Discussed is the language impairment of children with infantile autism. The speech patterns of autistic children, including echolalia, pronomial reversal, silent language, and voice imitation, are described. The clinical picture of the autistic child is compared to that of children with such other disorders as deafness, retardation, and…

A language development program for a 6-year-old boy with limited language development combined an operant approach in the foster home, where both parents were speech clinicians, and daily 3-hour therapy sessions at a university speech and hearing clinic. (KW)

INTENDED FOR SPEECH THERAPISTS, THEACHERS OF THE MENTALLY RETARDED, AND OTHERS IN SPECIAL EDUCATION, THE COLLECTION CONTAINS REPORTS BY VARIOUS AUTHORS ON SPEECH AND LANGUAGE MODIFICATION ATTEMPTS THAT HAVE UTILIZED OPERANT CONDITIONING PROCEDURES, AS WELL AS SEVERAL PAPERS ON BACKGROUND TOPICS. BACKGROUND PAPERS ON TEACHING TREAT ENVIRONMENTAL…

Remedial speech, hearing, and language services are offered in a short-term, self-contained special language program for first and second grade children with severe language deficits but normal potential in performance areas. (LH)

The author compares two philosophies of language instruction (medical and behavioral models); evaluates four major elements of the teaching/learning process (stimulus, pupil response, consequation, and feedback); as critical variables in developing a lesson plan; and discusses the effects of selection of pupils, teachers and space on language…

Demonstrated with 4 severely language deficient boys (7- to 11-years-old) was the feasibility of using operant principles in language therapy with a small group of behaviorally disturbed children to develop an imitative verbal repertoire. (LS)

Selected principles and procedures related to language training for nonverbal children are presented. The participating children are 3 to 6 years of age and are enrolled at a clinic for a minimal of 3 hours of individual therapy a week. The language problems vary considerably. The possibility of some central nervous system dysfunction is thought…

Children with infantile autism display characteristics and behaviors that severely limit their growth and functioning on many levels. Research is reviewed in which principles of operant conditioning are implemented in procedures designed to investigate and/or modify the autistic child's behavior in the following areas: (a) social interaction, (b)…

Reported were clinical principles and procedures of behavior modification that have been used to establish language in 3- to 6-year-old children with very limited functional communication. (GW)

The paper describes the referral, diagnostic, interventive, and evaluative procedures used in a self-contained behaviorally oriented noncategorical program for preschool children with speech and language impairments and other developmental delays. (CL)