The efficacy of teaching higher level cognitive skills to the trainable mentally retarded is questioned as research has yet to show that the skills learned can be generalized by this population to the classroom or other settings. (Author/PHR)

Five children with autism and mental retardation learned to discriminate objects in response to spoken names or to match amounts to numbers with a combined blocking procedure. The procedure involved presenting the same spoken word until 10 consecutive correct responses occurred and keeping the left-right location of objects constant. (Contains…

Described is a 1972 workshop designed to train Pennsylvania personnel in assessing and programing for low functioning or difficult retardates. State legislation dealing with education of the retarded is reviewed. Considered are assessment techniques in the following areas: motor, communication, cognitive, and social-emotional development and…