Core vocabulary is defined as "lexical items that are accepted as being central and indispensable to language use" (Bell, 2012, p. 1). Use of core vocabulary is common amongst professionals who teach augmentative and alternative communication (AAC) to individuals with disabilities. Although the use of AAC is often classified as an…

Individuals with autism spectrum disorders and other developmental disabilities (ASD/DD) often need to be explicitly taught personal hygiene skills (e.g., menstrual care, penile care and washing and cleaning of intimate body parts). The taboo and private nature of intimate care skills has often led practitioners to avoid teaching these skills…

Using language for social purposes can be a real challenge for children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) and developmental language disorder (DLD). Despite the positive effects of the Pragmatic Intervention Programme (PICP) already known in both populations, the effects needed to be established with a larger sample and analysed separately for…

Naturalistic Developmental Behavioral Interventions (NDBIs) refers to interventions grounded in behavioral learning and developmental sciences. These interventions are commonly implemented in natural settings with children with autism and intellectual developmental disabilities. Although NDBI is a relatively new term in the behavior analytic…

Individuals with autism spectrum disorder and other developmental disabilities (ASD/DD) may engage in socially inappropriate masturbation that puts them or others at risk for harm. This may lead professionals, parents, and other stakeholders to intervene in ways that suppress safe, socially appropriate, and gratifying masturbation. Single case…

We examined potential phenotypic differences in eye gaze avoidance exhibited by boys with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) and boys with fragile X syndrome (FXS). In Study 1, the Eye Contact Avoidance Scale (ECAS) was administered to caregivers of boys aged 7-18 years with FXS (n = 148), ASD (n = 168), and mixed developmental disabilities (MDD; n =…

Children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) who have limited spoken communication skills are commonly taught to mand by exchanging picture symbols. Competent manding via symbol exchange relies on conditional discrimination--that is, selecting the picture symbol that corresponds to the desired reinforcer. Picture Exchange Communication System…

The purpose of this systematic review of literature was to synthesize research on interventions that used augmented reality (AR) to teach academic skills to students with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) and intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD). Eight studies published between 2007 and 2020 were included in the synthesis. These studies…

Cultural adaptation of evidence-based interventions for children with developmental disabilities, including autism, is an effective way to increase the effectiveness and sustainment of intervention effects. Such uptake of interventions is especially needed for communities of marginalized and minoritized populations. However, there have been very…

Children and adults with developmental disabilities often experience oral health problems such as excessive plaque accumulation and dental restorations related to caries. Researchers have examined the efficacy of a variety of behavioral intervention packages to teach preventative strategies (brushing, flossing) and to decrease challenging…

For children with autism or intellectual and developmental disabilities who also have complex communication needs, communication is a necessary skill set to increase independence and quality of life. Understanding the how, where, and communication style being taught is important for identifying deficits in the field as well as which interventions…

The prevalence of challenging behavior, such as aggression, self-injurious behavior, tantrums, and noncompliance with everyday expectations among young children with intellectual and developmental disability (IDD), is higher than the prevalence of challenging behavior for children without disabilities. Without appropriate intervention, challenging…

Functional communication training (FCT) is a well-established, evidence-based practice used to address challenging behavior among individuals across settings, ages, and disability categories. However, the research is limited on the implementation of FCT in inclusive school settings for students with intellectual and developmental disabilities. The…

Purpose: Today, an ever-increasing number of technological advancements are becoming mainstream. As the availability of technological innovations increases, so do opportunities for evaluating any benefits of those innovations in augmentative and alternative communication (AAC) research for individuals with developmental disabilities. One…

Objective: This study aims to delineate the characteristics of severe self-injurious behaviors (SIB) in a cohort of children with autism and unspecified intellectual developmental disorder (UIDD) (intellectual disability) and examine potential risk factors for developing SIB. Methods: A retrospective chart review studied characteristics of severe…