Does the Noise Matter? Exploring Salient Audio Components in Video Prompting Interventions

This study evaluates the impact background noise has on teaching functional skills to six adults with disabilities using video prompting. A single-subject multiple probe across behaviors with an embedded alternating treatment design was used to implement this study. Two versions of the video were created and alternated during intervention: one with significant auditory distractors, and one without. The independent variable was the iPad video prompting intervention, which involved the instruction of four functional skills. The dependent variable was the percentage of steps completed by the student correctly and independently. Tau-U effect sizes showed a large effect size for the overall VP intervention with a very small difference between conditions. All six participants showed immediate and significant growth after the video intervention. Results showed the presence of audio distractions did not affect the efficacy of the intervention.