In a "class inclusion" task, a child must respond to stimuli as being involved in two different though hierarchically related categories. This study used a Relational Frame Theory (RFT) paradigm to assess and train this ability in three typically developing preschoolers and three individuals with autism spectrum disorder, all of whom had…

Few published studies have systematically compared the efficacy of different prompt-fading methods in the training of complex response chains. The current study systematically compared a most-to-least physical prompt fading hierarchy with a most-to-least vocal prompt fading strategy in the training of four arbitrary Tinkertoy® construction tasks…

We compared two prompting techniques that are commonly used to teach individuals with autism. In the "most-to-least" (MTL) prompting condition, the therapist initially delivered the most intrusive prompt necessary to achieve a correct response. Prompts were gradually faded across subsequent trials, while errors resulted in the provision of…

We compared variations for teaching a sequence of responses through forward chaining. Seven children who had been diagnosed with autism participated in a comparison of teacher completion (TC) of steps beyond the training step and manually guiding the student (SC) to complete steps beyond the training step. A no-completion (NC) condition, in which…

Discrete trial teaching is an effective procedure for teaching a variety of skills to children with autism. However, it must be implemented with high integrity to produce optimal learning. Behavioral Skills Training (BST) is a staff training procedure that has been demonstrated to be effective. However, BST is time and labor intensive, and with…

Currently recommended practice in supported work emphasizes training job skills to workers with severe disabilities while on the job. Early behavioral research indicated that skills needed in natural environments could also be trained in simulated settings. We compared job-site plus simulation training for teaching job skills to supported workers…

A pyramidal model of parent training by peers was compared to training by a professional, with 26 parents of children with autism. Both types of training helped in acquiring, maintaining, and generalizing parents' teaching skills, and children's performance mostly increased. Improvements were comparable for parents trained by a professional or by…