Helen I. Cannella-Malone

Teaching Daily Living Skills to Seven Individuals with Severe Intellectual Disabilities: A Comparison of Video Prompting to Video Modeling.

We conducted a systematic replication of Cannella-Malone et al. by comparing the effects of video prompting to video modeling for teaching seven students with severe disabilities to do laundry and wash dishes. The video prompting and video modeling procedures were counterbalanced across tasks and participants and compared in an alternating treatments design within a multiple probe across participants design. For six participants, video prompting was more effective than video modeling, which was generally ineffective. For one participant, neither video modeling nor video prompting was effective, but in vivo instruction led to skill acquisition. One participant who was deaf was also able to learn both skills using video prompting, even though he could not hear the voice-over instructions. These data suggest that the duration of the video may influence its effectiveness as a teaching tool and that the voice-over instructions may not be necessary.

Initiating and responding to joint attention bids in children with autism: A review of the literature

Joint attention is a skill that involves coordinating the attention of at least two individuals towards an object or event. Although it is seen as a critical skill in early child development, it is frequently absent in children with autism and has been linked to poorer language outcomes for those children. As a result, multiple interventions have been developed to teach children with autism to respond to, and initiate, bids for joint attention. These interventions, however, differ widely both in terms of procedures used and in whether they focus on teaching children to respond to, or initiate, bids for joint attention. This literature review was conducted to document research gaps and intervention similarities between joint attention intervention studies for children with autism. The specific intent of this review was to determine whether researchers teach responding and initiating separately or sequentially, describe the extent to which procedures differ among studies, and identify whether social or non-social consequences are used during joint attention training. Implications for the treatment of joint attention deficits are discussed and recommendations to both researchers and practitioners are provided.

Effects of Mother-Implemented Picture Exchange Communication System (PECS) Training on Independent Communicative Behaviors of Young Children With Autism Spectrum Disorders

This study examined the effects of mother-implemented Picture Exchange Communication System (PECS) training on the independent communication of three young children with autism spectrum disorders. Three mothers were trained to teach their child PECS Phases 1 through 3B, which they did with high integrity. Moreover, all three children successfully acquired independent picture exchanges that were generalized to a different communication partner and maintained for at least 1 month. Vocalizations across participants showed limited or no improvement. These findings systematically extend previous PECS research by training mothers to be the primary implementers of PECS training. In addition, this research provides practitioners with insight into the feasibility and necessity of parent-implemented PECS training.

An Examination of Preference for Augmentative and Alternative Communication Devices with Two Boys with Significant Intellectual Disabilities

Selecting an appropriate mode of communication is an important clinical decision when beginning an augmentative and alternative communication (AAC) intervention. In the present study, we investigated whether two boys with significant intellectual disabilities would show a preference for using one of three AAC devices. Initially, the boys were taught to use three AAC devices (i.e., Cyrano Communicator™, Mini-MessageMate™, and a Picture Communication Board) using a multiple-probe-across-devices design. One participant was successful with only one device, while the other was successful in acquiring basic use of all three devices (i.e., making a request using the device and demonstrating correspondence between the picture icon and item requested). The child who acquired basic use of all three devices participated in the second phase. A choice assessment was conducted using a free-operant paradigm to determine which of the three devices he preferred. In the final phase, the most preferred device was targeted for more specific instruction (i.e., retrieving the device from a distance, turning the device on, approaching a communication partner, getting the communication partners attention, and using the device to make a request), using a changing criterion design. Results for this participant indicated that he had a clear preference for one device and was able to learn how to use it in a more functional manner. Limitations and suggestions for future research are discussed.

Using Antecedent Exercise to Decrease Challenging Behavior in Boys with Developmental Disabilities and an Emotional Disorder.

Some individuals with developmental disabilities and emotional disorders may engage in challenging behavior that can result in the use of aversive procedures and/or seclusion from typically developing peers. They may also engage in low levels of physical activity. One way to decrease challenging behaviors while increasing overall levels of physical health may be to provide access to exercise systematically throughout the day. This study used a multiple-baseline across-participants design to investigate the effects of antecedent exercise on the challenging behavior of three boys with moderate to severe developmental disabilities and an emotional behavior disorder. Each participant engaged in eight daily exercise sessions ranging in duration from 1 to 20 min throughout the entire school day across school settings. Challenging behavior decreased to zero for two participants and near zero for the third participant.

The Effects of Presession Manipulations on Automatically Maintained Challenging Behavior and Task Responding.

This study examined the effects of presession exposure to attention, response blocking, attention with response blocking, and noninteraction conditions on subsequent engagement in automatically maintained challenging behavior and correct responding in four individuals with significant intellectual disabilities. Following a functional analysis, the effects of the four presession conditions were examined using multielement designs. Results varied across the 4 participants (e.g., presession noninteraction acted as an abolishing operation for 2 participants, but as an establishing operation for the other 2 participants). As such, both the results replicated and contradicted previous research examining the effects of motivating operations on automatically maintained challenging behavior. Although the results varied across participants, at least one condition resulting in a decrease in challenging behavior and an increase in correct responding were identified for each participant. These findings suggested that presession manipulations resulted in decreases in subsequent automatically maintained challenging behavior and simultaneous increases in correct responding might need to be individually identified when the maintaining contingencies cannot be identified.

An evaluation of the use of eye gaze to measure preference of individuals with severe physical and developmental disabilities.

Objective: The purpose of this study was to examine whether duration of eye gaze could be used to identify reinforcing stimuli for four individuals with severe physical and developmental disabilities, as well as the effectiveness of the assessment using different numbers of stimuli (i.e. 6 vs 14). Methods: This study measured each students preferences in a paired stimulus preference assessment using duration of eye gaze toward various stimuli. Following the preference assessment, a reinforcer assessment was conducted within a reversal design to determine the accuracy of the preference hierarchy. Results: Results indicated that duration of eye gaze toward a stimulus was successful in identifying preferred stimuli that functioned as reinforcers for all participants. Additionally, the shorter preference assessment produced measures of similar accuracy in considerably less time. Conclusion: Eye gaze can be used to identify reinforcing stimuli for individuals with severe physical and developmental disabilities.

Teaching physical activities to students with significant disabilities using video modeling

Objective: The objective of this study was to examine the effectiveness of video modeling on teaching physical activities to three adolescents with significant disabilities. Methods: The study implemented a multiple baseline across six physical activities (three per student): jumping rope, scooter board with cones, ladder drill (i.e. feet going in and out), ladder design (i.e. multiple steps), shuttle run, and disc ride. Additional prompt procedures (i.e. verbal, gestural, visual cues, and modeling) were implemented within the study. After the students mastered the physical activities, we tested to see if they would link the skills together (i.e. complete an obstacle course). Results: All three students made progress learning the physical activities, but only one learned them with video modeling alone (i.e. without error correction). Conclusion: Video modeling can be an effective tool for teaching students with significant disabilities various physical activities, though additional prompting procedures may be needed.

Using Video Prompting with Different Fading Procedures to Teach Daily Living Skills: A Preliminary Examination.

Two students with developmental disabilities were taught two daily living skills using video prompting with error correction presented on an iPod Touch, and two different fading procedures were implemented. In one fading procedure, individual video clips were merged into multiple larger clips following acquisition of the entire skill. In the second fading procedure, video clips were backward “chunked” during the intervention as individual steps were mastered. A multiple probe across participants design within a reversal design was used. Results showed that video prompting with error correction was effective in teaching both daily living skills. Furthermore, fading the video prompts during the intervention resulted in more rapid learning and higher maintenance and generalization effects than fading after acquisition.

Author Productivity and Publication Trends in Autism-Specific Journals from 1997 to 2004.

The 20 most productive authors (in terms of number of articles authored) Were identified across three major autism-specific journals (Autism: An International Journal of Research and Practice, Focus on Autism and Other Developmental Disabilities, and the Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders) published betWeen 1997 and 2004. Of the top 20 authors, 11 Worked outside the United States, and 9 Were Women. Most articles included several coauthors, suggesting that most authors Were involved in collaborative Work. Most of the published research Was assessment research, and slightly less than half Was funded. Limitations of this study and future research are discussed.