Three experiments were conducted to evaluate the effects of a training program implemented in a community setting for teaching receptive language skills to profoundly mentally retarded persons in a department store setting. Instruction was effective and store employees reacted favorably to the program. (Author/DB)

Thirty-five students (age 5-21) with mental retardation completed a 10-lesson curriculum on verbal and signed vocabulary acquisition. Therapist only and therapist plus video methods resulted in higher spoken and manual sign production of targeted items compared to the video only method. Receptive vocabulary was not improved. (Author/JDD)