A study examined the use of multiple microswitches to enhance different responses and environmental control with two boys (ages 9-13) with multiple disabilities. Data showed that both boys learned to respond to the individual microswitches. The simultaneous availability of two or three microswitches promoted high levels of cumulative responding.…

A study assessed whether a program involving simple hand-movement responses combined with optic microswitches and followed by preferred stimuli would be successful with two persons with multiple disabilities (ages 11 and 30). Data showed participants reached fairly high levels of responding during intervention and retained their achievement…

Symbol shelves are tools for developing two-way communication with multihandicapped children who can anticipate events, but who do not respond to speech or sign language. The purpose of symbol shelves is to allow children to be expressive through symbols, to enable them to feel some sense of control, and to serve as a bridge to a more formal…

Describes behavior change among five behavior-disordered, multiply handicapped primary students exposed to daily play sessions with nonhandicapped children for 10 weeks. Concludes that nonhandicapped children elicited positive social interactions from behavior-disordered playmates, particularly when specific playmates were assigned. Contains 17…

Written in Swedish with an English-language summary, this report describes a study which examined the interaction between mothers or caregivers and their children with profound mental retardation and multiple disabilities, particularly looking at the function of play in communicative interaction. The six children all had five or six handicaps in…