A literature review identified generic and specialized competencies for teachers of learning disabled, emotionally handicapped, and educable mentally handicapped students. Core competencies included teacher-directed instruction, active academic responding, contingent reinforcement, and adaptive instruction. Specialized competencies for each…

Of 673 special education teachers responding to the survey, over 55 percent reported that behavior modification was not their major system of classroom management. Responses are broken down by categorical title of classroom for experiences with positive reinforcement, time out, negative reinforcement, contingency contracting, response cost,…

Potential hazards and dangers of using the token economy approach to behavior change with head injured individuals are identified and it is suggested that the injured person's active awareness of reinforcement contingencies may sometimes be deleterious. (DB)

The study examined the effects of object self-stimulation on the task-interrupting self-stimulatory behavior and prevocational work responses of a 13-year-old autistic boy. Findings suggested that the reinforcing effects of object self-stimulation may be used to increase desired behaviors and to decrease task-interfering behaviors. (Author/JW)

Contingency packages can be incorporated into classroom management techniques for reluctant learners (who may have already experienced failure in education) to encourage enthusiasm and motivation for learning. Suggestions are provided for implementing programs using a robot or football concepts. (CB)

Results of a survey of 730 teachers of the behaviorally disordered indicated that 70 percent used timeout procedures as a behavior management strategy, that teachers of younger children used the technique more frequently, and that physical and verbal aggression were the behaviors most frequently resulting in timeout. (Author/DB)

This review of research examines investigations that have focused on the effect of reinforcer specificity on the acquisition of both language comprehension and production skills by learners with severe handicaps. Issues regarding the use of intervention strategies that employ reinforcer specificity are discussed. (Author/JW)

Providing students in a personalized system of instruction course with a pacing contingency for a portion of the course was found to help students better manage their time and organize their study behaviors. (RM)

Examined the specific and generalized effects of contractual agreements on a childhood recollection task (N=131). Results showed that students who signed a written contract complied significantly more to the specific aspects of the contracted task than did verbal agreement subjects and controls. (Author/LLL)

The paper reviews research on behavioral staff management strategies in institutions for developmentally disabled persons, considering procedural effectiveness of four approaches: antecedent, contingency management, self-control, and multifaceted interventions. Methodological problems in the research are noted, along with needs for research on…

A study examined the effects of using a musical clocklight as discriminative stimulus, paired with individual and group contingency rewards, on the decibel level in an elementary school lunchroom. Subjects were 256 students aged 5-12, who ate lunch in two sessions for younger and older students. The musical clocklight (MCL) apparatus consisted of…

Training in self evaluation of speech performance was combined with a self managed, performance contingent maintenance schedule during the treatment of two young adult stutterers. Covert and overt assessment indicated that whenever the self evaluation training procedure was introduced to the maintenance schedule, it was associated with…

Preskill workshops and work activity classes and centers have been developed to teach the severely or profoundly retarded client how to assemble or complete a number of tasks and how to exhibit appropriate behaviors that result in a high degree of attention to task and acceptable levels of task production. (SB)

Three case studies demonstrated excessive alcohol drinking in adolescents could be reduced by self-monitoring and extrinsic reinforcement procedures. Behavioral interventions resulted in complete abstinence for a male with 10 years of excessive alcohol abuse. However, alcohol abuse increased markedly for two females once intervention procedures…