Factors in selecting a nonvocal mode for language training with individual children are described, along with the results of this selection procedure as applied to five autistic children (5 to 8 yeas old). Attention is also directed to the rationale for, and the specific steps involved in, four techniques that parents can be trained to use to…

Self-care in toileting is one of the areas that persons with autism frequently have difficulty managing and are often confused by training. In developing a toilet training plan, critical factors include teaching the skill where it will be used, considering modesty concerns, communicating clear expectations, ruling out medical problems, and…

The study evaluated the effects of a time-efficient reinforcer assessment package with three preschoolers with autism. Systematic assessment of children's reinforcers for correct responding virtually eliminated nontargeted maladaptive behaviors, and yielded expected improvements in accuracy. (Author/DB)

Three autistic children (ages 9-11) received spontaneous communication training using a time delay, modeling, and food reinforcement procedure. Results showed gains in 2 spontaneous responses ("please" and "thank you") and 1 verbally prompted response ("you're welcome"). Gains were validated socially with 10 adults. (Author/JDD)

Through training, a 14-year-old Swedish boy with autism was able to develop alternative and augmentative communication routes for social communication. After difficulties in using manual signs, the boy was introduced to Blissymbols, which developed his ability to communicate and his interest in written words. Although still autistic and…

Two methods of prompting were compared for their relative effectiveness in teaching a group of autistic students, age 12-20, to discriminate line drawings used in picture communication books. Students required fewer trials to criterion and made significantly fewer errors in the delayed-prompting technique compared to the fading-of-prompts design.…

Three autistic boys, aged 6-7, observed videotaped conversations consisting of 2 people discussing toys. Subsequent assessment of the boys using untrained topics of conversation, new stimuli, new persons, and other settings indicated that the children learned through video modeling, generalized their conversational skills, and maintained…

A toilet training method for autistic children is described, involving selection of one optimum time per day and challenging the child to urinate. Other toileting times are added, and eventually the youngster is rewarded for remaining dry. Appended are a training data sheet and instructions on using time-out to reduce severe problems. (Author/SW)

This manual presents a training methodology for use in changing pivotal behaviors of children with autism or other severe handicaps. Behaviors specifically addressed for their far ranging effects involve motivation and responsivity to multiple cues. Seven instructional points are detailed with both good and poor implementation examples. The manual…

This booklet explains a system for prevention of and intervention with behavior problems in individuals with mental retardation and autism. The underlying premise is that all behaviors are an effort at communication and that by deciphering the communicative intent or function, one can guide an individual to a more acceptable mode of communication.…

This paper reviews research on disturbances of children with developmental delays and handicaps in responding to complex stimuli, suggesting that such disturbances may deleteriously influence behavioral/neurophysiological development. Intervention programs for teaching children with autism a generalized set to use in responding to complex…

This book introduces "facilitated communication," a method of assisting people with autism to communicate by means of physical assistance in typewriting. The book is organized as a kind of a story around the author's own experience using the facilitated communication method, with examples of fieldwork using qualitative research to…

Results of a study with four autistic students (ages five-nine) showed that a picture training procedure was effective in teaching a generalized response to questions for which the relevant cue was visible, whereas specific generalization programing was required for situations in which the relevant cue was not visible. (Author/DB)

When two nonhandicapped peers of an autistic five-year old were trained to initiate social interaction, social interaction increased and then dramatically decreased in a reversal phase, and no decrease in the autistic child's disruptive behaviors was observed. When the autistic child was trained to initiate interaction, social interaction…

Many individuals with autism need systematic, intensive teaching in self-care skills due to deficits in language and attention skills, interfering behaviors, and/or sensory impairments. Teaching self-care skills should occur naturally during daily routines, in all environments. Assessments are done to determine current abilities, strengths, and…