Debora M. Kagohara

Using iPods(®) and iPads(®) in teaching programs for individuals with developmental disabilities: a systematic review.

We conducted a systematic review of studies that involved iPods(®), iPads(®), and related devices (e.g., iPhones(®)) in teaching programs for individuals with developmental disabilities. The search yielded 15 studies covering five domains: (a) academic, (b) communication, (c) employment, (d) leisure, and (e) transitioning across school settings. The 15 studies reported outcomes for 47 participants, who ranged from 4 to 27 years of age and had a diagnosis of autism spectrum disorder (ASD) and/or intellectual disability. Most studies involved the use of iPods(®) or iPads(®) and aimed to either (a) deliver instructional prompts via the iPod Touch(®) or iPad(®), or (b) teach the person to operate an iPod Touch(®) or iPad(®) to access preferred stimuli. The latter also included operating an iPod Touch(®) or an iPad(®) as a speech-generating device (SGD) to request preferred stimuli. The results of these 15 studies were largely positive, suggesting that iPods(®), iPod Touch(®), iPads(®), and related devices are viable technological aids for individuals with developmental disabilities.

Behavioral Intervention Promotes Successful Use of an iPod-Based Communication Device by an Adolescent With Autism:

Individuals with autism and limited speech are candidates for speech-generating devices (SGDs), but some individuals might experience difficulty in operating these devices. We describe the case of Steven, a 17-year-old adolescent with autism who used an iPod-based SGD, but had difficulty activating the speech output feature of this device. His difficulties were initially interpreted as motor control problems, suggesting the need to abandon this technology, prescribe a different SGD, or adapt his existing device. An alternative conceptualization was that the existing intervention procedures had failed to shape more effective response topographies. Along these lines, a behavioral intervention, involving differential reinforcement and delayed prompting, proved effective in shaping response topographies that enabled Steven to be more successful in activating the speech output function of his iPod-based SGD. The results suggest that behavioral intervention may provide an alternative to the more costly and involved process of replacing or modifying the person’s SGD.

Speech-generating devices versus manual signing for children with developmental disabilities.

We compared speed of acquisition and preference for using a speech-generating device (SGD) versus manual signing (MS) as augmentative and alternative communication (AAC) options. Four children with developmental disabilities (DD), aged 5-10 years, were taught to request preferred objects using an iPod(®)-based SGD and MS. Intervention was introduced in a multiple-probe across participants design and SGD and MS conditions were compared in an alternating treatments design. A systematic choice-making paradigm was implemented to determine if the children showed a preference for using SGD or MS. All participants showed increased use of SGD when intervention was introduced, but only three learned under the MS condition. Three participants exhibited a preference for the SGD while the remaining participant demonstrated a preference for using MS. Results support previous studies showing that individuals with DD often show a preference for different AAC options and extend previous data by suggesting that acquisition and maintenance was better for the preferred option.

Teaching Functional Use of an iPod-Based Speech-Generating Device to Individuals with Developmental Disabilities

Anecdotal reports suggest that individuals with developmental disabilities who lack speech may be enabled to communicate through the use of a new iPod-based communication device. However, there appear to be limited empirical data demonstrating successful use of this new device by such individuals. This study was designed to provide empirical evidence on acquisition and functional use of an iPod-based communication device. Three individuals with developmental disabilities participated in baseline, acquisition-training, post-training, and follow-up phases that were staggered in a multiple-probe across participants design. Acquisition-training focused on teaching participants to request snacks, or snacks and toys, by selecting graphic symbols on an iPod Touch® with Proloquo2Go™ software. Graduated guidance, time delay, and differential reinforcement procedures were successful in teaching functional use of the iPod-based system to two of the three participants. These preliminary results support the use of this new iPod-based communication system for some individuals with developmental disabilities.

Teaching students with developmental disabilities to operate an iPod Touch(®) to listen to music.

We evaluated an intervention procedure for teaching three students with developmental disabilities to independently operate a portable multimedia device (i.e., an iPod Touch(®)) to listen to music. The intervention procedure included the use of video modeling, which was presented on the same iPod Touch(®) that the students were taught to operate to listen to music. Four phases (i.e., baseline, intervention, fading, and follow-up) were arranged in accordance with a delayed multiple-probe across participants design. During baseline, the students performed from 25 to 62.5% of the task analyzed steps correctly. With intervention, all three students correctly performed 80-100% of the steps and maintained this level of performance when video modeling was removed and during follow-up. The findings suggest that the video modeling procedure was effective for teaching the students to independently operate a portable multimedia device to access age-appropriate leisure content.

Teaching multi-step requesting and social communication to two children with autism spectrum disorders with three AAC options.

Abstract The present study involved comparing the acquisition of multi-step requesting and social communication across three AAC options: manual signing (MS), picture exchange (PE), and speech-generating devices (SGDs). Preference for each option was also assessed. The participants were two children with autism spectrum disorders (ASD) who had previously been taught to use each option to request preferred items. Intervention was implemented in an alternating-treatments design. During baseline, participants demonstrated low levels of correct communicative responding. With intervention, both participants learned the target responses (two- and three-step requesting responses, greetings, answering questions, and social etiquette responses) to varying levels of proficiency with each communication option. One participant demonstrated a preference for using the SGD and the other preferred PE. The importance of examining preferences for using one AAC option over others is discussed.

Is video-based instruction effective in the rehabilitation of children with autism spectrum disorders?

Objective: To review intervention studies on the use of video-based instruction for teaching adaptive behaviours to children with autism spectrum disorders (ASD). Review process: Electronic and hand searches were conducted to identify intervention studies that focus on using video-based instruction to teach adaptive behaviours to children with ASD. Studies that met the inclusion criteria were summarized in terms of: (a) participants, (b) setting, (c) model type, (d) target skills, (e) intervention type, (f) design and (g) outcomes. Outcomes: Forty-four studies encompassing 49 experiments met the inclusion criteria. The studies targeted a range of adaptive behaviours and academic skills. Most studies reported positive results, but the certainty of evidence was not strong for all of the studies due to reliance on pre-experimental designs. Conclusion: The results from this review support the use of video-based instruction in the rehabilitation of children with ASD.

An evaluation of speech production in two boys with neurodevelopmental disorders who received communication intervention with a speech-generating device

Children with neurodevelopmental disorders often present with little or no speech. Augmentative and alternative communication (AAC) aims to promote functional communication using non‐speech modes, but it might also influence natural speech production.

Investigating the validity of a structured interview protocol for assessing the preferences of children with autism spectrum disorders

Purpose: To investigate the congruent validity of a structured interview protocol for assessing the preferences of seven children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD). Method: Using the structured interview protocol described by Green et al., parents were asked to provide a rank ordering of their childs preferred foods, drinks, toys and sensory stimuli. The resulting rank order was then compared to the results of a multiple-stimulus without replacement preference assessment by calculating the Spearman rank order correlation coefficients. Results: The results revealed a high level of correspondence between the rank orderings of both assessments for four of the six participants for food and drink items and four of the seven participants for play items and sensory stimuli. Conclusion: Results support the use of the structured interview protocol to determine the preferences of children with ASD. Practical implications and directions for future research are discussed.

Addressing the unproductive classroom behaviours of students with special needs

research. In sum, Living in dyslexia provides much needed insight into the effects that dyslexia can have on the social and emotional lives of children and how these effects might be countered. This insight may inspire parents, teachers, clinicians and researchers to work even harder to help children with dyslexia, since it is these children’s self-worth and happiness that is ultimately at stake. And, at the end of the day, self-worth and happiness are the most important things in life.