
satisfaction and the observation form for learning experiences
2.2 Participants
The details of the participants in this study are displayed in Figure 2 below

Phase 1
– The population of the study consisted of 23 school directors and 141 teachers for persons with ASD,
totaling 164, from the Network Group for Promoting Effectiveness of Special Education Centers 9.
– Based on Krejcie and Morgan Table [8], the samples of the study were 126, namely 22 school
directors and 104 teachers for persons with ASD.

Phase 2
The informants in the focus group discussion included eight individuals: three in the area of
curriculum and instruction, three in the area of persons with ASD, and two in the area of
measurement and evaluation.
– The experts for assessment of research instruments comprised five individuals: two in the area of
curriculum and instruction, two in the area of persons with ASD, and one in the area of
measurement and evaluation.

Phase 3
The participants consisted of ten teachers for persons with ASD from the Network Group for
Promoting Effectiveness of Special Education Centers 9, selected through purposive sampling.
The selection criterion was the teachers with under two years of teaching experience.

3 RESULTS
3.1 Phase 1
Investigating the needs for the development of the teacher training curriculum
on providing learning experiences for promoting social development among persons
with ASD.
1. The synthesis of concepts from documents, relevant literature, and related studies
showed that persons with ASD were the emerging trend and continued to proliferate.
Promoting their access to educational services is paramount. Consequently,
these school-aged individuals should be supported and developed, with teachers
for persons with ASD serving as a facilitator, to foster their social development,
which would contribute to positive long-term outcomes. In addition, the synthesis
contributed to providing a variety of contents spanning educational rehabilitation,
behavior therapy, social stories, and reinforcement approaches as a means
to enhance social development in persons with ASD.
2. The results on a survey of school directors’ needs for types of training demonstrated
that their first preference was lectures, followed by programmed instruction
and simulation, respectively. In the meantime, the teachers for persons with
ASD’s three-ranking preferences for classifications of training were individual
practice, case studies, and demonstrations, respectively. Additionally, the results
illustrated that the school directors’ three-ranking choices of principles and techniques
for promoting social development among those with ASD were behavior
therapy, educational rehabilitation, and applied behavior analysis, while those
of teachers were occupational therapy, behavior therapy, and applied behavior
analysis, respectively.
3. On school directors’ needs in self-improvement, the results showed that the overall
current state was rated at a moderate level (x = 2.82, S.D. = 0.90), with a high
level of expectations (x = 4.20, S.D. = 0.48). In delving into each aspect of their
needs, it was found that their primary need was the frequency of participation in
training programs on promotion of social development among persons with ASD
(PNIModified = 0.54), with a moderate level of the current state (x = 2.77, S.D. = 1.02)
and a high level of expectations (x = 4.27, S.D. = 0.70. In respect of the teachers’
needs for self-improvement, the overall current state was at a high level (x = 3.41,
S.D. = 0.65), with a high level of expectations (x = 3.96, S.D. = 0.66). Among their
needs in this area, their most crucial need was knowledge and understanding of
social development among persons with ASD (PNIModified = 0.21), with a moderate
level of the current state (x = 3.22, S.D. = 0.88) and a high level of expectations
(x = 3.90, S.D. = 0.81).
4. In relation to the school directors’ needs in providing learning experiences for
persons with ASD, it was found that the current state was overall at a moderate
level (x = 3.05, S.D. = 0.87), with a high level of expectations (x = 4.34, S.D. = 0.45).
Specifically, in taking into consideration each of their needs in this area, the contribution
of continuous social development to those with ASD’s integration into
society was most needed (PNIModified = 0.47), with a moderate level of the current
state (x = 3.00, S.D. = 0.92) and a high level of expectations (x = 4.40, S.D. = 0.59).
Concerning the teachers’ needs in providing learning experiences, the current
state was overall at a moderate level (x = 3.54, S.D. = 0.69), with a high level of
expectations (x = 4.01, S.D. = 0.68). Considering each aspect of their needs in this area, their most significant need was implementation of learning activities
based on lesson plans (PNIModified = 0.21), with a moderate level of the current state
(x = 3.40, S.D. = 0.81) and a high level of expectations (x = 4.10, S.D. = 0.75).

3.2 Phase 2
Developing the teacher training draft curriculum on providing learning experiences
for promoting social development among persons with ASD.
1. With the development of the teacher training curriculum for providing learning
experiences for promoting social development in persons with ASD, the curriculum
comprised eight components, namely, rationale, objectives of the curriculum,
contents, training activities and methods, training materials, durations, venues,
and measurement and evaluation.
2. The documents designed for the teacher training curriculum included a handbook
for curriculum implementation, an achievement test for the participants,
a satisfaction survey on the training curriculum, and an observation form on
provision of learning experiences in the teacher training curriculum.
3. The appropriateness of the teacher training draft curriculum and its documents
was evaluated through focus group discussion. The topics of the focus group discussion
were classified into sub-topics spanning contents as well as measurement
and evaluation in accordance with the draft curriculum. In addition, training
activities and approaches were incorporated into learning units and lesson plans.
The results showed that the developed curriculum overall attained a high level
of appropriateness (x = 4.38, S.D. = 0.16). Similarly, three components of the documents
for the teacher training curriculum achieved a high level of appropriateness,
namely the handbook for curriculum implementation (x = 4.31, S.D. = 0.16),
an achievement test for the teacher training curriculum (x = 4.29, S.D. = 0.16), and
a satisfaction survey on the teacher training curriculum (x = 4.35, S.D. = 0.15). In
the meantime, obtaining the highest level of appropriateness was an observation
form on provision of learning experiences in the teacher training curriculum
(x = 4.50, S.D. = 0.12).

3.3 Phase 3
The effectiveness of the teacher training curriculum on providing learning experiences
for promoting social development among persons with ASD.
1. The pre- and post-training assessment of the teachers for persons with ASD’s
achievements showed that they obtained relatively higher post-training achievement
scores (x = 22), compared to the pre-training scores (x = 17.20), indicating an
improvement in knowledge and understanding.
2. In relation to the participants’ satisfaction, it was uncovered that they overall
expressed the highest level of satisfaction (x = 4.71, S.D. = 0.08). In taking into
account each aspect, they expressed the highest level of satisfaction with all
aspects, including lecturers (x = 4.85, S.D. = 0.23), measurement and evaluation
(x = 4.73, S.D. = 0.04), and contents (x = 4.69, S.D. = 0.24).
3. The results also showed that the provision of learning experiences for promoting
social development among persons with ASD achieved a mean score of 84.67%.

4 DISCUSSION
1. Taking into account a review of documents, literature, and related studies, it was
discovered that persons with ASD were viewed as the emerging trend, and there
was a significant rise in their number. This is consistent with the data offered by
[7], showing that the prevalence of persons with ASD was inclined to increase
over the past decade. In Asia, the prevalence rate of those with ASD had dramatically
risen from 1.9:10,000 in the pre-1980 period to 14.8:10,000 in 2013.
Recent research carried out in the United States of America has demonstrated the
prevalence rate for ASD in school-aged children of 1:68, while that of Thailand is
up to 9.9:10,000. These persons with ASD are characterized as having disorders
in social development, which may vary depending on their individual special
needs, clearly deviating from typical children. This corresponds to [9]’s statement
that children with ASD typically exhibit social deficits, which encompass
avoiding eye contact, displaying indifference to others, experiencing difficulty
in establishing interpersonal relationships, being reluctant to adapt to changes
in daily life, lacking play skills, and developing irrational fear. Consequently,
these typically contribute to their social isolation. In addition, the finding is akin
to [10]’s statement that children diagnosed with autism are typically labeled as
having education special needs, which differ from those of the typically developing
children. This distinction is attributed to their developmental disorders in
communication, spanning difficulties with facial expressions, body language and
verbal language, together with challenges in social interactions and the display of
repetitive behaviors. Evidently, children with ASD are the emerging social trend,
indicating a remarkably rising number of these children in society. [11]’s study
examined the use of social stories as a practical method for children with ASD.
While typically developing children may be able to perceive appropriate behaviors
in a range of social contexts by instinct, those with ASD are more prone to
confusion with social situations, isolation and indifference to the external world.
As a result, social stories serve as a means to recount short narratives about situations,
behaviors, or developed social skills, with a focus on specific behaviors;
simply put, it contributes to promoting and fostering their social skills. This is in
conformity with [12]’s study on technologies for enhancing social and communication
skills in children with ASD. Their study found that causal factors pertaining
to social skills can be identified through a variety of methods, namely applied
behavior analysis, cognitive training, behavioral training, social stories, social
skill practices, and video modeling; these approaches could effectively contribute
to teaching or instilling social skills into these children. Thus, enabling access
to educational services is considered crucial for these school-aged children. It is
necessary to provide support and facilitate the development of these school-aged
children, with specialized teachers in ASD acting as facilitators. By doing so, it
would help enhance their social development, thereby yielding favorable longterm
outcomes.
2. The exploration of school directors’ needs in self-improvement found that their
most crucial need was the frequency of attending training programs on promoting
social development among persons with ASD. As described by [13], training
can be referred to as personnel development within organizations or institutions
intended to engender behavioral changes in respect of knowledge, skills, and attitudes.
Such an activity is carried out to enhance work standards, enable career
advancement for personnel, and simultaneously contribute to the organizations’
accomplishment of defined goals. Meanwhile, the teachers for persons with ASD’s most pressing need was knowledge and understanding of social development
among those with ASD. This finding is compliant with [14]’s remark that
personnel preparation is considered essential for provision of services; particularly,
instruction for children with ASD contributes to learning, adaptability, and
independent social integration.
3. The findings on the needs of school directors and teachers for persons with ASD
are consistent with Guba and Lincoln [15]. In fact, the needs stem from the disparities
between the ideal state and the current state, and they are necessary
when they contribute to beneficial or fruitful outcomes. Based on the results of
the study, the school directors’ highest need in providing learning experiences
for those with ASD lay in the contribution of constant social development to their
ability to integrate in society, while that of the teachers was implementation of
learning activities in accordance with lesson plans. This finding is akin to [16]mentioning that disorders in social development are regarded as a significant
disorder among children with ASD, necessitating specialized training. Social
development can be enhanced through the use of role-play exercises which
simulate different social situations, which would provide them with hands-on
practice and in turn enable them to excel in these skills. Alternatively, promoting
these skills can be achieved by means of memorizing conversational patterns
in different situations, thereby allowing for their direct application in real-life
contexts. Apart from that, educational rehabilitation plays a contributory role in
enhancing basic social, communication, and thinking skills, which would be beneficial
in the long-term period. The contents incorporated into the curriculum
place emphasis on preparing children with ASD to draw on their knowledge and
social skills in their daily life rather than solely equipping them with academic
skills, so the individualized education program (IEP) should be tailored to their
individual abilities.
4. The results of the development of the teacher training draft curriculum on providing
learning experiences for persons with ASD were drawn on to formulate
guidelines for the development of the teacher training curriculum. Specifically,
eight components were incorporated into those guidelines, including rationale,
objectives of the curriculum, contents, training activities and methods, materials,
durations, venues, and measurement and evaluation. This finding is akin
to [17]’s eight components of development of the teacher training curriculum,
namely rationale, goals, contents, activities, materials, durations, locations, and
evaluation.
5. The results of the pre-post training achievement test on their knowledge and
understanding demonstrated that the teachers for persons with ASD performed
better in the post-training test (x = 22), in comparison with their performance in
the pre-training test (x = 17.20). This finding conforms to [18]’s study which found
that as a result of the implementation of the training curriculum, the teachers
were well-equipped with knowledge and abilities to develop the curriculum on
management of Isan local wisdom of cultural tourism.
6. Finally, the results showed that providing learning experiences for enhancing
persons with ASD’s social development attained a mean score of 84.67 percent.
This is in line with [19]’s study which found that based on the monitoring and
evaluation of knowledge and understanding in the teacher training program
where educational plans were implemented with children with ASD after a 90-day
training period, those instructed with IEP and IIP passed the evaluation criteria.
As mentioned by [20], the monitoring and evaluation of the operation serve as
instruments to reflect the primary operational outcomes and the performance throughout the process. Specifically, monitoring entails collecting the data of the
operation of the training program in accordance with the formulated plans, while
the evaluation involves assessing the progress or improvements.

5 CONCLUSION
1. Based on the synthesis of documents, relevant literature, and prior studies, it
was uncovered that persons with ASD are the emerging trend, given their rising
prevalence. Enabling their access to educational services is unarguably of utmost
importance. Therefore, preparation of the personnel involved is immensely necessary
for enhancing social development among those with ASD. With respect
to the needs in different aspects, the results demonstrated that the school directors’
most vital need in self-improvement lay in the frequency of engagement
in training programs on promoting social development in persons with ASD
(PNIModified = 0.54), while that of the teachers was knowledge and understanding of
social development for those with ASD (PNIModified = 0.21). Furthermore, the school
directors’ primary need in providing learning experiences for those with ASD
was constant social development to enhance persons with ASD’s ability to integrate
into society (PNIModified = 0.47), whereas that of the teachers concerned the
implementation of learning activities based on lesson plans (PNIModified = 0.21).
2. The teacher training draft curriculum encompassed eight elements as follows:
rationale, objectives of the curriculum, contents, training activities and methods,
training materials, durations, venues, and measurement and evaluation. In addition,
the draft documents for the teacher training curriculum consisted of a handbook
for curriculum implementation, an achievement test, a satisfaction survey,
and an observation form on provision of learning experiences. With respect to
the quality of both the teacher training draft curriculum and its documents, it
was discovered that the curriculum itself attained a high level of appropriateness
(x = 4.38, S.D. = 0.16). In the same manner, all of its documents achieved a high
level of appropriateness, including a handbook for curriculum implementation
(x = 4.31, S.D. = 0.16), an achievement test (x = 4.29, S.D. = 0.16), a satisfaction
survey (x = 4.35, S.D. = 0.15), and an observation form on provision of learning
experiences (x = 4.50, S.D. = 0.12).
3. The results of the implementation of the teacher training curriculum indicated
that in terms of pre-post training achievements on knowledge and understanding,
the teachers for persons with ASD attained higher post-training scores (x = 22)
than the pre-training scores (x = 17.20). What’s more, they expressed the highest
level of satisfaction (x = 4.71, S.D. = 0.08). Based on the assessment of providing
learning experiences for promoting social development among persons with
ASD, its mean score accounted for 84.67%.

6 ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
This PhD thesis could be completed with the initial help from a consultant,
Asst. Prof. Dr. Panadda Yuankrathok, advisor, and Dr. Benjamaporn Choikhruea,
co-advisor. They gave advice and consultation at every step with kindness, patience,
and sacrifice until useful learning was gained for the researcher to obtain research
that is correct according to academic principles. The researcher would like to express
our deepest gratitude to both professors on this occasion.

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8 AUTHORS
Areerat Khemphukhieo is studying Curriculum and Instruction, Doctor of
Philosophy, Khon Kaen University (E-mail: areerat_khem@kkumail.com).
Panadda Yuankrathok is currently working at Department of Education at
Khon Kaen University (E-mail: panyua@kku.ac.th).
Benjamaporn Choikhruea is currently working at Khon Kaen University
Demonstration School, Special Education Division (Autistic Research Center) (E-mail:
benjzh@kku.ac.th).