Pigeons were exposed to a repeated acquisition procedure in which no delays were imposed and rate of responding was relatively high. They also were exposed to conditions in which delays were arranged between trials within chains or between completed chains, and rates of responding were lower. Number of trials, rate of reinforcement, difficulty of…

This historical account is told as a narrative from the authors' perspectives of Project Giant Step, which might be one of the most successful teaching-of-reading projects in history. There are a few purposes in telling this story. First, it is in times of chaos that real innovation can be made. It is then that people take chances and it is not…

Investigators applied the techniques of precision teaching (systematic arrangement of instructional cues, the technology of programed learning, careful management of reinforcement contingencies, and continuous measurement of performance) to improve the academic performance of disadvantaged children who had been labeled mentally retarded. The…

The discussion of Precision Teaching, attempting to integrate humanism and behaviorism (what we know as educators and as behavioral scientists), provides both specific guidelines for teachers concerning positive classroom behavior change, and general directions in which education must go to remain relevant. The concept of Precision Teaching is…

The report addresses the need for rectifying overrepresentation of minority students (especially black students) in classes for the educable mentally retarded. Recommendations made in 1979 by a panel established by the National Research Council of the National Academy of Sciences are reviewed. Case studies illustrating six successful alternative…