The study found that simulation instruction on two representative teaching examples for each of two job task sequences resulted in concurrent generalized performance by four severely retarded adults. (Author/DB)

Two experiments examined the reinforcing value of response contingent sensory events consisting of combinations of visual, auditory, and vibratory stimulation with 10 nonambulatory profoundly mentally retarded individuals. Results indicated that systematically varying a multimodal sensory event is an effective way to identify positive reinforcers…

This study examined effects of cue control and behavioral relaxation training (BRT) with five subjects having severe mental retardation. BRT produced reductions in rated anxiety and improvements in concentration for all subjects. Cue control words were effective only after they had been linked with BRT. (DB)

Matrix training strategies were used to teach three severely mentally retarded children syntactic rules for combining known words into two- and three-word utterances. Training only a limited number of responses was sufficient to promote recombinative generalization in the trained modality and transfer to untrained responses in the opposite…

Two experiments with 15 individuals having profound mental retardation found difficulties in identifying reinforcers that were actually effective in treatment of chronic training needs. Research needs in evaluating training alternatives for people with profound multiple disabilities who move very little or who respond with very long latencies are…

Programmed identity-matching training was given to five participants with severe mental retardation and histories of failures in assessments and training attempts. When an intermediate goal of establishing one-trial discrimination learning was eliminated, four participants completed the program and passed tests for generalized identity matching…

A teaching approach which used general case procedures for selecting teaching examples was effective in teaching four severely retarded high school students basic telephone skills. Trained skills generalized to nontrained telephone situations and telephone use was continued (at 18 months after training) as a part of each student's lifestyle.…

Evaluation of a program which taught six severely mentally retarded individuals (ages 8-25) to sign interactively with each other found participants showed increased signing skills in a training play situation, generalized use of these skills in a second play situation, and maintained the trained skills over a 2 to 4 month period. (Author/DB)

The study evaluated two simulation methods (either on-self or using a doll) of general case instruction in teaching menstrual care to four severely/profoundly retarded adolescents and women. Results indicated limited generalization after training using a doll, high levels of generalized responding following on-self instruction, but decreased…

Principles of motion economy were assessed with two vocational tasks for two adults with severe to profound mental retardation. The motion economy-based task analysis was not superior in acquisition, but once each task was mastered, it enhanced fluency across both tasks for both participants. (Author/DB)

Five profoundly mentally retarded adolescents and adults were taught to respond to an auditory-visual complex stimulus. Later, the auditory component alone was presented, and three subjects did not respond. These subjects then received a fading program which successfully established auditory stimulus control with two subjects. (MSE)

Treatment of a woman with severe mental retardation with the Self-Injurious Behavior Inhibiting System (SIBIS) resulted in significant reductions in SIB behavior which generalized to the natural environment and the brief follow-up sessions. (Author/DB)

Two adults with severe mental retardation were assessed for correct pointing responses to line drawings of required eating utensils. Following tact intervention, mands for two of three utensils emerged. Results suggest transfer from tact variables to the conditioned establishing operation may be facilitated by cultivating a minimal mand…

Three severely mentally retarded adolescents who exhibited repetitive hand movements were assessed during baseline (reinforcement for on-task behavior) and sensory change (rings on fingers of both hands, rings and reinforcement, and faded rings) conditions. Sensory change effectively reduced the target responses for up to four hours. (Author/JDD)

A correction procedure, including interruption, physical guidance, verbal instruction, and repetition, was used to train five students with severe/profound mental retardation to reject unmatching referents to their gesture mands. Trainers are urged to assess student response when items not matching the referent of a prior request are offered.…