A forward-chaining, partial-task training method was found effective in teaching bill paying skills via check writing to four adults with developmental disabilities attending a day treatment program. The skills were maintained over a two-month follow-up and generalized across novel types of bills. Bank personnel and teachers validated the improved…

The characteristics of the skill clusters involved in community living response chains were studied, focusing on the length of the chain, the response classes contained in the chain, and the implicit variations within the chain. Instruction of response chains can be enhanced through consideration of the stimulus control strategies used.…

Generalization probes conducted preceding and following social skills training (using a game format) of high school students with mild mental retardation found acquisition of social skills across game conditions. Although immediate generalization to nontraining environments did not occur, a possible "deferred generalization" effect was found at…

Three older adults with severe/moderate mental retardation learned aerobic-type exercises in a group setting using a system of prompts and contingent praise. Prompt fading facilitated maintenance of the exercise skills in the absence of instruction, and skills were maintained at a nine-month follow-up assessment. However, only slight increases in…