I've decided to change up my research question to bring some clarity and address some of your suggestions.
The research problem: Typically developing children in general education classrooms are reinforced by vocal praise delivered by the teacher (and other adults). Children diagnosed with autism are frequently not reinforced by vocal praise which means that prosthetic means of reinforcement are necessary (edibles, preferred items) are used to reinforce them. Many general education teachers have not been taught how to use/implement secondary reinforcement systems and the result can be moderate to severe behavior problems and general education teachers not wanting children diagnosed with autism placed in their classroom.
Hypothesis: Using classic Pavlovian conditioning procedures, students diagnosed with autism will be conditioned to be reinforced by vocal praise through an observational learning procedure. That is, they will learn to be reinforced by vocal praise through observing other students receive reinforcement paired with praise.
Population/participants: Children diagnosed with autism (Ages 2-10)
Selection of Participants/Data collection: This is an experimental reversal design (ABAB). I'm going to have a stratified sampling group that is divided by age group. Participants will be randomly selected from each grade level. I'll randomly assign participants to treatment and control groups. Treatment groups will be reinforced for observing vocal praise serve as reinforcement for their peers while the control group will not.
