動物輔助學習對自閉症大學生學科表現成效之初探

A Preliminary Study of Effects of the Animalassisted Learning on Academic Performance in A College Student with Autism

本研究以單一受試研究法結合部份質性資料探討動物輔助對一名自閉症男大學生某專業課程的學習成效，此專業課程共有三大評量項目：小考、實作報告、課堂參與。針對小考成績，研究者運用交替處理設計比較三種情境對學生小考成績的影響，第一種情境是在輔助犬的陪同下，由授課教師協助學生進行課前預習，第二種情境是只由授課教師協助學生進行課前預習，第三種情境是學生自行完成課前預習，結果發現第一種情境對學生的小考成績相對較有幫助。針對實作報告部份，研究者使用標準化的觀察與記錄方式，了解學生完成報告的情形，結果發現學生能選定與課程相關的主題，並在輔助犬的參與以及教師提供示範和回饋的過程中完成實作報告。最後，在課堂參與方面，研究者使用非正式之直接觀察和記錄的方式，了解學生平時課堂反應的情況，結果發現，動物輔助學習對提升學生在此門課程的整體學習有一定的效果。研究結束後，對個案進行非正式的訪談，經分析訪談內容後發現，學生本人對動物輔助學習抱持肯定的態度，亦期待之後還能參與類似的方案。最後，本研究針對以上發現進行相關的討論並提供建議。

This study aimed to investigate the effects of animal-assisted intervention on academic performances for a college student with autism spectrum disorder in an elective course. The course requirement included weekly quizzes， a final report， and class participation. An alternating treatment design was used to compare the effects of three different conditions on the student’s weekly quiz scores. The first condition included the researcher (i.e.， instructor) helped the student with quiz preparation with an assisted canine as a companion. The second condition involved only the researcher helped the student with quiz preparation. In the third condition， the student prepared quizzes by himself. The result suggested that the first condition was a relatively effective condition. Standardized observation procedures were used to investigate the effects of animal-assisted learning procedures on the student’s performance of his final project. The result indicated that the student could select a relevant topic， complete the project with some help from instructor， and finally teach the canine a novel skill. Direct observation was used to evaluate the student’s class participation. The results suggested that not only could the animal-assisted learning increase the student’s interaction with instructor and peers but also could improve the student’s performance of oral presentation. According to an informal interview， the student had a positive attitude toward the program and showed the willingness of participating similar program in the future. Those results are discussed in terms of the strategies responsible for intervention effects and the potential future research directions.