Paul J. Yoder

Randomized comparison of two communication interventions for preschoolers with autism spectrum disorders

This randomized group experiment compared the efficacy of 2 communication interventions (Responsive Education and Prelinguistic Milieu Teaching [RPMT] and the Picture Exchange Communication System [PECS]) in 36 preschoolers with autism spectrum disorders. Each treatment was delivered 3 times per week, in 20-min sessions, for 6 months. The results revealed that the RPMT facilitated the frequency of generalized turn taking and generalized initiating joint attention more than did the PECS. The latter effect occurred only for children who began treatment with at least some initiating joint attention. In contrast, the PECS facilitated generalized requests more than the RPMT in children with very little initiating joint attention prior to treatment. These effect sizes were large.

Predicting Spoken Language Level in Children with Autism Spectrum Disorders

Thirty-five children who received an autism spectrum diagnosis at the age of 2 years (24 with autism, 11 with PDD-NOS) were re-evaluated 2 years later to examine factors related to the development of spoken language. Child variables (play level, motor imitation ability and joint attention) and environmental variables (socioeconomic status and hours of speech/language therapy between ages 2 and 3) were used to predict an aggregate measure of language outcome at age 4. After controlling for age 2 language skills, the only significant predictors were motor imitation and number of hours of sther speech/language therapy. Implications of these results for understanding the early developmental course of autism spectrum disorders and the effects of intervention are discussed.

Nonverbal Communication in Two- and Three-Year-Old Children with Autism.

The forms, functions, and complexity of nonverbal communication used by very young children with autism were investigated. Fourteen children with autism were matched to 14 children with developmental delays and/or language impairments on the basis of CA, MA, and expressive vocabulary. Subjects participated in a structured communication assessment consisting of 16 situations designed to elicit requesting or commenting behavior. Children with autism requested more often and commented less often than controls. Autistic children were less likely to point, show objects, or use eye gaze to communicate, but were more likely to directly manipulate the examiners hand. The autistic group also used less complex combinations of behaviors to communicate. Implications for early identification and intervention are discussed.

Examination of the Relationship Between Teacher Praise and Opportunities for Students with EBD to Respond to Academic Requests

Providing students with opportunities to respond to academic requests (OTR) and praise have been identified as effective teaching practices. Because academic difficulty is a primary characteristic of students with emotional and behavioral disorders (EBD), receiving adequate OTR and praise are crucial for ameliorating their academic deficits. Although a relationship between rates of OTR and teacher praise has been suggested, the nature of this relationship is largely unknown.The purpose of this article was to investigate this relationship through an examination of the significance and magnitude of the relation between teacher praise and OTR in classrooms for students with EBD using time-window sequential analysis. Results suggested that (a) a summary-level relationship represented by a significant positive correlation and (b) a significant sequential association existed between teacher praise and OTR. Implications for future research and study limitations are discussed.

Speech Following Sign Language Training in Autistic Children with Minimal Verbal Language.

This study was carried out to test the main and interaction effects of training condition and pretreatment-elicited verbal imitation ability when predicting spoken language use during language training of 60 minimally verbal autistic children. Subjects were randomly assigned to Speech Alone, Sign Alone, Simultaneous Presentation of Sign and Speech, and Alternating Presentation of Sign and Speech training conditions. Speech Alone, Simultaneous Presentation, and Alternating Presentation condition facilitated more child-initiated speech during treatment than did the Sign Alone condition. Regardless of training condition, pretreatment verbal imitation ability positively predicted the size of child-initiated spoken vocabulary observed during training. Exploratory analyses indicated that, in addition to verbal imitation, pretreatment age and IQ may also predict spoken language developed during training.

Early Predictors of Language in Children With and Without Down Syndrome

Predictors of productive and receptive language development in 39 children with intellectual disabilities (17 with Down syndrome) and their parents were identified. Children were in the prelinguistic or first stage of productive language acquisition (Brown, 1973). The Down syndrome and non-Down syndrome groups were matched on several variables, including IQ, CA, and vocabulary level. After controlling for initial language level, we attempted to identify unique early predictors of language measured 6 months later. Results indicate that Down syndrome negatively affected language development. Additionally, frequency of optimal parental responding predicted later productive language above and beyond etiology. Finally, canonical vocal communication and commenting predicted later productive language only in children without Down syndrome.

Intentional Communication Elicits Language-Facilitating Maternal Responses in Dyads With Children Who Have Developmental Disabilities

An experimental test of whether intentional communication elicits maternal responses purported to facilitate language development is presented. Fifty-eight prelinguistic children with disabilities and their mothers participated. Children were randomly assigned to two staff-implemented treatments that were designed to experimentally increase intentional communication ability. We predicted that treatment effects on maternal responses would vary by maternal education level and maternal responsive interaction style at the pretreatment period. We predicted any treatment effect on maternal responses would be mediated by posttreatment intentional communication. Results indicated that treatment effects on maternal responses varied by pretreatment maternal education level. A pattern of results also supports the conclusion that posttreatment intentional communication to mother was, at least in part, responsible for the effect on posttreatment maternal responses.

The Role of Directives in Early Language Intervention

The purpose of this paper is to discuss the appropriate role for directives in language intervention. Three types of directives are defined: follow-in, redirectives, and introductions. Two conceptual models for the role of directives in language development are then presented. The research supports the hypothesis that follow-in directives facilitate language development and can play a useful role in intervention. Redirectives are either negatively or nonsignificantly associated with language development and have a less useful role in language intervention. The role of introductions is less clear, and more research needs to be done. Finally, 3 issues, the possible covariation of directiveness and responsiveness, cultural differences in the use of directives, and a useful role for redirectives separate from language development, are discussed.

An Exploratory Comparison of Milieu Teaching and Responsive Interaction in Classroom Applications.

An exploratory study was conducted to compare 2 naturalistic language intervention methods: milieu teaching and responsive interaction. Classroom teachers implemented the treatment methods in 6 classrooms. Thirty-six children were matched on 4 pretreatment language measures and assigned to 1 of the 2 treatments. No main effects for treatment were found. However, milieu teaching was more effective than responsive interaction in facilitating receptive language and expressive vocabulary, if the children began intervention with relatively low receptive or expressive language levels. In contrast, responsive interaction was more effective than milieu teaching in facilitating receptive language and expressive vocabulary if the children began intervention with relatively high receptive or expressive language levels. The explanations for these results suggest several directions for future research and highlight the increasingly common finding that no 1 intervention is superior for all children.

Effect of Verbal Routine Contexts and Expansions on Gains in the Mean Length of Utterance in Children With Developmental Delays

This study tests the hypothesis that verbal routines and expansions increase generalized child mean length of utterance (MLU). Verbal routines were built through repeated interaction with the same ...