Capacities for abstract thinking and problem-solving are central to human cognition. Processes of abstraction allow the transfer of experiences and knowledge between contexts helping us make informed decisions in new or changing contexts. While we are often inclined to relate such reasoning capacities to individual minds and brains, they may in…

A severely handicapped 20-year-old woman in a public school setting was taught to ride the city bus. Results indicated that skills acquired in the classroom, for both bus boarding and bus departing, generalized only minimally to the natural environment. (Author/SB)

Social LIFE (Social Learning of Independence through Functional Experiences), a game used as a means of developing new social skills in a variety of settings and social situations and involving players and a mediator (instructor), is described. Appropriate responses to the game situations are rewarded by points or play money. Target behaviors or…

Four mentally retarded adults received single case instruction, followed by general case instruction, on washing machine and dryer use, using either actual appliances or simulation. Generalization errors were affected by single/general case instruction, not by use of simulated versus natural conditions. General case simulation was more efficient…

Four female mildly mentally retarded subjects (ages 17-21) were trained individually in a simulated bank setting at their school. After training, subjects were able to generalize newly trained skills to real community settings though some additional in-vivo training was required for perfect performance. (Author/DB)

An interactive videodisc-based simulation was used to train 3 students (ages 12-17) with moderate disabilities on locating and purchasing items in convenience store settings. The students improved in their effectiveness and efficiency of locating items in the simulated environment and showed some transfer of skills to natural environments. (JDD)

The material presented here is designed to be used as a training program in the preparation, selection, and use of visual aids in instruction. Some prior training in the application of behavioral principles to the preparation of instructional materials is assumed. The program consists of a handbook and a workbook. All the information in the…