|
| Evaluation of Prompting Procedures for Individuals with Developmental Disabilities and Autism |
| Sunday, May 24, 2015 |
| 2:00 PM–2:50 PM |
| 217B (CC) |
| Area: AUT/PRA; Domain: Applied Research |
| Chair: John Claude Ward-Horner (Beacon ABA Services) |
| Discussant: Paulo Guilhardi (Beacon ABA Services) |
| CE Instructor: John Claude Ward-Horner, Ph.D. |
| Abstract: This symposium reviews two studies that evaluated prompting procedures for individuals with Developmental Disabilities and autism. Such individuals often present with unique learning challenges that require specialized instruction to ensure skill acquisition. The use of errorless teaching procedures are designed to minimize errors and establish appropriate stimulus control during discrimination training and are often recommended for individuals with autism. Although errorless procedures may reduce errors some researchers have found that errorless procedures may result in slower learning (Libby, Weiss, Bancroft, & Ahearn, 2008). The first study assessed different types of prompts that reliably evoked response. Next, the researchers compared the effectiveness of those prompts used in most-to-least and least-to-most prompting hierarchies. The second study evaluated the effectiveness picture prompts and a time-delay used to teach auditory-visual discriminations (receptive labeling of pictures) to individuals with autism. The implications of these findings for instructional programs for individuals with Developmental Disabilities and autism will discussed. |
| Keyword(s): autism, prompting |
| |
| A Comparison of Two Prompt-Fading Strategies on Skill Acquisition in Children with Autism Spectrum Disorder |
| MIRELA CENGHER (City University of New York, The Graduate Center), Kimberly Shamoun (Behavioral Intervention Psychological Services PC), Patricia A. Moss-Lourenco (Westchester Institute for Human Development), David L. Roll (Behavioral Intervention Psychological Services PC), Gina Marie Feliciano (QSAC), Daniel Mark Fienup (Queens College, City University of New York) |
| Abstract: Research has demonstrated that several prompting procedures are effective in teaching a variety of skills to children with Autism Spectrum Disorder. However, when the effectiveness of these prompting procedures was directly compared in either most-to-least or least-to-most hierarchies, research yielded inconclusive findings. In order to address this idiosyncrasy, this study explored a series of assessments meant to identify discriminative stimuli and procedures tailored to meet each participant’s educational profile. Two assessments were used to identify stimuli that were potent enough to evoke correct responding. Then, these stimuli were used as prompts and included in two prompt hierarchies: most-to-least and least-to-most prompting. The efficacy and efficiency of two of these two procedures was compared. For all participants, most-to-least prompting was more effective and efficient than least-to-most prompting. The procedures employed in this study could serve as guidelines for clinical practice in order to maximize the efficiency of training. Further implications for practice and future research are discussed. |
| |
| The Use of Picture Prompts to Teach Receptive Labeling |
| TIFFANY WALLER (Evergreen Center), Joseph M. Vedora (Evergreen Center) |
| Abstract: Many behavioral curricula and instructional programs for individuals with autism target the development of receptive language, or responding to another’s spoken language. The use of errorless learning procedures is often recommended for individuals with autism. There are several types prompting procedures that can be used to teach receptive labeling of pictures including within-stimulus prompting or extra-stimulus prompting such as the use of physical guidance or a point prompt. Carp et al. (2012) compared the use of a picture prompt to a point prompt and found that the picture prompt was more effective for four participants with autism. The present study utilized a picture prompt and a time delay to teach receptive labeling to a 19 year old with autism. The results indicated that the picture prompt was effective at establishing receptive labeling for three sets of stimuli. The implications of the use of pictures prompts to teach receptive labeling and areas for future research are discussed |
|
| |