- Ask whether the practice or the product has evidence.
- ESSA has four tiers: strong, moderate, promising, rationale.
- Most apps sit at "demonstrates a rationale."
- Be wary of "clinically proven" claims.
What are the ESSA evidence tiers?
| Tier | Name | Typical evidence |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Strong | Well-designed experimental study |
| 2 | Moderate | Well-designed quasi-experimental study |
| 3 | Promising | Correlational study with controls |
| 4 | Demonstrates a rationale | Logic model based on research, with ongoing evaluation |
The What Works Clearinghouse reviews education research and explains standards of evidence.1
Practice versus product: why does it matter?
The National Clearinghouse on Autism Evidence and Practice identifies evidence-based practices such as visual supports.2 An app that delivers those practices can reasonably say it's built on them. That's different from the app itself being tested.
What are the red flags?
Try
- Asking which study applies to this product
- Checking whether claims match the evidence
- Running your own small pilot with measures
Skip
- Believing 'clinically proven' without a citation
- Apps claiming to treat or cure autism
- Testimonials presented as research
What can I do next?
0 of 3 done
Read next: What are evidence-based practices for autism in schools?
