The purpose of this article is to describe procedures for a team approach to implementing a tangible symbol communication system (TSCS) to support communication skill development of young children with multiple/severe disabilities (MSD). The authors suggest that implementation of a TSCS is a process that includes (a) assessment of child…

Few studies have been conducted in Greece, which focus on the education of children with multiple disabilities (motor and intellectual disabilities, ID). Four children between the ages 9 and 15 with multiple disabilities (motor and ID) were selected to be taught social skills. The aim of this qualitative study was to provide training with regard…

The purpose of this systematic literature review was to summarize single-case intervention studies involving paraprofessional-implemented systematic instruction for students with disabilities. In the 19 reviewed studies, 60 paraprofessionals received training to implement systematic instruction with most learning naturalistic language strategies,…

The academic terms and the periods of the courses related to the language development and communication differs considerably in the programs of the countries which train teachers for the special education department. The aim of this study is to examine the contents and credits of the communication and the language development courses in Teacher…

Specific program suggestions are provided to enable the speech-language pathologist to utilize the mealtime setting to integrate both vocal and nonvocal communicative objectives. The roots of interaction and communication which underly both vocal and nonvocal systems are described. (Author)

Music therapists regard music therapy as a valuable intervention for students with moderate to severe intellectual disability or multiple disabilities, but many special educators would regard it as a controversial practice, unsupported by empirical research. This paper reviews the goals and strategies used by music therapists working with students…

Experiences working with nonverbal severely and profoundly retarded and multiply handicapped children are discussed in this paper. Alternative communication systems are reviewed, including use of manual signs, pictures and symbols, photographs, realistic drawings, pictograms, and Bliss Symbols. A model for teaching basic understanding of…

A blind multiply handicapped preschooler was taught to respond appropriately to two adjacency pair types ("where question-answer" and "comment-acknowledgement"). The two alternative language acquisition strategies available to blind children were encouraged: echolalia to maintain communicative interactions and manual searching…

The Comprehensive Communication Curriculum is designed for teaching basic communication skills to severely or profoundly retarded, physically handicapped students. An introductory section mentions the purpose of five major program components: caregiver interview, identification of child's wants and needs, training the child to request wants and…

In order to facilitate simultaneous use of verbal and gestural communication, a five-year-old Down's syndrome child was taught with the Promoting Aphasics' Communicative Effectivenes (PACE) technique. PACE provided a structured format to stimulate natural face to face conversation while providing for the use of multimodality communication. (SEW)

This article discusses integrating communication skills and the use of real object "props" with the teaching of literature to students with severe and profound and multiple learning difficulties. The novel "Oliver Twist" is used to illustrate how objects of reference can be used to teach literature and promote communication skills. (Contains…

The article describes methods used to bring a seven-year-old boy with severe auditory and visual impairments and no communication skills to a level of oral communication within one year. The manual, graphic, and oral-aural strategies used are described. (Author/DB)

Contained in this teaching guide are two units that offer teaching strategies and activities for use with severely and multiply mentally impaired elementary aged students. The with severely and multiply mentally impaired elementary aged students. The guide is intended to provide structured experiences to foster the use of augmentative and…

The importance of communication skills for students with the most significant disabilities is highlighted. Specific attention is paid to the need to recognize and understand unconventional means of communication. Ideas for augmenting the student's communicative efforts are provided, and the critical importance of team collaboration is emphasized.…

Practical and concise, this introductory guide is filled with real-world tips and strategies for anyone working to improve the communication of children with moderate, severe, and multiple disabilities. Emphasizing the link between behavior and communication, three respected researchers transform up-to-date research and proven best practices into…