OBJECTIVE Computer-assisted interventions (CAIs) are popular for educating children with autism, but their effectiveness is not well established. This study evaluated the effectiveness of 1 CAI designed to improve children's language, cognitive, and academic skills, TeachTown: Basics, in a large urban school district. METHOD Teachers (n = 59) in autism support classrooms and their consented students in kindergarten through second grade (n = 154) were randomized to TeachTown: Basics or waitlist control. Child outcome was measured at baseline and after 1 academic year using the Bracken Basic Concepts Scale-Receptive and Expressive versions and the Differential Ability Scales, Second Edition (DAS-II). Random effects regression models that included clustering of time within students and students within classrooms were used to test whether the change over time in each outcome differed between groups. RESULTS There were no statistically significant differences in outcomes for children who received TeachTown: Basics or treatment as usual. Increased time spent using TeachTown: Basics was associated with worse receptive language outcomes for children in the experimental group after 1 academic year. However, there was no association between minutes spent using TeachTown and changes in expressive language or DAS-II score. CONCLUSION Despite growing enthusiasm for CAIs in autism treatment, the present findings indicate that CAI might not be effective at improving language and cognitive outcomes for children with autism spectrum disorder. The decision to implement CAIs in schools should be carefully balanced against the evidence for effectiveness of these programs. Schools might be better served by investing in treatment strategies with established evidence. CLINICAL TRIAL REGISTRATION INFORMATION RCT of TeachTown in Autism Support Classrooms: Innovation and Exnovation; https://clinicaltrials.gov/; NCT02695693.

中文翻译：

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在学校对患有自闭症的儿童进行计算机辅助干预的随机试验。

目的计算机辅助干预（CAI）在教育自闭症儿童方面很受欢迎，但其有效性尚不明确。这项研究评估了旨在提高儿童语言，认知和学术技能的1种CAI在一个大型城市学区的有效性，该课程名为“ TeachTown：基础知识”。方法将自闭症支持教室中的教师（n = 59）和他们同意的幼儿园至二年级（n = 154）的学生随机分配到TeachTown：Basics或waitlist控件中。使用Bracken基本概念量表和表现力版本以及差异能力量表，第二版（DAS-II）在基线和1个学年后测量儿童结局。随机效应回归模型包括学生之间的时间聚类和教室内学生的时间聚类，用于检验各组之间每个结果随时间的变化是否不同。结果接受TeachTown：Basics或照常治疗的儿童在结局方面没有统计学上的显着差异。使用TeachTown的时间增加：在1个学年后，实验组儿童的基础语言接收能力较差。但是，使用TeachTown的时间与表达语言或DAS-II得分的变化之间没有关联。结论尽管对自闭症治疗的CAI热情越来越高，但本研究结果表明CAI可能无法有效改善自闭症谱系障碍儿童的语言和认知结局。在学校中实施CAI的决定应与这些计划的有效性的证据仔细权衡。通过在已有证据的基础上投资治疗策略，可能会更好地为学校提供服务。自闭症支持教室中TeachTown的临床试验注册信息RCT：创新与创新；https://clinicaltrials.gov/; NCT02695693。