Comparison of external memory strategies in 31 children (ages 11 and 17) with mild mental retardation and 64 children without mental retardation found no differences between children with mental retardation and their age peers in frequency of use of object-oriented strategies. For all groups, external strategies were used more frequently than…

The relative effectiveness of three procedures for increasing vocal response to prompt in 15 preschool children with Down Syndrome was compared. Light-dimming and visual screening, when combined with positive reinforcement, were both found to be significantly more effective than positive reinforcement alone. (Author/JDD)

In response to Whitman, "Self-Regulation and Mental Retardation" (EC 222 812), the author suggests that model weaknesses include its emphasis on language and cognitive processes, the questionable validity of the effectiveness of self-instruction techniques with lower functioning persons, and the mixed evidence for training generalization…

In response to Whitman, "Self-Regulation and Mental Retardation" (EC 222 812), the author sees parallels between Whitman's model and ideas of L. Vygotsky but also such differences as Whitman's focus on linguistic systems contrasted with Vygotsky's focus on the practice or activity of using language. (DB)

This study demonstrated that four adults with severe mental retardation could learn to use self-instruction in combination with multiple exemplars, could acquire the problem-solving strategy (responding to multiple exemplars and self-instructing) during training and generalize to untrained problem situations, and could exhibit response maintenance…

In response to Whitman, "Self-Regulation and Mental Retardation" (EC 222 812), the author raises four points: use of alternatives to language based interventions, questionable effectiveness of verbal self-instruction with the retarded, questionable practicality of gradual withdrawal of teacher prompting, and need for immediate testing of…

In response to Whitman, "Self-Regulation and Mental Retardation" (EC 222 812), the author distinguishes between operant and cognitive training methods to develop self-regulatory skills and disagrees with Whitman's observation that the procedures for teaching retarded persons are essentially the same as for nonretarded persons. (DB)

The author answers responses (EC 222 813-814) to his paper, "Self-Regulation and Mental Retardation" (EC 222 812). Research is encouraged into questions concerning the extent complex and independent adaptive behaviors can be taught to the retarded and the comparative effectiveness of verbal mediators or alternative approaches in…